Morbier – a great cheese from France

You’ll immediately recognise Morbier because of the dark streak running through the middle of the cheese. Your guests will wonder what this is, so here’s how the cheese is traditionally made.

It’s made in the village of the same name in France. It’s a semi-soft cows milk cheese. The traditional cheesemakers have their own herds and in the early days of this cheese’s production, it was made with the morning milking and the evening milking with the streak separating the two. Today it is often made in one step but traditionally cheesemakers would end the day by putting left over curds into a mold.

So what is the distinctive streak and why is it there?

To protect this overnight, ash would be layered on top of the curds. The ash was taken from the sides of the cauldron which was heated by the fire of a mixture of spruce and fir logs gathered in the local high-lying forests..

When the cows were milked the following morning, additional curds would be added on the top of the ash layer. This ash stops the curd from drying out and protects it against insects.

This is a delightfully creamy cheese and is perfect to eat on its own with some crusty bread. If you’re a fan of melted cheese, this is a great choice for you. Call in and try Morbier soon. We look forward to seeing you!

Cheese Culture
813 East Las Olas Boulevard.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: 954-533-9178