Reblochon cheese is a soft French cheese made from raw milk and known for its rich flavor and floral scent. It gets its name from the practice of farmers pinching a cow’s udders again to produce a heavier milk for cheese-making. It is often served with fruits and paired with dry white or fruity red wine, and is a common ingredient in French cuisine recipes. The cheese is made in rounds with an orange rind and white mold, and is aged for up to eight weeks.
Reblochon cheese is a soft French cheese known for its rich flavor and floral scent. Cheese was once made in parts of Italy, but as Italian production declined in the late 1960s, cheesemaking returned exclusively to France. Made mostly in the Haute-Savoie Alps, the cheese itself has a strong nutty flavor.
Originating from the word reblocher, which translates to “pinch a cow’s udders again,” Reblochon cheese gets its name from the fact that farmers once used the milk produced by their cows to pay taxes, a common practice in France of the sixteenth century. After the tax collector left, the farmers would return to their dairy cows and draw the last of the milk to make their cheeses. This second milking would produce a much heavier and fatter milk, ideal for making cheese and butter.
Rebochon cheese is always made from raw milk. Since post-tax milk was often collected from several dairy cows, the cheese itself was made with a mix of available milk. Abondance, tarine and montbéliarde were the most common breeds of cows found in the Haute-Savoie region and, thus, are the three varieties of milk used in modern production. Existing standards and regulations in countries like the United States prohibit the use of unpasteurized dairy products, making reblochon available only through importation in many areas of the world.
A fairly soft cheese, Reblochon cheese is encased in a thick rind to help it hold its shape. It is commonly eaten as a standalone item, often served with various fruits to complement its rich flavor and fruity undertones. Reblochon cheese is often paired with a dry white wine or a fruity red wine. It’s also a common ingredient in many popular French cuisine recipes, including tartiflette, a potato dish containing onions, cream, and ham. Tarts and quiches are other dishes from the regions that often take advantage of the delicate flavor of the reblochon.
In technical terms, reblochon cheese is made in rounds 14.5 inches in diameter with thicknesses up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). The weight of the rounds is usually between 15 and 16 ounces (425 to 450 grams). The rind is orange and covered with a thin layer of white mold. Aged for up to eight weeks, the cheese is best eaten between March and December.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
