Sainte-Maure de Touraine is an attractive little log-shaped goat cheese that is made in both Poitou and Touraine. The cheeses from Touraine are characterized by the presence of a length of straw or stick running through the length of the cheese.
The cheese has a white downy rind which hardens and becomes blue/grey as it matures. The paste is firm but spreadable with a full slightly "goaty" flavor which strengthens as it ages. It is entirely a matter of personal preference at which stage you decide to eat the cheese. Surprisingly, the “goatiness” of the flavor tend to fade when the cheese in heated.
Similar cheeses are Pouligny St Pierre, Selles-sur-Cher and Valençay.