Morbier
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Morbier is a semi-soft cows' milk cheese of France named after the small village of Morbier in Franche-Comté. It is ivory colored, soft and slightly elastic, and is immediately recognizable by the black layer of ashes separating it horizontally in the middle. It has a rind that is yellowish, moist, and leathery. The bottom layer consists of the morning milk and the upper layer is made of the evening milk.
Originally Morbier was made from leftover curd for the personal consumption of Comté cheese makers. The Jura and Doubs versions both benefit from an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), though other non-AOC Morbier exist on the market. These are made in other départements and do not have the same integrity of flavor as AOC versions.
The aroma of Morbier is found somewhat objectionable by some, though the flavor is rich and creamy, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The ash has no flavour. It is added between steps to prevent a rind from forming during the ageing process.
A French cheese that for years was a farmhouse cheese made in the Jura mountains, but now is made in local cheese factories. The most flavorful versions are made from unpasteurized cow's milk (referred to as lait cru), with both unpasteurized and pasteurized milk. Cream to pale yellow in color, this cheese has a semi-soft elastic texture that contains a dark streak and salt layer running through the center. This darkened layer was traditionally a coating of ash and salt that was placed over the first batch of curds from the early milking that were covered by the second batch from the later milking. Today, the dark band is more for decoration and may not be a real ash layer, unless it is made in the traditional manner of years past. The cheese can be bland and very mild to sweet and fruity in flavor with a pungent yeast-like aroma. Morbier cheese can be served as an appetizer on crackers or with chutney added to enhance the flavor. It is a good cheese to serve on crackers or with bread served fresh or melted over the bread. And, it also serves well on grilled foods. Raclette cheese can be used as a substitute if desired.
