Local cheeses
Presentation
Going to the mountains without tasting any local cheese? Impossible!
We know them through the famous raclette or tartiflette, emblematic dishes of the region, but they are to be discovered in all their forms! Unfortunately, we won't be able to present you every alpine cheese, but here are the the ones you have to taste if you come to Morzine or Haute Savoie.
We know them through the famous raclette or tartiflette, emblematic dishes of the region, but they are to be discovered in all their forms! Unfortunately, we won't be able to present you every alpine cheese, but here are the the ones you have to taste if you come to Morzine or Haute Savoie.
Abundance
The abondance is a raw milk cheese, and its name comes from its geographical origin, the Abondance valley. The milk-producing cow breed also bears this name, you can recognize it by its brown/mahogany coat and the white spots that usually feature the neck and head.
Let's get back to cheese; the abundance can be tasted as it is, in the classic way at the end of a meal with a baguette, or you can decide to bake it. This is where we get down to business...
If you come to Morzine, you must taste the Berthoud. This traditional Haut-Savoyard recipe, more specifically from Chablais, sublimates the flavors of abundance with a touch of wine and a few drops of Madeira (sweet wine). Once the cheese has been cut into strips, all you have to do is put it in the oven until the surface is nicely browned, and off you go! Dip your potatoes or pieces of bread into the melted mixture and enjoy!
Reblochon
Reblochon is mainly produced in Haute-Savoie and in a few places in Savoie. It is also a raw milk cheese well known for its use in many recipes. And yes, that's him, the king of the tartiflette.
Reblochon can be used for any kind of gratin; with potatoes or vegetables, it goes well with almost any food, so be creative and treat your taste buds!
If it is often attributed to recipes au gratin, Reblochon is also very popular in its natural state thanks to its slight taste of hazelnut. At the end of the meal, a piece of Reblochon with fresh bread is always welcome. Some appreciate it even more with a touch of red fruit jam to add a little sweetness. Everyone has their own methods, as long as there is cheese!
After a day spent on the slopes, what could be better than a good warn tartiflette?
Tomes/Tommes
Tomme de Savoie or Haute-Savoie is the region's must have, just like the many other tommes that are made in the heart of the Alps. In the past, Tomme was made by farmers to support their family needs, because it was an essential source of protein. This origin also shows us that tomme is one of the oldest cheeses in the region.
Tomme de Savoie is produced from the milk of local breed cows such as Tarine, Abondance and Montbéliarde. As far as its taste is concerned, a so-called "young" tomme will have more sweetness as well as a hint of acidity, and a tomme with a longer aging will have a more powerful and pronunced taste. Juste taste both and see which one your taste buds prefer...
Did you know? The word "tomme" (or tome), resulting from a mixture of patois languages, quite simply designates the cheeses produced in the mountains.
Eating cheese in Morzine... Easy!
Well, it's nice to talk about all these beautiful cheeses, but where can we find them? We warn you, that's not a difficult task.
You can obviously find them in all restaurants around town, with the classic recipes of raclette and tartiflette but also specialties such as Berthoud, like mentioned above.
And if you want to make your own recipes at home, regional products stores will have everything you need: cheese, charcuterie, wine...