Reblochon cheese is a soft ripened cheese with a “washed crust”, made in the Alpine region of Savoy from raw cow's milk. It has its own designation AOC (translated into Russian - the primordially controlled name).
Reblochon was first made in the Ton and Arly valleys, in the Aravis massif. Tone still remains the center of production of this product. In this area it is produced by many home-made cheese dairies. Until 1964, reblochon was also produced in the Italian regions of the Alps. Subsequently, Italian cheese was sold in decreasing quantities under such names as Rebruchon and Reblò alpino.
History
The name of this product comes from the word "reblocher", which literally means "repeatedly press the cow's udder." This makes a reference to the practice of keeping part of the milk from the first milking. In the fourteenth century, landowners taxed mountain farmers according to the amount of milk produced by their herds. Therefore, farmers did not milk the cows completely until the landowner measures the milk yield. The milk that remains in this case is much thicker and more nutritious. It was traditionally used by milkmaids to make their own cheese.
In the sixteenth century, cheese also became known as fromage de dévotion (religious-traditional cheese) because farmers offered it to the Cartesian monks of the Tone Valley in exchange for the blessing of their estates.
Characteristics
French Reblochon cheese is a soft ripened product that is traditionally made from raw cow's milk. For the production of this product is best suited milk, which give the cows of the breed Montbeliard, tarantez and abondance.
This cheese is classically associated with the idea of naturalness. Reblochon de Savoie, produced by farmers in Savoy, is of very high quality. Animals are fed grass in the summer, and hay in the winter, which gives the milk a natural taste. Local farmers follow the traditional rules of production and ripening. A thin board made of spruce wood, on which cheese ripens, allows you to naturally control humidity.
This product is produced with heads that measure 14 cm across and 3-4 cm thick. Cheese has a soft middle in the washed crust. Each head weighs an average of 450 grams. As evidence that he is well-seasoned in the airy cellar, his crust is always covered with fine white mold. The best time to enjoy this cheese is from May to September, after it is aged from six to eight weeks. According to gourmet reviews, it is also excellent from March to December.
How is it made?
To make Reblochon cheese, milk is heated in a huge copper pot, and then rennet is added to make it curd. The resulting cottage cheese is cut to the size of a grain of rice, then pressed. In this form, it is laid out in forms lined with gauze, which allows the whey to drain (it is then used to prepare butter). Cottage cheese is decomposed into forms manually. He is allowed to stand for half an hour, then turn over and leave in the same containers.
At this point, red or green marks are inserted in the heads. Then the resulting cheeses are pressed with a cast-iron weight of 2.2 kg placed on top of each mold.
After that, the product is dipped for a short time in brine and incubated for at least 4 weeks at 16 ° C. During this time, cheeses are turned over and washed with whey every two days. In some cases, they can withstand from 6 to 8 weeks.
Product Types
In the manufacture of reblochon, as in any production of soft French cheeses of famous brands, the rules regarding the protected designation of origin are clearly observed. However, there are two types of product that can be identified by the color of the sticker on the package (green or red). They differ in the following:
- Cheese produced on farm farms in home dairies is recognizable by green labels.
- Reblochon, released at large enterprises, is marked with a red sticker.
These markings are made from casein granules, which guarantees the origin of the reblochon. Thanks to them, you can verify the originality of the product. The label contains the name of the manufacturer and the batch number, as well as the date of manufacture. Since they are made from casein, they can be eaten with the shell.
What does it taste like?
The product has a nutty flavor that remains in the mouth after its soft and uniform center is eaten. The taste of reblochon cheese is surprisingly light, without astringency or aftertaste of fermented elements. Instead, it is relatively soft, and only gains strength after eating a crust. The middle also resembles a thick raw dough in consistency. According to some reviews, it leaves not only a nutty, but also fruity aftertaste.
It has a specific smell that scares off many buyers. In truth, its soft middle is not as fragrant as a tasteless hard crust. In the context, it smells just a bit of yeast.
In cooking, it is known as an important ingredient in tartiflette - gratin from Savoy cabbage made from potatoes, bacon and onions. In addition, he cooks traditional French onion soup, as well as numerous casseroles and soufflés.
At home, the reblochon should be stored in a cool place (10–12 ° C). It is best to eat it within 10 days after purchase. Leave the product at room temperature for two hours before eating. Reblochon cheese is ideal for winter dishes, especially baked ones. As an independent product, it can be combined with many varieties of bread and French wines. As a rule, these are white varieties of a noble drink. It is also very good with nuts or dried fruits (such as figs, raisins or apricots).
Traditional use
It is common throughout Savoy to cook various hot dishes of Reblochon cheese. To do this, a whole head of cheese is baked before melting. Traditionally, this was done in a furnace specially designed for this, although today it is rarely seen. Then the melted cheese is served to boiled potatoes. According to some recipes, sour cream is added to the cheese.
Bacon, cured meats, sausages or ham are often added to a combination of baked cheese and potatoes. Gherkins and pickled onions are added as a light side dish.
Sales Restriction
Interestingly, reblochon cheese is banned in the United States, as it is made from unpasteurized milk and not sufficiently aged in accordance with local sanitary requirements.
In Russia, there is currently a ban on the import of cheeses of European origin, so it is problematic to buy a real reblochon. However, its analogues of domestic production are on sale. Of course, they cannot fully replace the original product, but they will allow every housewife to surprise the household with a tasty and unusual dish.