Reblochon () is a soft

washed-rind There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most comm ...

and smear-ripened French cheese made in the Alpine region of

Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè d'Amont'' or ''Hiôta-Savouè''; en, Upper Savoy) or '; it, Alta Savoia. is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. Its prefecture is Ann ...

from raw cow's milk. It has its own AOC designation. Reblochon was first produced in the

Thônes Thônes () is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France, and is the ″capital″ of local cheeses Reblochon and Chevrotin. Geography The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of ...

and

Arly The Arly () is a 32.1 km long river in the departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France. It is a tributary of the Isère, which it joins at Albertville. Towns crossed by the river * Megève * Praz-sur-Arly * Flumet * Saint-Nicolas-la-C ...

valleys, in the Aravis massif. Thônes remains the centre of Reblochon production; the cheeses are still made in the local

cooperatives A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...

. Until 1964 Reblochon was also produced in Italian areas of the Alps. Subsequently, the Italian cheese has been sold in declining quantities under such names as Rebruchon and Reblò alpino.

History

Reblochon derives from the word "reblocher" which when literally translated means "to pinch a cow's udder again". This refers to the practice of holding back some of the milk from the first milking. During the 14th century, the landowners would tax the mountain farmers according to the amount of milk their herds produced. The farmers would therefore not fully milk the cows until after the landowner had measured the yield. The milk that remains is much richer, and was traditionally used by the dairymaids to make their own cheese. In the 16th century the cheese also became known as "fromage de dévotion" ''(devotional cheese)'' because it was offered to the

Carthusian The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has ...

monks of the Thônes Valley by the farmers, in return for having their homesteads blessed.

U.S. unavailability

Reblochon has not been available in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

since 2004, as it is unpasteurised and has not been sufficiently aged to pass U.S. import laws concerning the

pasteurization Pasteurization or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than , to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. Th ...

of soft and semi-soft cheese. Delice du Jura, a pasteurized soft ripened cheese, is being marketed as a close relative and a good substitute in the United States. Prefere de nos Montagnes and

Raclette Raclette (, ) is a Swiss dish, also popular in the other Alpine countries, based on heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiled potatoes. Raclette cheese is historically a dish originating from the canton of ...

can also be used as substitutes.

Characteristics

Reblochon is a soft

and smear-ripened

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 ...

traditionally made from raw cow's milk. The cow breeds best for producing the milk needed for this cheese are the Abondance, Tarentaise and the Montbéliarde. This cheese measures across and thick, has a soft centre with a washed rind and weighs an average of . As proof of its being well-aged in an airy cellar, the rind of this cheese is covered with a fine white mould. The optimal period to savour this cheese is between May and September after it has been aged six to eight weeks. It is also excellent from March to December. Reblochon has a nutty taste that remains in the mouth after its soft and uniform centre has been enjoyed. It is an essential ingredient of tartiflette, a Savoyard '' gratin'' made from potatoes, bacon (lardons), and onions. In 2002, 17.4 million kilograms of Reblochon were produced.

References

External links

Reblochon AOC

Official Reblochon website

*[http://www.regione.piemonte.it/agri/ita/news/pubblic/quaderni/num42/dwd/24_28.pdf Quaderni della Regione Piemonte: ''Caratterizzazione della produzione tradizionale regionale dei prodotti lattiero-caseari: Toma del lait brusc, Murianengo, Formaggio crosta rossa, Cevrin di Coazze'' (Seconda Parte)] {{French cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses French cheeses French products with protected designation of origin Savoie Smear-ripened cheeses

History

U.S. unavailability

Characteristics

See also

References

External links