Andy Montoya
Saint Marcellin is a creamy French cheese that is typically served baked and can be paired with salads, bread, or wine. It is produced in the Rhône-Alpes region of France and has been enjoyed for over 500 years. The cheese is known for its delicate flavour and creamy texture, and it is often presented in a small clay dish or wrapped in leaves. When baked, Saint Marcellin becomes soft and can be spread on bread or used as a dip. It is a popular cheese in Lyon and can be found in most cheese shops and restaurants in the city.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese Type | Cow's milk, creamy, salty, nutty |
| Cheese Origin | Rhône-Alpes region of France, specifically the village of Saint-Marcellin in the valley of the River Isere |
| Cheese Container | Crock, clay dish, or wrapped in chestnut or grape leaves |
| Serving Suggestions | Baked in the oven, melted on a salad, on bread, or as a dip |
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What You'll Learn
Bake it in its own little clay pot or terra-cotta pot
Saint Marcellin is a creamy French cheese that is typically sold in its own little clay pot or a terra-cotta crock. This cheese is produced in the South-Eastern French region of Dauphine and has a nutty flavour and a creamy texture. It is a small, round cheese that is often wrapped in chestnut or grape leaves. The cheese is aged for about a month and has a thin, mushroomy rind.
To bake Saint Marcellin in its own little clay pot, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the cheese from its plastic wrapping and place it back into the clay pot. You can top the cheese with a slice of Bayonne ham. Place the uncovered clay pot in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the top is soft and gives to the touch.
While the cheese is baking, you can prepare some sides. Toast some cranberry-walnut bread for dipping. You can also prepare some shallot or onion marmalade to serve on the side.
Once the cheese is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool down slightly. Serve the warm cheese with the toasted bread and marmalade on the side. Enjoy the delicious, creamy treat!
You can also try serving melted Saint Marcellin with some greens. Toss the greens in a bowl with vinaigrette and pine nuts. Divide the greens onto plates and slide two pieces of melted Saint Marcellin on top. Serve immediately.
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Serve it on a salad
St. Marcellin is a small, round cheese produced in the South-Eastern French region of Dauphine. It has a nutty flavour and a creamy texture, and pairs well with a Rhône red wine. This cheese is typically presented in a small clay or ceramic pot to keep the very soft cheese intact.
When serving St. Marcellin on a salad, locals in Lyon, France, bake the cheese at home and slide the warm disks onto their salads. To bake St. Marcellin, preheat your oven to 350°F and place the cheese in its own little terra-cotta pot, baking it uncovered for 10-12 minutes until the top is soft and gives to the touch. You can also add a slice of Bayonne ham on top of the cheese before baking.
While the cheese is melting, prepare your salad greens by tossing them in a bowl with vinaigrette and pine nuts. Divide the greens onto plates and place two pieces of melted St. Marcellin on top of each plate. Serve immediately.
You can also serve St. Marcellin on a salad without baking it. Simply place the cheese, still in its clay dish, on a plate alongside your salad. The cheese will be soft and spreadable, and can be used as a delicious topping for your greens.
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Pair it with a Rhône red wine
St Marcellin is a delicate French cheese from the Rhône-Alpes region. It is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed hot or cold. When served warm, it becomes bubbly and gooey, making it perfect for dipping with crusty bread, crackers, or crudités.
When pairing St Marcellin with a Rhône red wine, consider the cheese's flavour profile and texture. The cheese has a creamy, salty, and nutty flavour with a mushroomy rind and a silky smooth texture. A Rhône red wine with fruity and spicy notes will complement these characteristics beautifully.
For a classic combination, opt for a Côtes du Rhône wine, such as Les Deux Albions. This choice will highlight the fruity and nutty flavours of the cheese. Alternatively, a Rhône red wine with a fuller body and more robust flavours, such as a Syrah or Grenache blend, can stand up to the creaminess of the cheese.
If you're feeling adventurous, try experimenting with different styles of Rhône red wines, such as those from the northern Rhône, which tend to be more medium-bodied with elegant flavours, or the southern Rhône, known for their fuller-bodied and bolder wines. Remember to serve the cheese at the ideal temperature to fully appreciate its texture and flavour. Warming it slightly in the oven can enhance its creaminess and make it even more indulgent.
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Wrap it in chestnut or grape leaves
St Marcellin is a small, round cheese produced in the South-Eastern French region of Dauphine. It is known for its creamy texture and mild flavour, making it a favourite among cheese lovers. The cheese is usually found wrapped in chestnut or grape leaves, which turn from fresh green to a dark brown as the cheese ripens.
Chestnut leaves are traditionally used to wrap goat cheese in the South of France, in Ardèche, for instance. In Provence, such cheese is called "banon". Grapevine leaves are also commonly used to wrap cheese. They are often used for pickling and are known to be tasty.
St Marcellin is a very soft and creamy cheese that is ready to burst out of its thin rind. It is often shipped and bought in little crocks or ramekins to hold it all together. The cheese is usually covered with a breathable wrap.
St Marcellin is quite versatile and can be served in many ways. It can be served slightly warmed to amplify its rich, creamy essence. It can also be placed on crusty bread for a delightful snack. It is often added to salads or pasta to elevate the overall dish.
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Age it for a month
St. Marcellin is a small, round cheese produced in the South-Eastern French region of Dauphine. It is typically aged for about a month and has a thin, mushroomy rind. The cheese is often wrapped in chestnut or grape leaves, which turn from fresh green to dark brown as the cheese ripens.
When ageing St. Marcellin cheese, the process begins by sprinkling approximately 1/4 teaspoon of salt onto each cheese while they are still in their moulds. Allow the salt to dissolve for 4-6 hours, then flip the cheeses in their moulds and salt the other side. At the end of the day, remove the cheeses from their moulds and place them on draining mats to continue draining overnight.
The next morning, move the cheeses to an ageing space with a temperature of 52°F and a relative humidity of 90-95%. It is recommended to use covered plastic trays during ageing to maintain moisture. During this time, the cheeses should be turned 1-2 times daily, preferably onto fresh, dry draining mats.
After about 5-7 days, the cheeses will become greasy due to the presence of ambient yeast. This yeast contributes to the development of a thin, silky layer of Geotrichum mould, which is characteristic of St. Marcellin cheese.
After one month of ageing, the cheese will be ready to enjoy. When fully ripe, the surface will have a thin rind and a creamy interior. If desired, St. Marcellin can also be aged in a drier ageing space with lower relative humidity for a longer period, resulting in a firmer cheese with a drier and stronger flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
St Marcellin is a creamy, salty cheese with a thin, mushroomy rind. It is often served baked in its own little crock or clay dish, with a slice of Bayonne ham on top.
Bake the cheese in its crock, uncovered, at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the top is soft. Serve with toasted cranberry-walnut bread for dipping.
St Marcellin is a versatile cheese that can be served as part of a cheese platter or as a dessert. It pairs well with a Rhône red wine, and its creamy texture makes it a great topping for salads.
