Swiss cheese "Tête de Moine": the history, flavor characteristics and rules of filing

Now cheese "Tete de Moine” became a kind of symbol of Switzerland, especially the mountains of the Jura. This luxury product is an interesting story no less entertaining name. Because Tête de Moine is French for “Head of monk”. Not too defiant appetite name for a cheese, isn't it? But those who ever tried this milk product with a spicy, slightly sweet flavor, will be his follower forever. The Swiss – great entertainers in the method of serving the cheese. Some varieties they are made exclusively for fondue, the other should be put in the heat and scrape rastopilsya pieces, like Shawarma. In this article we will reveal the intricacies of the supply of cheese varieties "Tete de Moine”. What made use this product?

A Little history

Cheese "Tete de Moine,” older than the Swiss Confederation for a hundred years. In 1136 in the Jura mountains, was founded an Abbey Belle. The monks of this monastery, in addition to prayers and vigils, was engaged in farming and cheesemaking. The first written mention of Tête de Moine refers to 1192. However, the cheese then was called by the name of Abbey – “Belle”. The monastery was in fact a major landowner, and the tenant farmers are paid for the use of pastures by livestock products. Cheese “Belle” made from the fat unpasteurized milk. Yield for him used only in summer and only from those cows that were grazing on rich Alpine meadows of the Jura. The quality of the cheese was so excellent that his head has long served as a cash equivalent.

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How “Belle” became “Tete de Moine”

And where did this strange name – “Head of monk”? The new name of the cheese gave the soldiers of the French revolution in the late eighteenth century. In the anti-clerical impulse they expelled the monks from the monasteries and expropriated their land. Not passed this fate and Abbey Belle. They say that the revolutionaries discovered in the cellars of the monastery cheeses, which according to ancient tradition, was made in the size and shape of a human head. And when the soldiers learned how to properly eat cheese "Tête de Moine", they have an Association of scraping the surface with vestigingen monastic tonsure. The Abbey was empty, but the art of making “Belle” is not lost. Popularized cheese “Head of monk” a farmer Hofstetter, who in 1856 introduced his product at the world agricultural competition in Paris. He has won numerous awards. And not only due to the incomparable taste. Submission form is very astonished the French, greedy to just original. What is that?

Cheese Knife "Tete de Moine”

As we remember, the submission form product recalled the French soldiers vystraivanii of tonsure the monk. Unlike most cheeses, “Tete de Moine,” not cut into pieces, do not RUB or melt. The surface of the head is made to scrape, and so to get a neat translucent «rosettes». Previously, to get this cheese Bud, used a regular sharp knife. It required skill, almost skill. A real breakthrough was made in 1982 mechanic from the Canton of Jura Nicolas Crevoisier. He created giral for cheese "Tete de Moine”, a special knife with which neat «rosettes» can cut any man. Girolle is a French word translated as “Fox”. And the knife is a pin with a rotating handle perpendicular to the blade. Such a brilliantly simple device has spurred interest in cheese “Head of monk”.

Palatability

This Product is quite oily, because it is made from whole milk, summer milk yield. This cheese is exclusively brewed in copper vats. And use rennet of animal origin-veal. Taste characteristics depend on exposure. Cheese "Tete de Moine”, the recipe of which has remained unchanged for over eight years, maturing not less than two and a half months in cool cellars on spruce boards. Each head is regularly turned over and is washed by the strong salt solution. In the result, the cheese is covered with a brown crust, and she “head” remains thick, yellow, smooth. The taste of "Tete de Moine,” spicy and delicate at the same time. He is sweet, velvety and spicy. The fragrance of the product is discreet. The best flavor is revealed when sliced very thin.

How to serve cheese "Tete de Moine”

Reviews recommended to enjoy this delicacy in the company of good friends and to the accompaniment of white wine-dry or semi-sweet. On a wooden plank is placed a solid head cheese "Tete de Moine”. Exactly in the middle it stuck the pin giroli. One turn of a handle, a blade and the surface of the cheese remains the thinnest shavings. Every consumer puts it on a plate. You can use “the Head of monk” and in the process of prigotovleniya sophisticated appetizers or canapés, but only as decoration. Using ziroli - knife, which quite often can be purchased along with the cheese "Tete de Moine," of the manufacturer “Bud” be easy.

Present delicacy

Just ten products from Switzerland have a certificate of authenticity of origin (AOC). And cheese "Tete de Moine” is one of them. It is produced by only ten companies are located in a small region of Porrentruy (mountains of the Bernese Jura). Cows should graze exclusively on the local Alpine meadows is the fresh summer grass. Cheese is still aged on spruce boards in the cool cellars. No dyes and flavorings is not allowed. So the price of cheese is quite high-about three and a half thousand rubles per head, weighing eight hundred and fifty grams.