This mould is known as a Tall Valençay mould with its truncated pyramidal shape. Valençay is an unpasteurised goats milk cheese weighing 200-250g and around 7cm in height. Its rustic blue-grey colour is made by the natural moulds that form its rind, darkened with a dusting of charcoal/saltash. The mould is also known as a 'Faisselle' - the name is that of the container (originally an osier type basket with lots of drainage holes that goes back thousands of years) and the name then transferred to the soft cheese that it was used for. Faisselle is a fresh, very soft cheese of exceptionally high humidity that is made from goats or cows milk: it has no rind and has a very mild taste, so is often used as an ingredient, or as a starter in its own right.
