The plight of the ancient blue-veined cheese from the central Loire department has become a symbol of an ill gnawing at the heart of traditional cheese-making in France, says one of the sector's most vocal guardians.
Produced since the Middle Ages, fourme de Montbrison is made from cow's milk and is very good for fondues and raclettes. The hardiness of the mountain area between St-Etienne and Clermont-Ferrand, with its baking summers and bitterly cold winters, contributes to the cheese's unique flavour.
Made into tall, cylindrical blocks, fourme de Montbrison has a characteristic orange-brown rind – a natural die from spruce wood – and a cream-coloured pâté, marbled with greyish-blue streaks. With a musty scent and dry taste, it is among the mildest of France's blue cheeses.
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