Flavors of Lorraine

Also called: Géromé or Munster Géromé

Géromé or Munster is the traditional cheese par excellence of the Vosges region. Its production can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries in the upper valleys of the Vosges, making it one of the three oldest cheeses of France. Munster’s other name, Géromé, means “from Gérardmer,” a town that by the 15th century had become a very important cheese market. In that period Géromé weighed up to 3 kg and was always stored in a pine box.

Since 1978 Munster has had its own protected designation of origin which limits its production and aging to a particular geographic area. How should it be eaten? Plain, with wholegrain or cumin bread. It’s also delicious with hot baked potatoes, raw ham and a crisp green salad. Or try it in a delicious Munster tart as an original and tasty first course.

This little cow’s milk cheese, with its soft curd and washed rind, has a minimum 45% fat content. It is ripened for a minimum of 3 weeks. “Petit Munster Géromé” is a cheese 7 to 12 cm (3 to 5”) in diameter, weighing at least 120 g (4 oz.) and ripened for at least two weeks. It should be chosen for its smooth moist rind, ranging from orange to orangey red. It should be supple and silky to the touch. And of course it should have its characteristic smell.