Fun Cheese Facts: Reblochon

Aged cheddar, creamy Brie, stinky goat. There’s nothing more pleasing to the soul than a slice of ooey-gooey cheese. But some of the world’s most popular cheeses – the kind that the people in France and Italy enjoy – don’t make their way across American borders. The FDA’s strict rules on production and import have ordered a list of strangely unique cheeses, ones that are unpasteurized and usually aged less than 60 days, illegal in the US. One of those is Reblochon cheese.

Made from unpasteurized cow's milk

Country of origin: France

Region: Haute-Savoie

Type: semi-soft, artisan, smear-ripened

Texture: close, compact, smooth and supple

Rind: washed

Color: ivory

Flavor: fruity, mild, nutty

Aroma: earthy, herbal

Vegetarian: no

Alternative spellings: Reblochon Fermier

Our Favorite Wine Pairings: Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Rose, Fruity Merlot

History

Some say the origins of Reblochon can be traced back to the 13th century when herdsmen in the Savoie region of France supposedly refrained from fully milking their cows to avoid paying taxes. After payment had been made, they went back to ‘remilk’ the cows, which yielded a fatty milk, one used to make Reblochon. It is a fantastic, small disc of cheese that oozes out of its rind to greet you with beautiful aromatics and flavors (cheesemaking.com). It is also a cheese traditionally made with raw milk that ripens in less than 60 days. But you will not find this semi-soft, raw cheese anywhere in the US. The FDA banned it in 2004 for falling short of the required aging time (it’s traditionally aged for just 50 days).

Delicious AND Nutritious??

Milk is a great source of calcium. Cheese is also a good source of calcium since it’s processed from milk. However, cheese offers more of this nutrient because it has more concentrated calcium. For every ounce of cheese, there are about 200 milligrams of calcium.

Cheese also contains proteins and other essential nutrients like vitamins A, B12, and K2, sodium phosphorus and riboflavin. These nutrients are vital in maintaining the body’s internal balance keeping it healthy and nourished (grassfieldscheese.com).

Moreover, cheese also contains probiotics which are friendly bacteria for the gut’s health. Reblochon cheese contains a significant amount of probiotics since they’re actively used in the cheese-making process.

Reblochon Substitutes?

Pictured from Left to Right: Taleggio, Fontina, Gruyere

keywords: cheese, gourmet cheese, reblochon, healthy cheese, cheese and charcuterie, reblochon substitutes, soft cheese

Sources:

https://cheesemaking.com/products/reblochon-recipe-traditional

https://www.cheese.com/reblochon/

https://www.grassfieldsscheese.com/reblochon-cheese-substitute/