Vacherin Mont d’Or is a seasonal cheese made from winter cow’s milk, produced in France and Switzerland. It has a protected designation of origin and is served in a special pine box. The cheese has a runny texture and is often served as a dessert or main course.
Vacherin Mont d’Or is a special seasonal cheese produced in both France and Switzerland and only available between mid-September and March. The cheese is made from the winter milk of cows that have been cut from their pastures for the season. It is related to other mountain cheeses, such as Emmentaler and Gruyere, but is produced in much smaller wheels and also treated differently, so that the cheese is almost liquid when fully ripe.
Some Vacherin Mont d’Or have a protected designation of origin, which means that it is produced in a particular region of Switzerland, the Canton of Vaud. A very strict set of requirements govern how it is made, processed and handled and the cheese produced will be closely monitored by an independent certifying party to ensure it is of the highest possible quality.
This type of cheese comes in a special round pine box with a layer of wax paper on top. When extracted, the cheese is enclosed by a strip of birch called a sangle and a velvety red rind. Experts recommend that Vacherin Mont d’Or be allowed to breathe at room temperature for several hours before diners carve out the inedible rind and scoop out the soft cheese inside. It is a very delicate cheese and must be kept very cold before being consumed.
Vacherin Mont d’Or sometimes appears on its own as a dessert cheese or spread on crackers and fruit. It is sometimes added to salads or served as part of the main course, especially served with small, delicate potatoes. Some chefs also roast the cheese, serving it hot and gooey straight from the crust.
Both pasteurized and unpasteurized milk, depending on the region, are used to make this variety of cheese. The milk is curdled by introducing rennet and heating the mixture, and the curds are packed in tall cylindrical molds with holes so that the whey can drain out. After the cheese has set slightly, it is cut into rounds, which are surrounded with traditional sangles and moved to a cheese cave to ripen. During the maturation stages, the rounds are turned daily and brushed with a saline solution. After a month, the cheese is ready for sale and canned.
Vacherin Mont d’Or is a truly unique cheese, with an almost runny texture and a rich, creamy flavor. The sangle and subsequent pine box give it a slightly astringent, forest-like flavor that many consider delicious and quite distinctive. Cheese consumers interested in exploring new and interesting flavors are likely to appreciate this special variety.
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