Reblochon Archives | Cheese Atlas

Chevrotin

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 00:07:26 +0000

Savoie is renowned for its mountainous landscape and its alpine cheeses. While its cow milk counterpart Reblochon might be more famous, the little goat milk Chevrotin is just as spectacular. Read on to learn more about this pressed uncooked cheese and discover how best to pair it.

What is Chevrotin?

Chevrotin cheese is a type of pressed uncooked cheese that comes from the Savoie region of France. Actually, it is one of a staggering eight AOP or IGP cheeses that comes from this mountainous region bordering Switzerland.

It is made from raw, unpasteurized goat’s milk, which gives it a unique and distinctive flavour that sets it apart from other soft cheeses. Undoubtedly, Chevrotin cheese is treasured by cheese lovers all over the world, and is particularly popular in France and other parts of Europe. Because cheesemakers use raw milk, this cheese is currently banned in the USA and Australia.

How is Chevrotin made?

Actually, the recipe for Chevrotin is quite similar to that of Reblochon de Savoie. Of course, the main different is that local cheesemakers use raw goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk. And production takes place exclusively during the summer months when the goats are pasture-fed.

Presently, only a small number of artisanal and farmhouse dairies make this AOP cheese. Following AOP regulations, they use only unpasteurised milk and age all of their cheeses on spruce boards. Moreover, each wheel of Chevrotin is actually quite small in size, ranging from 9 cm to 12 cm in diameter.

During maturation, an affineur regularly washes each little wheel of cheese with a proprietary salt water mixture. As a result, the cheese develops a delicate off-white Geotrichum candidum rind that wraps around a soft, creamy white paste.

Flavour profile

When it comes to taste, Chevrotin cheese has a tangy, slightly savoury flavour that is balanced by a creamy and smooth texture. Some people describe the flavour of Chevrotin cheese as being similar to that of a young goat cheese, although it is slightly milder and less tangy.

As for its aroma, your nose will detect a goaty quality with pleasant notes of wild mountain flowers. This is not too surprising since the goats feed on a diet of wild herbs and flowers while they roam freely on the mountain side.

Serving guide

When it comes to pairings, Chevrotin cheese is best enjoyed with light white wines, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris. The cheese is also great with beer, and can be enjoyed with a wheat beer or a fruity lager.

Additionally, Chevrotin cheese can be paired with fresh fruit, such as strawberries or melons, or with nuts and dried fruit, such as almonds and apricots.

Alternatives to Chevrotin

While Chevrotin is definitely a unique cheese, it can be tricky to source outside of its native France. If you’re looking for a similar experience, Préféré de Nos Montagnes, Valençay or Chabichou du Poitou are three great options that are a bit more accessible.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

The post Chevrotin appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Préféré de Nos Montagnes

Cheese Atlas — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 22:56:56 +0000

Smells like the mountains

Préféré de nos Montagnes is a soft cheese made in the French Jura Mountains. It is an adaptation of the traditional Reblochon recipe using pasteurised cow’s milk.

The name Reblochon comes from the French word “Reblocher” which means “pinch a cow’s udder again”.

Under the watchful eye

In the 14th century, the state would tax French dairy farmers based on the amount of milk their cows were yielding. Hence, when the tax inspector was watching, the farmer would not fully milk their cows.

Actually, they would collect the remaining milk after the inspector has measured the yield and left the premises. Moreover, this rich fatty milk was perfect for making cheese.

The AOP dictates in their Reblochon “cahiers de charges” that production has to be in the Haute-Savoie region. Furthermore, cheesemakers have to use raw milk from specific breeds of local cows. And they have to use traditional manufacturing and maturation techniques.

Raw milk cheese restrictions

Due to the restrictions on raw milk cheese in Australia and the United States, Reblochon made using the traditional recipe is not allowed. Thankfully, we can have access to this version made with pasteurised milk.

Overall, this gorgeous cheese has a thin orange rind and, when ripe, emanates gorgeous aromas of hazelnuts and oak. The soft oozy pâte has a seductively unctuous mouthfeel and will leave you begging for more!

Furthermore, its subtle flavours are reminiscent of salted butter and dewy grass in a mountain pasture.

How to pair Préféré de Nos Montagnes

One word – Beaujolais! This is a tried and trusted pairing which celebrates the terroir of Eastern France.

The post Préféré de Nos Montagnes appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Mountain Man: Australian Reblochon

Cheese Atlas — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 07:15:02 +0000

About Mountain Man

Mountain Man is a soft washed rind cheese made from pasteurised cow’s milk in Mortlake, Victoria. Effectively, it was the first cheese L’Artisan Organic started making in its original site in Timboon in 2009.

For this cheese, head cheesemaker Matthieu Megard drew his inspiration from Reblochon. Reblochon is a traditional cheese that originates from Haute-Savoie in the French Alps, close to where he grew up.

History of Reblochon

Actually, the name Reblochon comes from the French word “Reblocher” which means “pinch a cow’s udder again”. In the 14th century, French dairy farmers would get taxed based on the amount of milk their cows were yielding.

Hence, when the tax inspector was watching, the farmer would not fully milk their cows. Afterwards, they would collect the remaining milk after the inspector has left the premises.

Matthieu matures his wheels of Mountain Man for up to 4 weeks. At this age, the cheese develops an ivory-coloured edible rind with a mildly pungent aroma. Underneath the rind, its off-white pâte has spectacular ooze and a buttery mouthfeel. Besides, it has a well-rounded flavour that oscillates between fruity and yeasty.

How to serve Mountain Man

Without a doubt, this subtle washed rind excels both as a table cheese and a melting cheese. Moreover, it is the perfect choice for Tartiflette, a rich and hearty dish that originates from the Savoie region of France.

Enjoy with a crisp Riesling or cider.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

The post Mountain Man: Australian Reblochon appeared first on Cheese Atlas.