Reblochon is a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
cheeseCheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into...
from the
AlpsThe Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
region of
Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department, named for its location in the Alps mountain range.- History :...
and has been granted the
AOCAppellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des...
title. Reblochon was first produced in the
ThônesThônes is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
and
ArlyThis article is about a river in France. For the national park in Africa, see Arli National ParkArly is a 35 km long river of France. It is a right tributary of the Isère River, which it joins in Albertville.-Towns crossed by the river:* Megève...
valleys, in the
AravisThe Aravis is a mountain range in Haute-Savoie, eastern France. It is part of the French Prealps, a lower chain of mountain ranges west of the main chain of the Alps. Its highest summit is the Pointe Percée, at 2752m. The orientation of the Aravis is north-south, and it stretches from Cluses in...
massif. Thônes remains the centre of Reblochon production; the cheeses are still made in the local cooperatives. Until 1964 Reblochon was also produced in
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
areas of the Alps. Subsequently the Italian cheese has been sold in declining quantities under such names as
Rebruchon and
Reblò alpino.
Reblochon derives from the word 'reblocher' which when literally translated means 'to pinch a cow's udder again'.
Reblochon is a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
cheeseCheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into...
from the
AlpsThe Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
region of
Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department, named for its location in the Alps mountain range.- History :...
and has been granted the
AOCAppellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des...
title. Reblochon was first produced in the
ThônesThônes is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
and
ArlyThis article is about a river in France. For the national park in Africa, see Arli National ParkArly is a 35 km long river of France. It is a right tributary of the Isère River, which it joins in Albertville.-Towns crossed by the river:* Megève...
valleys, in the
AravisThe Aravis is a mountain range in Haute-Savoie, eastern France. It is part of the French Prealps, a lower chain of mountain ranges west of the main chain of the Alps. Its highest summit is the Pointe Percée, at 2752m. The orientation of the Aravis is north-south, and it stretches from Cluses in...
massif. Thônes remains the centre of Reblochon production; the cheeses are still made in the local cooperatives. Until 1964 Reblochon was also produced in
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
areas of the Alps. Subsequently the Italian cheese has been sold in declining quantities under such names as
Rebruchon and
Reblò alpino.
History
Reblochon derives from the word 'reblocher' which when literally translated means 'to pinch a cow's udder again'. Although graphic, this refers to the practice of holding back some of the milk from the first milking. During the 14th century, the landowners would tax the mountain farmers according to the amount of milk their herds produced. The farmers would therefore not fully milk the cows until after the landowner had measured the yield. The milk that remains is much richer, and was traditionally used by the dairymaids to make their own cheese. The Chartreux monks would bless the houses of the mountain peasants in return for these "cheeses of devotion". Raw-milk Reblochon is no longer available in the United States due to recent enforcement of laws concerning the pasteurization of soft and semi-soft cheese.
Characteristics
Reblochon is a soft washed-rind cheese made from raw cow's milk. The cow breeds best for producing the milk needed for this cheese are the
AbondanceThe Abondance is a mixed race breed of cattle which originated in the high valleys of Haute-Savoie, France.-Description:They are medium-sized, with the female weighing in at between 580 and 680 kilograms and standing 1.30 metres tall...
,
TarentaiseTarentaise cattle descend from the domestic cattle of the Tarentaise valley in France where they were isolated from other breeds for many thousands of years. The cattle adapted in such a way as to allow them to exist in high altitudes and be able to range in very steep and rough terrain to forage...
and the
MontbéliardeMontbéliarde Cattle are a red and white pied cattle breed from the Montbéliard region of France, used mainly for dairying and particularly for cheese making.- History :...
. Produced from the day's second milking, this cheese measures 14 cm across and 3–4 cm thick, has a soft centre with a washed rind and weighs an average of 450g. As proof of its being well-aged in an airy cellar, the rind of this cheese is covered with a fine white mould. The optimal period to savour this cheese is between May and September after it has been aged six to eight weeks. It is also excellent from March to December.
Reblochon has a nutty taste that remains in mouth after its soft and uniform centre has been enjoyed. It is an essential ingredient of
tartifletteTartiflette is a French dish from the Savoie region. It originated in the valley of Aravis, home of Reblochon cheese. It is not a traditional dish , and was, in fact, invented and launched only in the 1980s by the Reblochon trade union in an attempt to increase sales of the cheese...
, a Savoyard
gratinGratin is a widely-used culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter . Gratin originated in French cuisine and is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind...
made from potatoes, cream, onions, and ham.
In 2002, 17.4 million kilograms of Reblochon were produced.
External links