Morbier cheese

Morbier is a semi-soft cows' milk cheese of France named after the small village of Morbier in Franche-Comté. It is ivory colored, soft and slightly elastic, and is immediately recognizable by the distinctive thin black layer separating it horizontally in the middle. It has a rind that is yellowish, moist, and leathery.

Morbier
Country of origin	France
Region, town	Franche-Comté, Morbier
Source of milk	Cows
Pasteurized	Depends on variety
Texture	Semi-soft
Fat content	45%
Aging time	45 days to 3 months
Certification	French AOC for both Morbier Jura and Morbier Doubs
Named after	Morbier
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Traditionally, the cheese consists of a layer of morning milk and a layer of evening milk. When making Comté, cheesemakers would end the day with leftover curd that was not enough for an entire cheese. Thus, they would press the remaining evening curd into a mold, and spread ash over it to protect it overnight. The following morning, the cheese would be topped up with morning milk. Nowadays, the cheese is usually made from a single milking with the traditional ash line replaced by vegetable dye.

The Jura and Doubs versions both benefit from an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), though other non-AOC Morbier exist on the market.

The aroma of Morbier cheese is mild, having a semblance to Raclette cheese in consistency and aroma, with a rich and creamy flavour.