A guide to Banon — the French goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied with raffia. Its Provençal origins, flavor, and how to enjoy it.
Banon is one of France's most charming cheeses — a small round of soft goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied up with raffia like a little parcel. From the sun-drenched region of Provence, it's a cheese as delightful to unwrap as it is to eat, with a flavor shaped by its leafy wrapping.
What Banon Is
Banon is a Protected Designation of Origin (AOP) goat's-milk cheese from the area around the village of Banon in the Provence region of southeastern France. It's a small, soft cheese made from raw goat's milk, and its defining feature is its wrapping: each round is enclosed in brown chestnut leaves and bound with a few strands of raffia. It has been made in the region for generations.
The Chestnut-Leaf Wrapping
The chestnut leaves are central to Banon's identity. After the young cheese is formed and briefly aged, it's wrapped in chestnut leaves (traditionally dipped in or treated with eau-de-vie or vinegar) and tied with raffia. The leaves protect the soft cheese, help it ripen, and impart a subtle woody, tannic, vegetal flavor as it matures inside its leafy parcel. Unwrapping a Banon to reveal the soft cheese within is part of its appeal.
Flavor and Texture
Banon has a soft, creamy, almost runny paste when ripe, with a delicate, supple texture. The flavor is rich and tangy from the goat's milk, with nutty, woody, slightly earthy notes contributed by the chestnut leaves and a gentle pungency that develops with age. It's more mellow and rounded than a sharp aged goat cheese, with a distinctive character that comes from its leaf wrapping. The leaves are not typically eaten.
How to Serve Banon
Banon is best enjoyed at room temperature, unwrapped at the table for a bit of theater, spread on crusty bread or eaten with a spoon when very ripe. It makes a lovely addition to a cheese board, especially one with a Provençal or French theme, served with bread, fruit, honey, and nuts. Its soft texture and tangy, woody flavor pair beautifully with the wines and foods of the south of France.
Pairings
Banon pairs with the crisp white and rosé wines of Provence, as well as with light reds. On the plate, honey, figs, nuts, and crusty bread complement its tangy, nutty flavor. Its Provençal character makes it a natural with the herbs and produce of the region.
Buying and Storing
Banon is sold as small rounds wrapped in their chestnut leaves and raffia. Choose one that's soft and ripe for the fullest flavor. Keep it wrapped in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving. As a soft goat cheese, it's best eaten within a week or so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Banon wrapped in chestnut leaves?
The leaves protect the soft cheese, help it ripen, and impart a subtle woody, tannic flavor as the cheese matures inside.
Can you eat the chestnut leaves?
The leaves are wrapping and are generally removed before eating, though they flavor the cheese as it ripens.
What does Banon taste like?
Soft and creamy with a tangy goat's-milk flavor and nutty, woody, earthy notes from the chestnut leaves, growing more pungent with age.