Morbier has never been one of my favorite French cheeses, so I was a little surprised by my enthusiasm for Jeune Autize. This latter is, in essence, a goat's milk rendition of traditional Morbier, the cow's milk wheel recognizable by its central ripple of ash.
Morbier has been made for centuries; Jeune Autize is modern, developed probably within the past 40 years, estimates Rodolphe Le Meunier, the acclaimed French affineur (expert ager).
Le Meunier purchases Jeune Autize from its maker when it is about 2 weeks old, brings the young cheese to his facility in Tours and nurtures it to maturity.
The 12-pound wheels take two to four months to develop the texture and aroma that Le Meunier seeks. During that time, the wheels are washed with brine and annatto, an edible plant dye that gives the exterior a golden hue.
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