Among France’s 46 AOP cheeses, Mont d’Or reigns supreme. Read on to find out how Mont d’Or cheese is made according to AOP specifications in the Haut-Doubs region of France.
SEE ALSO: Why Mont d’Or is considered to be the Holy Grail of Cheese →
What is Mont d’Or
Also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, Mont d’Or is a seasonal soft washed rind cheese that is made above 700m in the Haut-Doubs region of France. Since 1996, the European Union’s AOP has been regulating its production and maturation.
This historic cheese (early mentions date to the year 1280) is exclusively made from raw cow’s milk from the 15th of August to the 15th of March each year.
The area of production
When the AOP uses the term “area of production”, they mean where the milk comes from, where the cheese is made and where it matures. According to AOP specifications, the area of production for Mont d’Or is exclusively in the Haut-Doubs region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Furthermore, the entire process takes place at a minimum altitude of 700 metres (2300 feet).
Type of milk
The AOP dictates cheesemakers in the Haut-Doubs have to use raw unskimmed milk to make Mont d’Or. Moreover, they are not allowed to pasteurise or thermalise their milk in any way. And they have to start cheese production within 24 hours of milking.
Breed
Further to the raw milk requirements, producers of Vacherin du Haut-Doubs use milk from two local breeds of cows, Montbéliarde and Simmental. Moreover, the farmers milk their dairy cows twice daily at fixed times. And the cheese production begins within 24 hours of milking.
Feed
During summertime, the cows are entirely pasture-fed. However, during the winter months, the farmers feed their cows a very high-quality hay. As with everything else that surrounds this cheese, the hay comes from pastures above 700 metres of altitude.
In addition to this, the AOP regulates how much cereal (very little) and fermented silage (none) can be added.
Traditional production methods
As we mentioned earlier, production of Mont d’Or takes place annually between the 15th of August and the 15th of March inclusive.
Handling of the milk
Once they receive the milk from a local farm, the cheesemaker can heat it only once up to 39°C. In fact, this takes place during the addition of calf rennet to bring about coagulation.
Which ingredients can be added
Other than milk, makers of Vacherin du Haut-Doubs only use the following ingredients:
- Calf rennet
- AOP specified starter cultures
- Water
- Salt (sodium chloride)
Cutting and hooping the curd
Once the curd is formed, the maker cuts it into hazelnut-sized pieces and hoops them into cylindrical moulds for pressing.
Salting the cheese
After pressing, the young cheese is brined. Unsurprisingly, the AOP also has strict requirements for the salt water mixture that the cheeses are dipped in. Those specifications include pH levels, temperature (between 8°C and 14°C) and density.
Wrapping in spruce bark
The final step of production involves wrapping the young cheese in a strip of spruce bark. The bark has to be stored in a dry environment and dampened with hot water (minimum 80°C) before being used. At some sites, this step takes place before brining.
Maturation over 21 days
The entire maturation process has to take place at the same site where the cheese was made. This typically happens in cheese caves with strict temperature (maximum 15°C) and humidity (at least 92%) conditions. Moreover, the affineur has to mature all of their Mont d’Or on spruce (épicéa) planks that are washed and dried in between every batch of cheese.
During maturation, they regularly brush and turn every cheese. For the brushing, they use either pure water or a weak brine (salt and water) solution.
Packaging for sale
At day 12, the affineur transfers each cheese into a small wooden box that is slightly smaller in diameter than the cheese. Because the cheese has to be squeezed in, it develops delicate ripples on its surface which are reminiscent of the mountain landscape of the Haut-Doubs.
Overall, the ageing process lasts 21 days.
Conclusion
Every year, Mont d’Or reaches retailers from the 10th of September. And its season extends to the 10th of May at latest. Actually, you can buy Mont d’Or in different sizes ranging from 480 g to 3.2 kg and it can only be cut at the time of sale.
I hope that you enjoyed learning about how this historic cheese is made. Would you like to learn about more cheeses? Drop me your requests in the comments below.
Jonah is a a hipster, eco-warrior and slow food afficionado. Coming from a scientific background, Jonah has a particular interest in cheese science. And yes, he loves a good cheese pun!
