Its history

The history of this cheese, which has been around for two centuries, is at the core of a quarrel between the French and the Swiss, each of them claiming to be the first creators of Vacherin. Today, this polemic has been obliterated, thanks to the Swiss who prefered not to keep the controversy alive.

To tell the truth, Vacherin is made on the Mont d'Or massif, which has a French side and a Swiss side. Vacherin has a circle of spruce around it, which must never be taken off, even to serve it on a platter. This wooden ring, as well as the maturing of the cheese done on wooden boards, gives it its quite charcteristic woody taste.

Moreover, it is sold in a box which is also made out of wood. The rind is slightly humid and the cheese itself is yellow and runny, enough to spread it onto bread, to serve it on hot potatoes or to eat it directly from the box with a spoon. It truely is a mountain cheese, which is most appreciated during the winter.