The family's 75 cows have already been milked by the time I get there. It takes 2 litres of milk to make a small Reblochon, 5 litres for a large "Rond".
The curds from fresh cows milk are poured into moulds to drain and Raphaëlle pats them lovingly, this is Reblochon in the making and passion is certainly an ingredient. Within minutes the drained milk forms a round shape that wobbles like a jelly but holds together. The round cheeses to be, are put into boxes and taken into a chilled room ready to be turned and sent to a cave to mature for three weeks. They are stamped with a green label of authenticity and unique farm number 420. The cheese makers do this twice a day, 7 days a week. “Every day, Christmas Day too” says Raphaëlle when I ask if she gets at least that special day off.
DID YOU KNOW
Reblochon derives from the word 'reblocher' which literally translated means 'to pinch a cow's udder again'. During the 14th century, landowners would tax the mountain farmers according to the amount of milk their herds produced. So the canny farmers didn’t fully milk the cows until after the landowner had measured the yield. The milk that remains is much richer and makes for the creamy taste of Reblochon.
In the 16th century Reblochon became known as "fromage de dévotion (devotional cheese) because it was offered to the Carthusian monks of the Thônes Valley by the farmers, in return for having their homesteads blessed.