High in the Basque Pyrenees of southwestern France, raw sheep’s milk is pressed into fat rounds. Looking like large, rusty stepping stones they have a straw colored interior that begins to flake and form amino acid crystals at our selected age: 10-12 months. This magical transformation occurs in the caves of Herve Mons in Roanne. Ossau is always a crowd pleaser; the smooth, sweet and butterfatty elements are appealing to casual snackers, while the nutty complexity charms the professed cheese lovers at the party. Know what else they'll like? Some dried fruit and a bottle of Bordeaux.