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Made in the mountainous Jura region of France, Vacherin Mont D’Or is most definitely a seasonal cheese. Produced from mid August to mid March, it should be sold from Sep 10th to May 10th. It is made solely from the unpasteurised milk of the Montbeliarde cow grazing over 750m. Vacherin Mont D’Or is made in cloth-lined moulds and ringed with a strip of spruce bark. It is allowed to mature for three weeks on spruce planks, turned daily and rubbed with salt. This gives the cheese a resinous pine-like aroma and a delicious creamy tang. At Chandos we sell both a large cutting cheese for you to buy by the slice or individual smaller cheeses ideal for serving as in the picture on the right.
Baked Vacherin
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees centigrade/gas mark 4. Take the wooden lid off a small Vacherin. Prick the surface with a fork and stud the top of the cheese with two or three small garlic cloves. Splash the cheese with a couple of teaspoons of a light, dry wine (think Sauvignon not Chardonnay, but best of all Riesling). Wrap the cheese in tin foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve spooned over potatoes with a plate of mixed Chandos Charcuterie, Olives and Walnuts. Baked Vacherin will also make an excellent fondue with crusty French Baguettes.
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