Maroilles (; also known as Marolles, or simply known as Maroilles) is a cow's-milk

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During productio ...

made in the regions of

Picardy Picardy (; Picard and french: Picardie, , ) is a historical territory and a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Hauts-de-France. It is located in the northern part of France. His ...

and

Nord-Pas-de-Calais Nord-Pas-de-Calais (); pcd, Nord-Pas-Calés); is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Hauts-de-France. It consisted of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. Nord-Pas-de-Ca ...

in northern France. It derives its name from the village of Maroilles in the region in which it is still manufactured. The cheese is sold in individual rectangular blocks with a moist orange-red washed rind and a strong smell. In its mass-produced form it is around square and in height, weighing around In addition, according to its AOC regulations, cheeses eligible for AOC status can be one of three other sizes: *Sorbais – (3/4) 12-12.5 cm square, 4 cm high, 550 g in weight. ''

ripening Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. In general, fruit becomes sweeter, less green, and softer as it ripens. Even though the acidity of fruit increases as it ripens, the higher acidity level does not make th ...

'': at least 4 weeks. *Mignon – (1/2) 11-11.5 cm square, 3 cm high, 350 g in weight. ''ripening'': at least 3 weeks. *Quart – (1/4) 8-8.5 cm square, 3 cm high, 180 g in weight. ''ripening'': at least 2 weeks.

History

Maroilles is often reported to have first been made in 962 by a monk in the Abbey of Maroilles. The cheese rapidly became famous throughout the region and was a favourite of several French kings including Philip II,

Louis IX Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), commonly known as Saint Louis or Louis the Saint, was King of France from 1226 to 1270, and the most illustrious of the House of Capet, Direct Capetians. He was Coronation of the French monarch, c ...

, Charles VI and Francis I. Maroilles-Käse

Manufacture

The curd is shaped and salted before being removed from its mould and placed in a ventilated drying area for around ten days during which time a gentle light coating of bacteria develops. The cheese is then brushed and washed and cellared for at least five weeks, though periods of up to four months are not uncommon. During this time, it is turned and brushed at regular intervals to remove the natural white mould to allow its red bacteria to change the rind from yellow to red. The finished cheese is a minimum of 45% fat, and is made in both pasteurised and unpasteurised forms. AOC status was granted in 1976 with AOP status following in 1996. In 2005, 2,126 tons were made, of which around 6% came from the 10 ''fermier'' producers, with the remainder being made by the three ''industriel'' producers.

Similar cheeses

A number of less-common cheeses are made in northern France using very similar methods and are often listed in the "Maroilles family". These include Baguette Laonnaise (made in

Laon Laon () is a city in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. History Early history The holy district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance. I ...

), Boulette d'Avesnes (

Avesnes-sur-Helpe Avesnes-sur-Helpe (; vls, Avenne aan de Helpe) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Nord department. It is situated 14 km from the Belgian border, and 18 km south of Maubeuge, the ne ...

), Boulette de Cambrai (

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Es ...

), Cœur d'Arras (

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

), Cœur d'Avesnes (Avesnes), Dauphin ( Nord), Gris de Lille (

Pas-de-Calais Pas-de-Calais (, "strait of Calais"; pcd, Pas-Calés; also nl, Nauw van Kales) is a department in northern France named after the French designation of the Strait of Dover, which it borders. It has the most communes of all the departments o ...

), Guerbigny (

), and

Rollot Rollot () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Rollot is situated southeast of Amiens, on the D 935 road. It is the most southerly commune in the département, just a few hundred yards from the ...

( Somme).

In popular culture

The very successfulBienvenue chez les Ch'tis : Box-Office
Retrieved 30 July 2008. 2008 French film '' Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis'' jokes about the strong smell of Maroilles cheese.

References

External links