Less famous than Comté, it is nevertheless a must-have on our cheese platters . Morbier, with its characteristic black line , is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese.
Made from cow's milk, Montbéliarde or Simmental, it is matured for at least 45 days and produced by 45 cheese dairies in the Montagnes du Jura.
11000 tonnes of Morbier are sold each year.
The origins of this cheese date back to the late 18th century. Although at that time farmers were already delivering their milk to cheese dairies for the production of Comté, they also produced a small cheese on their own farms. The harsh climate , which could restrict travel, undoubtedly led farmers to make their own cheese.
A loaf of curd, obtained from the evening milking, was then protected with ash taken "from the bottom of the cauldron," before being covered with a second loaf of curd from the following morning's milking. This is how the famous black, ash-colored stripe of Morbier cheese came about.
Today, Morbier is made in one go and the black stripe is made from vegetable charcoal.
Morbier cheese is perfect for making a delicious local fondue ! It gives the fondue a lovely creaminess .
We strongly recommend that you accompany this fondue with slices of sausage smoke typical of the region, whether it is Morteau or Montbéliard. Those with a sweet tooth will replace their little piece of bread with a slice of sausage on the end of their pick. A real treat!
1 kg of Morbier
75 cl of Côtes du Jura white
1 clove of garlic
1 sausage Morteau or from Montbéliard
Unlimited dry bread cut into large cubes
A fondue pot with large forks
A wooden spoon to make figure 8s
1. Rub the fondue pan with the crushed garlic clove.
2. Pour 2 or 3 glasses of white wine and heat it.
3. Gradually add the grated Morbier. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the Morbier is completely melted. Depending on the consistency of the fondue, add a little more wine if it is too thick.
4. Keep stirring, making figure 8s, to thicken it: the fondue should have the appearance of a smooth, homogeneous cream.
5. Light the fondue burner on the table and place the pan on it, continuing to stir. The fondue is ready.
Another delicious option with this Morbier fondue is to serve it with some small potatoes , which can also replace the bread. Yum!
Most cheese dairies make their own Morbier cheese, or at least sell it. So it's in one of these that you'll find everything you need to make your fondue!
Here are some addresses to buy some smoked sausage, according to local tradition, small or large intestines, that is to say, Montbéliarde format or format Morteau.
Find other useful information for your next fondue, with a recipe, this time for comté cheese fondue!
To discover more local recipes that are just as essential as fondue, visit our “ça r'quinque” page!
And for lovers of Comté cheese, get plenty of recipe ideas here.