Morbier

The Jura mountains south of Strasbourg are Comté territory. But in the early 19th century, Comté makers in the market town of Morez devised something a bit different.

While making Comté, a layer of fresh curd would be left at the bottom of the barrel at the end of a morning’s work. To prevent a rind from forming—thereby wasting the curd--the cheesemakers poured soot on top, to keep it from drying out.

At the end of the afternoon, they added a new layer of leftover curd, piling it right on top of the first. The two sections were then pressed together and aged into a single wheel. Voilà, Morbier.

A distinctive dark furrow runs through the cheese’s center. It looks like a blue mold, but is actually edible charcoal or ash. Today, it’s just a decorative flourish, but the vein owes its origin to the technique used to create the style.

Morbier is uncooked and pressed, but aged for less time than classic Comté (two months, versus six or more). During the maturation period, the rind is brushed with briny water. It also is often made from pasteurized milk, unfortunately. A few artisans make it the old-fashioned way, but these are only available in France.

PAIRINGS: Like Comté and Gruyère, Morbier is highly versatile. It is a semisoft cheese with a savory, rounded taste and a grassy aroma. It’s more buttery and mild than Comté, and goes great with Burgundies and medium-bodied red wines, as well as Pouilly from the Loire Valley and fruity Alsatian beers.

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