Reblochon in 4 seasons | Le Grand Bornand

Savoie reblochon, much more than just a cheese…

The leading farming commune in Haute-Savoie, Le Grand-Bornand is the birthplace of farmhouse reblochon. Since it first appeared there in the 13th century, Reblochon has been a favourite with gourmets and lovers of good food… and for good reason: farmhouse Reblochon and its green casein label – which differs from the dairy Reblochon made in cooperatives, which has a red label – has gone to great lengths to preserve, while adapting to modern constraints, the traditional skills that guarantee its inimitable taste: It is made twice a day in the same place as milking, using milk from a single herd of mainly Abundance cows, and fed exclusively on grass in summer and hay in winter. So much for the quality of this cream cheese… served on a platter!

©Alpine descent October 2022 J.cathala Ot Le Grand Bornand 1

Le Grand-Bornand is home to 2,000 cows for just over a million inhabitants, and more than a third of the PDO area’s annual production of farmhouse Reblochon cheese… all year round.

©Reblochon J.cathala Ot Le Grand Bornand

Its origin

In the 13th century, farmers paid their landlords according to the amount of milk they produced in a day. At the time of the inspection, the farmer would ingeniously carry out an incomplete milking to pay less rent. As soon as the inspector left, he would do a second milking. The milk thus obtained was probably not very plentiful, but very rich in cream, ideal for making a cheese.
The Reblochon cheese therefore owes its name to this little fraud, known locally as the “Rebloche”, because in patois “Re-blocher” means to pinch the cow’s udders a second time.

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Dairy Reblochon and farmhouse Reblochon

The dairyman:

cheese is made once a day
the milk used is collected from several farms
making can be mechanised
cheese is made in a cooperative or cheese dairy within 24 hours of milking
the Reblochon has a red casein pellet

The farmer:

the cheese is made twice a day, just after milking
the milk used comes from a single herd, the herd of each farm producer
the production is entirely manual
the cheese is made on the farm directly after milking
the Reblochon features a green casein pellet and a Reblochon fermier logo on its packaging

©43aravis Tvattard Reblochon H20|© TILBY VATTARD

what you need to know

an Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) since 1958
only 3 breeds of cow are allowed to produce Reblochon milk: Abondance, Montbéliarde and Tarine. The cows are fed mainly on grass and hay (sourced from the appellation area and supplemented with GMO-free cereals).
In winter, the producers and cows stay at the foot of the mountains in the “ferme d’en bas” and in spring, they travel to the “ferme d’en haut” in the mountain pastures for 4 to 5 months.</Around 4 litres of milk are needed for 1 cheese weighing between 450 and 550g.
The milk comes out of the cow at 35°C and is turned into cheese directly after milking, even before it has had a chance to cool down.
After milking, from curdling to maturing, 8 stages are needed to make the cheese.
Reblochon contains just 27% fat!

All you need to know about Reblochon

©40aravis Tvattard Reblochon H20d|© TILBY VATTARD

©E17 195 Agriculture B.delerue Le Grand Bornand

©Cow Pointe Percee C. Chabod Le Grand Bornand Tourism

©50aravis Reblochon Tvattard E20|© TILBY VATTARD

Our recipes based on Savoie Reblochon cheese

Savoy Reblochon is the perfect accompaniment to many recipes, whether raw or cooked, sweet or savoury. It can be enjoyed summer and winter alike, and its full-bodied flavour magnifies raw vegetables, gingerbread or a velvety asparagus dish. This typical alpine cheese can be enjoyed in any season:

In winter in a reblochonnade, tartiflette, risotto, macaroni gratin or burger.
In spring, in stuffed courgettes, fresh tartines, a spring salad, makis or coleslaw.
In summer, in picorettes and verrines for the aperitif, a Reblochon mousse or an escabèche of sunny vegetables.
In autumn, in a pizza with melting Reblochon cheese, a sweet potato tart, a kale wok or stuffed aubergines.