Tax evasion is an old phenomenon, as evidenced by the tasty Reblochon, which has been made since the Middle Ages in the (Haut) Savoie, the beautiful part of the French Alps overlooking Mont Blanc. At that time, it was customary for a portion of the milk to be given to the landowners and/or taxed based on the amount of this milk. To keep this contribution as low as possible, farmers would not completely empty the udder, and after the inspection had taken place, the rest was milked, called "re-blocher" (re-milked) in the local dialect. This milk is and was therefore richer and creamier and a perfect basis for the Reblochon. Reblochon is made from the full raw milk of the Abondance, Montbeliarde, and Tarine cows, and after curdling, it is placed in a cloth-lined mold, salted, and the cheese then matures for at least 3 weeks on wooden boards at a temperature of 15 degrees. During maturation, the cheeses are regularly turned and washed, resulting in an orange-yellow rind with a light velvety white mold. The creamy cheese is resilient with small eyes, and the taste is mild and creamy with a hint of hazelnut. Reblochon comes in two varieties, from the farmer (fermier) recognizable by the green label on the bottom of the cheese and the semi-industrial version with the red label. A delicious cheese for a cheese platter or to be used in the local specialty Tartiflette, a potato gratin with onion and bacon topped with a whole gratinated Reblochon.
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