When we think of winter and Christmas, or if we're asked about our idea of the perfect "comfort food," Vacherin is definitely among the top three. Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, also known as "Mont d'Or" (the Swiss version), is essentially "just" a soft cow's milk cheese... and of course, it's also delicious to eat "just like that." However, it owes its fame and popularity to the fact that you can pop it in the oven and, with just a few simple steps, transform it into an absolutely delicious and wonderfully fragrant mini fondue in a wooden box. This is when Vacherin truly comes to life, warming the hearts and stomachs of its lucky connoisseurs...
In the current issue of Effilee, Nina Anika Klotz writes that hardly any food is "as warm, soft, delicious, and fulfilling as freshly melted cheese," that it's something "like the edible hug of a good friend." I would agree without hesitation with Vacherin.
Vacherin is the product of a centuries-old tradition shared by France and Switzerland. French Vacherin is made from raw milk and comes from the Haut-Doubs region of Franche-Comté. It matures in a spruce-wood container, wrapped in a band of spruce bark, and is rubbed with Jura white wine every two days, which significantly influences its flavor: the yellowish-white paste is creamy and soft with a few small holes. After three weeks of maturation, it develops a creamy, mild, and slightly sweet flavor. Genuine Vacherin is only produced starting in the fall and continuing throughout the winter. Therefore, if you want a good-quality Vacherin, you'd better avoid it in the spring and summer.
The Vacherin season has just begun here, and naturally, we're receiving a lot of inquiries about how exactly to prepare this delicious meat. To answer all of them at once, my sister Anaïs and I met last Sunday and, in a sense, surrendered to the warm embrace of a good friend...
The following video explains all the steps in three and a half minutes. Below you'll find the recipe again in clear text format.
So, have fun cooking!
Ingredients (for 4 small or 2 hungry eaters):
- 1 Vacherin du Haut-Doubs
- 1 garlic clove
- White wine, preferably light and dry, such as Jongieux or Les Terrasses blanc
As classic side dishes:
- potatoes or bread
- Brési du Jura or Bündnerfleisch (available in our store)
- a green salad
- sour gherkins, pickled tomatoes, olives
- for seasoning: pepper or piment d'Espelette
- for the vinaigrette: olive oil , vinegar , mustard , salt and pepper
Preparation:
Place the Vacherin with its wooden bowl in a warm water bath for 15 minutes to allow the wood to absorb the water. This will prevent it from burning in the oven. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to approximately 200°C and peel and place potatoes on the oven shelf, if desired. Now is also a good time to uncork the wine and enjoy a sip.
Once the 15-minute soaking time is up, score the Vacherin in a cross-shaped pattern with a sharp knife. Do this as if you were cutting the cheese into quarters (i.e., from one edge to the next), but be careful not to let the knife touch the bottom.
Peel the garlic clove and lightly crush it. This is best done by placing it on a wooden board, placing a large, broad knife on top, and giving it a firm thump with your fist. Now press the garlic clove into the center of the cross in the cheese and finish with a generous splash of white wine.
Now place the Vacherin in its wooden box in a fireproof dish and place it – without the lid and without aluminum foil cover – on the middle rack of the oven.
It bakes there for about 20 to 30 minutes. It's ready when the wine has soaked in and the cheese is nice and liquid. You can check this at any time with a spoon. If you're happy with the result, turn the heat up to high for a few more minutes or turn on the broiler to allow the crust to develop a nice crispy crust. Because that tastes especially good!
Remove the Vacherin from the oven and serve it hot and liquid, ideally poured directly onto the potatoes on your plate. Simply serve with the salad and whatever else you like.
Bon appetite!
