Morbier Cheese
About
Morbier is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from Franche-Comté, a region of eastern France bordering Switzerland. Morbier is immediately recognizable by the layer of ash that runs through the center of each wheel. Traditionally, the lower layer was produced from a morning milking, then covered with a thin layer of ash to prevent contamination and keep flies away. Later in the day, a second layer of curds from the evening milking were layered on top of the ash.
Morbier is pale yellow in color with a light brown rind. It comes in wheels roughly twelve inches in diameter and three inches tall, with the the distinctive ash line halfway up. Raw milk versions of the cheese are the most flavorful, with an aroma of freshly cut hay and a pronounced nut flavor. Unfortunately, raw milk morbier is not available as widely as the considerably blander versions mass-produced using pasteurized milk.
