Top 20 Aurhalpin Semi-soft Cheeses

Raclette de Savoie is an ancient mountain cheese common to the Savoie region in France and the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It derives its name from racler, meaning to scrape, which describes the way the local people cut this cheese. Raclette is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese, unpasteurized, with a dark-beige slightly sticky rind and a light yellow paste. It has a pleasant flavor but it gets particularly tasty when heated in front of a fire or under a hot grill and only then the full aroma intensifies. Traditionally, a large cheese was cut in half and leant against a stone facing the open fire. The outer layer of the elastic interior was allowed to heat up gradually, and when it started to crinkle and change color, people would smother baked potatoes in the hot melting cheese. The rich and nutty aroma of the cheese is the perfect partner for the potatoes but it also pairs well with cooked and cured meat. Today, the traditional dish can be created by heating slices of cheese under the grill and served with tea like in Valais or with white wine such as the traditional Vin de Savoie.Expand

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.Expand

Tomme de Savoie is an uncooked, semi-soft cheese with a gray rind that has yellow and red spots all over it. The cheese is made from cow's milk in the regions of Savoie and Haute-Savoie in France. It is the oldest cheese from the Savoie region, where the mountain climate gives the cheese its unique qualities. Tomme de Savoie was invented when local peasants turned their summer milk supplies into cheese, in order to last for the winter. After the cream is drained to make butter, Tomme de Savoie is produced from the leftover skimmed milk, which is why it has quite a low fat content (40%). After 2 to 4 months of maturing, its texture is pliable and firm and the flavor is nutty, grassy and rustic, with hints of mushroom and citrus. Pair it with sliced sausages, fruits such as pears, or medium-bodied red wines for the best experience.Expand

Saint Agur is a French cheese originating from Auvergne, particularly the village of Beauzac. This rindless blue cheese is made with cow's milk, and it is typically left to ripen in cellars for 60 days. The flavors are sharp, spicy, and fruity, while the aroma is intense and milky. The texture of Saint Agur is very creamy and smooth, which is the reason why the cheese melts and spreads extremely well. It comes in an octagonal shape, reminiscent of basalt stones in Auvergne, so its shape acts as a tribute to its origin. Serve Saint Agur with figs, pears, and walnuts, or use it in dips and sauces.Expand

Bleu d'Auvergne is a French blue cheese made from raw cow's milk. It has characteristical veins dispersed throughout its body. The mold that forms in the cheese is a result of the production process - Bleu is pricked with long needles that allow Penicillium glaucum to form in the cheese. The aroma is intense, while the flavors are pastoral, spicy, and salty, reminiscent of grass and wildflowers. The cheese matures for at least 2 weeks and develops its moist and crumbly texture. After that period, it is ready to be sold and consumed. It pairs well with dessert wines that provide a mellow contrast to Bleu's intensity.Expand

Tomme de chèvre is a traditional cheese hailing from Savoie. The cheese is made from raw goat's milk. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is creamy, pliable, and smooth. The aromas are pungent, barnyardy, earthy, and goaty, while the flavor is fruity, sweet, citrusy, and nutty on the finish. Tomme de chèvre ages for 7 weeks before it's ready for consumption. It's especially good when paired with bread and potatoes, but it can also be melted like a raclette. Regarding wine, pair it with white Savoie wines such as Chignin, Apremont, or Roussette. This mountain cheese was invented in the 17th century.Expand

Le Brin is a French cheese originating from the region of Rhône-Alpes. The cheese is made with cow's milk and has a washed rind. Its texture is tender and creamy, the aromas are nutty, while the flavors are buttery and slightly sweet. Le Brin is traditionally shaped into hexagons ever since the 1980s, when it was first invented by Fromagerie Guilloteau. The cheese is easily spreadable, so it is recommended to serve it with crusty bread or crackers.Expand

Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage is a blue cheese made from a mix of warm, raw fresh milk and last evening's cow's milk, with a white moldy rind that may become orange due to yeast and bacteria. It has been produced in the French regions of Drôme and Isére since the 14th century. Its name comes from the baron who authorized the sale of Bleu on his lands. The cheese must go through a maturation process for at least 30 days, when its buttery and creamy texture and sweet, mellow, subtle flavors, uncharacteristic for blue cheeses develop. Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage is excellent paired with sweet dessert wines.Expand

Abbaye de Tamié is a French cheese that's been produced by the monks at the Abbey of Tamié in Savoie since the 12th century. The cheese is easily recognizable because it comes wrapped in paper that's decorated with a cross of Malta. Made from raw cow's milk, the cheese has a washed rind and a creamy, smooth, and open texture. The aromas are perfumed and pungent, while the flavors are mild, sweet, nutty, and fruity, with hints of hay and fresh cream. It is recommended to serve Abbaye de Tamié with light and fruity red, white, or rosé Savoie wine.Expand

Doux de montagne is a traditional cheese hailing from Auvergne. This semi-soft cheese is made from cow's milk and it's shaped like a cottage loaf of bread that's coated with mahogany wax. The texture is light, airy, and creamy, dotted with tiny holes. The cheese melts in your mouth and the flavors are soft, mild, fruity, buttery, and herbal. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of Champagne or Merlot. Serve it on a cheese platter with tropical fruit for the best experience.Expand