This Valentine's Day, give them what they really want: cheese.
A bouquet of roses is a time-honored Valentine's Day tradition, but what about giving your special someone an 800-year old Swiss cheesemaking tradition? Tête de Moine rosettes are the perfect gift for the cheese lover in your life.
Tête de Moine is a raw milk cheese from Switzerland that was first made by the monks of the Bellelay Abbey in the Jura in the 12th century. Made from whole milk produced by cows who freely graze on fresh Alpine grasses and herbs, the flavor is slightly funky but not overpowering. Each bite boasts floral and brothy notes and flavors of sweet cream, toasted nuts, and stone fruit, along with a dense, fudgy texture. There are less than 10 creameries still producing this historic mountain cheese. As it ages on spruce boards for a minimum of 2.5 months, each wheel is brine-washed periodically to create a savory, slightly sticky rind.
Tête de Moine translates to "monk's head," a reference to the way it is traditionally shaved on a girolle rather than cut with a knife, resembling the top of a monk's head. Curling Tête de Moine into paper-thin rosettes allows the cheese to melt in your mouth, coating your entire palette with flavors of Swiss terroir. It also appropriately pairs well with chocolate!
For best results, we recommend making rosettes on your girolle very soon after you remove the cheese from the fridge, while it is still cold. When you're done curling, remove the remaining piece of cheese from the girolle and place it inside Formaticum Reusable Cheese Storage Bags to keep it fresh and healthy until next time!