Mont-d’Or

This cheese typical of Haut Doubs can be easily recognized in its spruce wood container. It is held in place by a spruce bark strap. Mont d’Or is a soft-ripened cheese made of raw cow’s milk. A spoon is used to serve this cheese because it has a very creamy texture.
It was granted a registered designation of origin (AOC) in 1981, and a protected designation of origin (AOP) in 1996.
This cheese has the distinctive feature of being very seasonal. It is produced from August 15th to March 15th and can be sold from September 10th to May 10th. This production calendar originated with the limitations of the climate. The Montbéliarde breed of cattle produces a significant amount of milk during the warm season, but not as much in the winter. In the winter when the cows consume hay, they do not produce enough milk for the manufacture of such large cheeses as Comté. Also, in the past, snowy roads meant that gathering milk was almost impossible. The farmers of the region therefore learned to work on a smaller scale during the winter. They made the most of the cold period to create a new, unique soft-ripened cheese, Mont d’Or.

Moist, wrinkly, pinkish-beige surface covered by a thin white froth. The paste is homogenous, white and shiny and has a slightly runny texture.

Mont d’Or has a marked woody aroma. Its smell is intense, but it generally has a much more delicate flavor with fresh, creamy notes and a pleasant smoothness.