Patrick Oconnell
Mont d'Or, also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, is a variety of soft cheese made from raw cow's milk. It is produced in the Jura region, which spans the border between France and Switzerland, and is considered a delicacy in both countries. The cheese is known for its strong smell and unique, earthy taste. It has a gooey, runny, and sticky texture, and is often served baked or at room temperature, where it becomes very soft and can be eaten like fondue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Season | Winter |
| Origin | Switzerland and France |
| Region | Jura mountains |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Texture | Gooey, runny, sticky, liquescent, soft, spreadable, silky, custard-like |
| Taste | Nutty, earthy, woody, buttery, rich, smooth, funky |
| Aroma | Pronounced woody, ripe, unpleasant, rotten |
| Colour | Beige/cream, golden/white, orange |
| Rind | Peach-coloured, wrinkled, mottled mix of white, blue and green moulds |
| Serving suggestions | Baked with wine, garlic, herbs, pepper, salt, olive oil, truffle shavings, new potatoes; eaten with crusty bread, baguette, crostini, figs, grapes, pear |
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What You'll Learn
Mont d'Or is a seasonal cheese
The production of Mont d'Or cheese is seasonal because it is made with milk from cows feeding on straw and fodder. Once the cows are out to pasture, their milk is used for larger Alpine cheeses. The extra richness of Mont d'Or comes from the higher fat content of the milk due to the cows' winter diet. Swiss regulations dictate that the cheese must be produced at elevations of 2,297 feet or higher.
Mont d'Or is produced between August 15 and March 15 and is sold between October and April or May. It is a specialty of the Jura mountain region, which straddles the border between Switzerland and France. In France, it is revered as the best of the raw milk cheeses. It is the only French cheese to be eaten with a spoon.
The cheese has a distinctive appearance, packaged in a handsome wooden box and wrapped in spruce bark, which gives the cheese its unique nutty, earthy taste. The spruce bark is boiled and soaked until bendable and acts as a belt to keep the ooze of the cheese contained. The rind has a mottled mix of white, blue, and green cheese molds on its orange-y pink surface.
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It's a soft cheese with a unique, nutty taste
Mont d'Or is a soft cheese with a unique, nutty taste. It is often referred to as the "Holy Grail of soft cheese". This seasonal cheese is only produced between August 15 and March 15 and sold between September 10 and May 10. It is made from raw cow's milk and derives its nutty taste from the spruce bark in which it is wrapped. The cheese has a distinctive smell, which some may find unpleasant, but its taste is rich and smooth, with a unique flavour that is very different from its aroma.
The cheese is produced in the Jura mountain region, which spans the border between Switzerland and France, and it is said to be a favourite of King Louis XV. It is named after Mont d'Or (Golden Mountain) in the Jura region, Franche Comte, department of Doubs. The French variety typically has a beige top, while the Swiss variety leans towards a pinkish-orange hue.
Mont d'Or is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It is often served at room temperature, where it becomes very soft and can be eaten like a fondue or spread on bread. It can also be baked, which is a popular way to enjoy it in France as it brings out even more flavour. When baking, it is recommended to remove the top rind and reveal the almost-liquid interior, adding various ingredients like garlic, herbs, or wine to taste. The cheese can then be served with crusty bread, new potatoes, or other dipping items.
The production of Mont d'Or involves wrapping it in spruce bark, which not only imparts its unique flavour but also helps to contain the spreadable, silky texture of the cheese. The cheese is produced at elevations of 2,297 feet or higher, as dictated by Swiss regulations. The extra richness of the cheese comes from the higher fat content of the milk due to the cows' winter diet of straw and fodder.
Mont d'Or is a highly regarded cheese, known for its distinctive taste and texture. Its soft, spreadable consistency, coupled with its nutty and earthy flavours, make it a favourite among cheese enthusiasts, especially during the winter months.
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It's produced in the Jura mountains
Mont d'Or cheese is produced in the Jura Mountains, which span the border between Switzerland and France. In fact, the cheese is considered to be of both Swiss and French origin due to the shifting political borders in the region. The cheese is named after Mont d'Or (Golden Mountain) in the Jura region, Franche Comté, department of Doubs, France.
