This artisanal cheese was created to be served grilled. Le Paillasson is known for its smooth, dense, almost white paste that melts delicately in the mouth when served hot. It gives off a mild, milky aroma. Its flavor is just as subtle—gentle, slightly salty, with rustic notes of hay and walnut.

Le Paillasson gets its name from the rush mat on which it was traditionally dried during colonial times. To enjoy it, simply pan-fry it for about two minutes on each side, until its center is warm.

Cheesemaker

Les Fromages de l’Isle d’Orléans began in 2004, after years of work and research in order to recreate the recipe for Québec’s legendary cheese: Fromage de l’Île. Considered the oldest cheese in America, this soft cheese was made at home by Île d’Orléans families as early as 1635. Made with raw milk, the cheese was placed in moulds and placed on a small reed mat (“paillasson”) to dry on the woodstove, without pressing. It was produced in the traditional way on the island for decades, until 1965, when the prohibition to use raw milk in the cheese industry put an end to its production.