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. It was customary at the time 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 did 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 fuller and creamier and a perfect basis for the Reblochon. The Reblochon is based on 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 ripens for at least 3 weeks on wooden boards at a temperature of 15 degrees. During ripening, 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 holes, 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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