In the following blog post, we take a look at a cheese that originated almost 900 years ago in our beautiful mountain region. As the title suggests, it is the cheese "Tête de Moine". This French term translates to "monk's head". Some people also know it by the name "Fromage de Bellelay".
There are various theories as to why it is called that. One suggests that the name originated during the French Revolution in the 1790s, when a parallel was drawn between the smooth, shaven top of the cheese and the bald head of a monk. Another possibility is that the name is simply a tribute to the monks who created it.
History
The origin of Tête de Moine can be traced back to the Bellelay Monastery, founded in 1136 and recognised by Pope Innocent II in 1142. Records from 1192, a hundred years before the founding of the Swiss Confederation, confirm that the monks of Bellelay Monastery were already renowned for their cheesemaking. During this period, they used the cheese produced in their monastery to pay the annual rents for several plots of land. Historical documents from subsequent centuries repeatedly mention that this valuable cheese was used as a means of payment. Tête de Moine saw significant progress in 1982 when it was combined with modern technology. The innovation came from Nicolas Croiviser, an artisan from Lajoux who had a passion for cheese and a large family with whom he could share it. He wanted to slice Tête de Moine more efficiently and initially developed a mechanism with a blade attached to a rotating handle over the cheese. While effective, it was somewhat cumbersome.
The breakthrough came when Croiviser reversed the mechanism and turned the axis into a spindle. By placing the cheese on the spindle and attaching a handle, delicate cheese rosettes could be effortlessly formed. This invention was named "Girolle".
Today
Originally, the cheese was produced exclusively within the monastery walls during the summer; it was only in the second half of the 19th century that production began in newly established village dairies. Today, the production area of Tête de Moine includes the mountain and summer pasture areas of the Canton of Jura and Bernese Jura.
Production Process
Made from raw cow's milk, Tête de Moine AOP is characterised by strict quality standards. To preserve its freshness, the milk must be processed within one day of milking. Crucial to this process are copper storage and transport containers, in which the milk temperature is kept at 38 °C (100.4 °F) - precisely like the cow's natural body temperature.
Only natural ingredients are used in the production of Tête de Moine; only rennet, natural lactic acid bacteria, and salt are permitted.
Producing a 1 Kg wheel of this cheese requires around 10 litres of milk. The transformation from milk to cheese involves curdling and mould-packing, followed by whey drainage as the wheels undergo pressing and turning.
After pressing, the loaves are immersed in a brine for a period of 12 to 24 hours. This step is crucial for solidifying the cheese's consistency and setting the correct salt content for the start of ripening.
In the next phase, the cheese matures for 75 days in special caves, where cheese experts, known as affineurs, regularly care for the developing rind with a mixture of water, salt, and lactic acid bacteria. In a controlled, cool, and humid environment, this ripening on spruce boards allows the cheese to develop complex aromas and flavours without drying out.
Once ripening is complete, each wheel undergoes a thorough evaluation, checking for texture, taste, and rind quality, among other things. Wheels that meet these high standards receive the prestigious "Appellation d’origine protégée" (AOP) seal of quality.
Export
In the last fifty years, Tête de Moine production has significantly increased, whereas in 1950 only 27 tonnes were produced. In 2022, 3,300 tonnes of Tête de Moine were sold worldwide, representing a 3.7% increase compared to the previous year. This accounts for half of the total production, despite a challenging economic environment characterised by the strong Swiss franc and the war in Ukraine. The main export markets are Germany and France, with a combined share of 81%. The export share of the Swiss cheese market in 2016 was 1.3%.
