Fermier is a Morbier-style cheese made Down Under by L’Artisan Cheese Organic. Read on to learn more about this beautiful cheese.
The traditional recipe for Morbier
Morbier is a French semi-hard cheese with a signature layer of ash that originates from the Jura and Doubs regions.
Back in the day, local farmers began making this type of cheese in the winter months when they did not have enough milk to make Comté. They would make a small 4-5kg cheese in the evening and cover it with ash for protection overnight.
In the morning, they would make a second identical cheese. Once the curd is set, they would place it on top of the layer of ash before the whole wheel is pressed.
Made from a single milking batch
Fermier is a Morbier-style cheese made using Victorian organic cow’s milk.
L’Artisan Organic make Fermier at their brand new cheesemaking facility in Mortlake, Victoria. Actually, Matthieu Megard and his talented team use organic milk from a single milking batch, as is the case for most modern Morbiers.
A line of vegetable ash
Moreover, they add a line of charcoal made from vegetable ash through the centre of every wheel. Afterwards, each wheel is then pressed in cloth, hand salted and washed in brine during the maturation process.
At 6 weeks, the cheese develops a sticky, orange rind which envelopes a dense, buttery pâte. Overall, it has a well-rounded flavour with a nutty, earthy finish.
How to serve Fermier
Fermier excels both as a table cheese and a melting cheese. Pair with a semi-sweet Gewürztraminer.
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