The cheese is produced in the Jura Mountains during a specific season, typically from mid-August to mid-March, and is sold from September to May. It is a winter-time cheese, with a rich and smooth flavour that is highly regarded by cheese enthusiasts. The unique flavour of Mont d'Or cheese is influenced by the elevation and local environment of the Jura Mountains. Swiss regulations specify that the cheese must be produced at elevations of 2,297 feet or higher. The higher elevation contributes to the distinct taste and texture of the cheese.
The production process of Mont d'Or cheese in the Jura Mountains is carefully controlled. It is a raw cow's milk cheese, and the milk used for its production comes from cows that feed on straw and fodder during the winter months. This diet results in milk with a higher fat content, contributing to the extra richness of the cheese. The milk is then carefully crafted into cheese, resulting in a spreadable, silky texture that is held together by a strip of bark from local trees.
The spruce bark that adorns the sides of the cheese is an essential element of its production in the Jura Mountains. The cheese derives its nutty, earthy flavour from the bark, and the bark also serves as a natural container, holding the soft, gooey cheese in place. The process of wrapping the cheese in spruce bark is an art that has been perfected by cheese makers in the region.
The Jura Mountains provide the ideal setting for the production of Mont d'Or cheese, with the elevation, climate, and local ingredients coming together to create a cheese that is revered by cheese lovers around the world. The region's elevation contributes to the unique flavour and texture of the cheese, and the knowledge and traditions passed down through generations of cheese makers in the Jura Mountains ensure the consistent quality of this renowned delicacy.
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It's made from cow's milk
Mont d'Or, also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, is a soft cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced in the Jura region, which spans the border between Switzerland and France. The cheese is named after Mont d'Or (Golden Mountain) in the Jura region.
Being a soft cheese, it is often described as gooey, runny, and sticky. It is also said to have a unique, nutty, and earthy taste. The distinct flavour is derived from the spruce bark that adorns the sides of the cheese. The bark is taken from the cambium layer, just under the outer bark of local trees, and is boiled and soaked until bendable. This bendy bark then acts as a belt to keep the ooze of the cheese contained.
The cheese is produced only between August 15 and March 15 and is sold between October and April/May. It is a seasonal delicacy and is often considered a winter cheese. The extra richness of the cheese is attributed to the higher fat content of the milk due to the cows' winter diet of straw and fodder.
Mont d'Or has a strong, funky, and ripe smell, which may be off-putting to some. However, the taste is said to be very different and much more pleasant than the smell. The cheese is best served at room temperature, where it becomes very soft and gooey, almost like a fondue. It can also be baked in the oven, which is a popular way to consume it in France.
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It's often baked before serving
Mont d'Or cheese, also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, is often baked before serving. This is because baking it brings out even more flavour. The cheese is wrapped in spruce bark, which gives it a woody flavour and aroma. When baked, the cheese becomes a fondue, oozing out of its rind.
To bake Mont d'Or, preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F/Gas 6. Remove the lid and place the box on a baking tray. There are several ways to cook it: plain, with a dash of pepper, some sea salt, a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, truffle shavings, herbs, or a splash of wine. You can also poke a few slits in the cheese and insert thinly sliced garlic. Grind some black pepper over the top and pour over a splash of white wine before baking.
It is important to note that some Mont d'Or cheese in the US comes in a spruce box that is glued together, rather than stapled as in France and Switzerland. Therefore, if you plan to bake your cheese, check for glue or staples. If it's glued, remove the spruce and put the cheese in a dish to avoid a pool of cheese in your oven.
Baked Mont d'Or can be served with bread, croutons, sausage, new potatoes, or whatever you like as with a fondue. It is a popular dish during the winter months and is revered as one of the best raw milk cheeses in France.
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Frequently asked questions
Mont d'Or cheese has a nutty, earthy, woody, buttery, and silky taste. It is often regarded as the "Holy Grail of soft cheese".
Baked Mont d'Or is a very popular way to eat the cheese in France, as it brings out even more flavour.
Some people prefer to eat the cheese raw, while others like it baked. You can bake it in its box or in a dish, with or without herbs, garlic, and wine. It is often eaten with crusty bread or baguette, but can also be enjoyed with new potatoes.
Mont d'Or is a seasonal cheese and is only produced between August 15 and March 15, and sold between September 10 and May 10.
Mont d'Or has a strong, ripe, and funky smell. However, the flavour is very different and much more pleasant than the smell.
