Best Aurhalpin Semi-hard Cheese Types
Reblochon is a semi-hard, pressed cheese with a weight of about 500 grams, made from unpasteurized cow's milk that must ripen for at least 15 days in the departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie in France. According to an old tale, it exists because a farmer made the milk into cheese to hide a part of his milk production in order to lower his "milk taxes" that he paid to the pasture's owners.
Reblochon has a yellow to orange rind with an ivory body inside. Its rind is edible, and the taste of the cheese is nutty and slightly fruity. The smell is intense and reminiscent of cellars in which it has matured. It melts well and tastes great on baked potatoes.
THE BEST Reblochon Cheeses
Salers is a soft farm cheese made from cow's full-fat milk, the final product weighs 35 to 50 kilograms and has been produced in the French region of Cantal since the High Middle Ages. It's made immediately after milking and then matured for at least three months.
Its rind is hard and brown and becomes even harder and crustier as it matures. The interior of Salers is rich yellow in color, with fruity aromas and the taste is nutty, spicy and intense, reminiscent of raw onions, wild flowers, and freshly cut grass.
Fourme d'Ambert is an unusually tall, round, blue cheese that is unpressed and uncooked, with a high fat content (50%). It's made from pasteurized or raw cow's milk and it is one of the oldest cheeses in France. On the exterior it has a dry gray moldy rind, while on the interior it is creamy white with green or blue veins dispersed throughout the body.
Fourme d'Ambert is matured for up to 28 days in caves in the French regions of Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, and Loire. During the maturation process, the cheese is injected with sweet white wine. The flavor is delicate and mild with a velvety mouthfeel, with earthy, mushroomy, sweet, and creamy notes.
THE BEST Fourme d'Ambert Cheeses
Tome des Bauges is a semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, either whole or semi-skimmed, produced in the mountainous Savoie region in France since the 17th century. Since the cows from the area (the Tarine, Abondance and Montbeliarde breed) feed exclusively on grass and hay, Tome des Bauges has a woody, earthy aroma and a full taste of mushrooms, grass, cream and butter.
It is pressed, salted and matured for at least five weeks before it is ready for consumption and develops its characteristic fuzzy brown mold, often called 'cat hair'. Pair this yellow cheese with light white wines or sliced pears which perfectly match its flavors.
Saint-Nectaire is a semi-hard, double pressed farm cheese made in Auvergne from cow's milk and sold in the shape of a flat wheel. It must mature for at least six weeks on rye straw mats before being marketed. As the cows graze on pastures at high altitudes, the cheese has a unique sweet, hazelnut-like flavor and a smell reminiscent of mushrooms and hay.
Its texture is silky and creamy, and it melts in the mouth. It can be recognized by the green label on its thick rind, which can be white, yellow or red, depending on the stage of maturation. It goes perfectly with crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
THE BEST Saint-Nectaire Cheeses
Abondance is a semi-cooked, pressed cheese made with unpasteurized milk from the Abondance, Montbéliarde, and Tarine cow breeds. Easily recognizable by the concave edge of its orange-brown rind, Abondance is much smaller than other similar cooked cheeses and must mature for at least 100 days.
It has a very soft paste and melts in the mouth, while the flavor is slightly bitter, reminiscent of fresh lemons and warm spices. This cheese is best paired with a glass of dry white wine and it's typically served with apples and pickles, but it can also be used in fondues.
THE BEST Abondance Cheeses
Cantal is a double pressed, semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in the Cantal region in France. The curd is pressed, matured and ground, and the granules are then salted, placed in moulds and pressed again to mature for at least 30 days in cellars where it gets turned regularly.
It is one of the oldest French cheeses. Depending on its age, its flavor can vary from fresh, sweet, vanilla-like in young Cantal to strong, peppery, hazelnut-like and spicy in well-matured Cantal (8 months). It is recommended to pair it with fruits such as apples and grapes, use it in soups, fondues and salads or drink a glass of bold red wine with it.
THE BEST Cantal Cheeses
Beaumont is a French cheese that is produced in the Rhône-Alpes region. It is made with raw cow's milk, and underneath its washed rind there is a creamy and smooth texture of the body with numerous little eyes. The flavor of Beaumont is mild, nutty, and rich, with a hint of earthiness.
The cheese matures for 6 months, and it is then ready for consumption. It is recommended to pair it with light and fruity red wines and full-bodied red wines.
Fourme de Montbrison is an unpressed and salted soft cheese made from cow's milk in the Loire and Puy-de-Dôme regions in France. On the inside, there are blue mouldy veins dispersed throughout the body, with a mild, rustic taste reminiscent of mushrooms and nuts, and a creamy, firm texture.
The color of the body is pale yellow. It is naturally aged in caves for at least 28 days, but the maturation process can be prolonged for up to 5 months. Although it is a tall cheese, it is recommended to cut it in horizontal slices instead of wedges.
Pair with
THE BEST Fourme de Montbrison Cheeses
Brezain is a semi-hard raclette-style French cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. The cheese is produced in the region of Haute-Savoie, where it must mature for at least 5 months. Its name is derived from the word braise, which means embers, referring to the method of smoking the cheese over beech and juniper wood, giving it a visually attractive amber color and a unique flavor.
Brezain has a creamy texture, while the flavors are nutty, smoky, and caramel-like. It's recommended to melt it over potatoes, use it for fondues, sandwiches, or as a pizza topping. Pair it with Pinot Noir or a glass of craft beer.
Best Aurhalpin Semi-hard Cheese Producers
AWARDS
Concours International de Lyon - Gold
2025
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2024, 2022, 2021
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2024, 2022, 2021
BEST Prolactine France Cheeses
Best Aurhalpin Semi-hard Cheeses
Tomme de Chèvre Cave Rousseau is a semi-hard goat cheese hailing from France, particularly known for its rich flavor and creamy texture. This cheese is characterized by its rustic, natural rind, which is often adorned with a delicate layer of ash.
The interior boasts a pale, creamy color with a slightly crumbly texture that becomes increasingly supple as it ages.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2022, 2021
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2022
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