Tete de Moine has a long history. Actually, that's an understatement. The formation of this cheese dates so far back, it's hard to imagine, all the way back to a time when Washington was president in the United States and the French Revolution was raging away. But the first rumblings of this cheese date back even further, back to a time when Richard I, the start of a trio of king Richards, held power in England, and America had not yet been settled by disgruntled Englanders. During this time, both in the late 1700s and well before, cheese was often used in trade for those within the monastery where the product was first made. In Switzerland, this particular type of cheese was often used as payment, and many farmers used it to pay landowners their rent.
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| Tete de Moine = monk's head? |
The rules for certification for Tete de Moine include using milk from cows that feed only on the fodder based at the farm where the cows are being raised or from nearby pastures where the milk is collected.
Once a month, cheese inspectors congregate in the dairies' cellars. These fortunate individuals have a chance to look at, poke, and then sample some of the aging rounds of Tete de Moine so that they can make sure the naturally occurring holes aren't too big and that the rounds look good as they sit and age on their spruce shelves. They inspect the cheese to determine whether or not it’s the correct color and make sure it tastes and smells delicious. If a cheese fails the test, it can't be sold under the AOP title, and everyone ridicules and shuns the cheesemaker...or so I assume.
I've been meaning to try this cheese for a long time. Given the choice between a stinking bishop and a monk's head, it was difficult to make a decision, but since I had very recently reviewed a wash rind variety, I opted for the less odorous alpine-style cheese, Tete De Moine.
Once I had committed to sampling this cheese, I wondered if I needed to buy a whole wheel with the accompanying girolle for scraping cold layers into pretty rosettes or if there were a way to avoid buying a tool I knew I'd rarely use. Leave it to Whole Foods -- where they take the concept of convenience store to a whole new level and offer peeled oranges, pre-washed and sorted lettuce, and pre-cut vegetables for your stir-fries -- to carry already formed medallions.
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| Pre-made rosettes |
There isn’t a law around having to use a girolle in order to enjoy Tete de Moine, however, in the early 1980s, this tool revolutionized how the cheese was served. Before the girolle, a sharp knife was the tool of choice, and forming the thin cheese rosettes took a lot of time and great skill. Now, thanks to Emmi USA, anyone can purchase the pre-scraped rosettes, so you don't need a fancy, rather expensive tool and need not worry about cutting your fingers with the fine blade of a knife.
The idea behind either slicing cheese very thin or forming rosettes is to increase the surface area of the cheese. This increase in surface area means more molecules are in contact with your taste buds, and more of the aroma from the cheese is released, both of which enhance the overall flavor.
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| A girolle is used to make rosettes |
Emmie USA in Wisconsin has won quite a few world cheese medals for their local and imported varieties, including silver in 2019 for Tete de Moine AOP. That same year, they won an incredible 12 awards for various cheeses.
There's no doubt that Tete de Moine rosettes are beautiful, really a work of art. This semi-hard specialty cheese is made with part-skim cow’s milk and uses traditional animal rennet. The aroma is sharp and a little sour. Imagine belly button lint having a pleasant smell, and that would be a good description. The petals are velvety and soft on the tongue, but the cheese can be chewed like any other.
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| The rosettes of cheese are really beautiful |
While there are obvious sharp notes that mimic those in Parmesan and cheddar (but it still has its own unique taste,) it’s surprisingly mild. Despite being aged for at least 60 days after it gets a nice saltwater bath, Tete de Moine lacks an overly strong earthy or nutty flavor, but those undertones are there. It’s less complex and not as bold as something like Pleasant Ridge Reserve, but it’s no shrinking violet either. It’s more sharp than robust with just a hint of sweetness. Heated, the nutty flavor is less timid, and boy is this cheese flavorful when it's warm. Even though the rosettes are beautiful, I prefer this cheese served melted or baked.
Tete de Moine pairs extremely well with rye crackers, roasted potatoes, baked spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, crisp green apples, or cured meats. The rosettes look pretty and add flavor to green salads with vinaigrette dressing, and this cheese is exceptional when it's baked in savory tarts as an appetizer. Because the rosettes are eye-catching, they look wonderful on a cheese board next to red grapes, toasted walnuts, fresh figs, and baguette slices. For a real indulgence, try a rosette on a slice of toasted baguette with a thin square of high-quality dark chocolate.
For beverages, Tete de Moine pairs well with Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Sangiovese, Blanc de Blanc Champagne, or a tawny port. A dry cider, Belgian ale, or pale ale would also be a good accompaniment.
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| Try Tete de Moine with Gruner Veltliner |
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