Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP Cheese

Description

Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP Cheese

About Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP

Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP is one of those cheeses that makes the arrival of autumn slightly easier to accept. Soft, creamy, wrapped in spruce bark and tucked into its little wooden box, it is a proper seasonal treat.

This is the Swiss Mont d’Or, made in the Vallée de Joux in the canton of Vaud, close to the French border. Just over that border you’ll find its French cousin, Mont d’Or PDO. They share plenty of similarities, but they are two distinct protected cheeses with their own rules and traditions.

And importantly, Vacherin Mont d’Or isn’t made all year round. Its production follows the traditional Alpine farming calendar, making it one of those cheeses you have to enjoy while you can.

The History

The story of Vacherin Mont d’Or is tied to the changing seasons of the Jura.

During the summer, when cows were grazing the mountain pastures and producing plenty of milk, that milk could be turned into enormous cheeses such as Le Gruyère AOP. As the cows came down from the mountains and milk production naturally reduced, there wasn’t always enough to make those great big wheels.

So cheesemakers made something smaller instead.

The result was a soft, rich cheese that required far less milk and could mature relatively quickly during the colder months. What started as a practical response to the seasons became one of Switzerland’s great winter cheese traditions.

References to Vacherin from the region go back centuries, and by the 19th century cheeses recognisable as Vacherin Mont d’Or were already well established.

Even today, its arrival is celebrated. Each September, Les Charbonnières in the Vallée de Joux hosts the Fête du Vacherin Mont-d’Or, marking the beginning of another season.

Protected By Its AOP Status

Vacherin Mont d’Or has been protected by Swiss AOP status since 2003, meaning its production is tied to a defined geographical area and a strict set of rules.

It’s made from cow’s milk and produced only during its designated season. The young cheeses are wrapped with a strip of spruce bark before being matured.

And that strip of wood isn’t just decorative.

It helps the cheese keep its shape as the interior becomes softer and softer, while also contributing those subtle woody, resinous aromas that are so characteristic of Vacherin Mont d’Or.

The cheeses are matured in cool, humid conditions and regularly cared for as their rippled, slightly sticky rind develops. Finally, they’re placed into their distinctive wooden boxes ready for sale.

By the time you open one, the cheese inside can be gloriously soft.

Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP – Jen’s Tasting Notes

How to Serve and Pair Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP

• Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it. If it’s beautifully ripe, you may find all you need is a spoon and some good bread.
• Classic pairings: I’d keep things Swiss and choose a crisp Chasselas. Its freshness works beautifully with the richness of the cheese.
• Something a little different: Dry cider is lovely too. The apple acidity cuts through all that creaminess.
• On the plate: Keep it simple with crusty bread, boiled new potatoes and perhaps a few cornichons. This isn’t a cheese that needs lots of accompaniments.
• In the kitchen: This is where boîte chaude comes in. Warm the cheese in its wooden box until beautifully molten, perhaps with a little white wine and garlic, then spoon it over potatoes or scoop it up with bread. Winter food doesn’t get much better.

Jen’s note: One of my favourite things about Vacherin Mont d’Or is that it is genuinely seasonal. In a world where we expect to be able to buy everything all year round, there’s something rather lovely about a cheese that makes you wait for it. When Vacherin season arrives, make the most of it!

Buying Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP

• Brand or Producer: Auberson Cheese Dairy
• Product name: Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP
• Milk: Cow
• Country: Switzerland
• Region: Jura
• Strength: Medium
• Vegetarian: No
• Suitable for pregnancy: No
• Allergens: MILK

Sizes and Prices

• 100g wedge, £4.10
• 500g wedge, £20.50
• Whole wheel (approx. 3kg), available to pre-order

Storage Advice

• Keep refrigerated
• Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
• Remove from the fridge before serving
• Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening

Delivery and Collection

• UK wide courier delivery
• Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
• Free local delivery available for selected postcodes

Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)

MILK, rennet, salt, ferments