There are two types of Reblochon which can be easily distinguished using color chips. Like the food prints for baking, these are edible.
For 66 years, this whole raw cow’s milk cheese, with uncooked pressed paste, has been protected by a protected designation of origin. For information, 78.8% of AOP cheeses are made from raw milk. Although this label has existed since 1935, Reblochon was the first cheese to be recognized in 1958. But in reality, there are two protected Reblochons, one farmhouse, the other dairy. Each having a colored patch to differentiate them from one another.
The pastille is a plate of casein, that is to say a milk protein, used as proof or guarantee of the origin of AOP and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) cheeses: green for Comté, blue for Beaufort and still yellow for the morbier. As for Reblochon, there are two tablets for the same cheese.
Green pastille: farmer’s reblochon
Farmhouse Reblochon is a farmhouse cheese made from cow’s milk from the same herd. The production of this cheese is carried out entirely by hand, without any mechanical process. This Reblochon is an exceptional cheese resulting from expertise, made directly on the farm after milking, twice a day, when the milk is still warm. To recognize it, in addition to the green sticker, the word “farmer” is present on its packaging.
Red pastille: dairy reblochon
This Reblochon is made from milk from different farms, all in Savoie. Its production, possibly mechanized, is carried out in a cooperative or in a cheese factory. There are 500 dairy producers compared to 120 farm producers. The red sticker allows you to be certain that you are consuming cheese made according to the rules.
Update on Reblochon
The name of this cheese comes from the dialect “Re-blocher” which means to pinch the cow’s udders a second time.
For what ? It was in the 13th century that the farmers of the Thônes valleys (Haute-Savoie) had the idea of pinching the cows’ udders twice, therefore of carrying out a second daily milking. In effect, they had to pay a fee to landowners on the number of pots of milk produced per day. So, these breeders decided to carry out a short milking of the herd during the control. There was therefore milk left in the cows’ udders for a second milking, after the inspector left. This harvested second milk, rich in cream, made it possible to make a particularly creamy cheese.
It is the second most produced AOP cheese. Reblochons — farm and dairy — are made from whole raw milk from cows of the Abondance, Tarine and Montbéliarde breeds. The reblochon must be a flat cylinder 13 to 14 centimeters in diameter and 3.5 centimeters thick, and must weigh between 450 and 550 g. For the small model, its diameter should be around 9 centimeters and weigh 240 and 280 g. It is matured for at least 18 days.
What to cook with Reblochon?
You can enjoy it simply with a little bread or put it on a platter alongside other cheeses. You can make other recipes such as tartiflette, Savoyard fondue, pasta, raclettes, croque-monsieur… In short, any gourmet recipe based on cheese. In addition, Reblochon is available all year round, even if its “real” season is between May and September. In autumn, you can use it to stuff a baked pumpkin. In short, Reblochon is a safe bet, whether farm or dairy.
