Are you looking for that real gourmet taste of Swiss cheeses? Then you should try the Tete de Moine cheese. Produced in only nine dairies in the northwestern part of the Swiss Alps, Tete de Moine cheese is what real gourmet Swiss cheese is about.

According to history, Tete de Moine is the “Cheese of the Monks” since it was thought to have been produced by the monks at the Bellelay abbey dating as far back as 1192. But official records have it that Tete de Moine was produced and sold in the year 1520. Originally, this cheese was referred to as Fromage Bellelay, after the place where it was produced but was renamed Tete de Moine in 1970.

The literal English translation of Tete de Moine is “monks head”, referring to the tax (paid with cheese) by the abbey to the French kings and the shaved circular bald spot on the monks’ heads.
Tete de Moine is made with unpasteurized pure cow’s milk that is likely cooked and pressed. The milk is delivered twice a day in the dairy to make sure that it comes fresh. Although the milk is now processed with modern equipments, it is still made using traditional cheese making methods. Although the taste of the Tete de Moine is very similar to other Swiss cheeses, the Swiss government emphasizes that it is NOT a factory made cheese.

Tete de Moine comes in mini wheels and is cut using a griolle, a special tool that lets you shave the cheese without much effort. It has either a sticky or a hard brown outer rind that depends on the dairy. Its inner paste is firm and is reminiscent of straw, but darkens as it ages. The Tete de Moine ages from the outside in, so the part closer to its rind is much darker. This feature is often mistaken by some first time Tete de Moine tasters as a sign of poor quality.

Tete de Moine has a defining smell even before it is cut. Its aroma sets it apart from the rest of the Swiss cheeses. It smells like roasted nuts mixed with earthy wine and musty wood that will transform any room into a cheese heaven. The moment you get a bite of Tete de Moine, you will taste a full bodied flavor and complex hints of nuts and sweet fruit.

Any cheese expert will tell you that the Tete de Moine is more flavorful and smells sweeter than the Emmental and the Gruyere. If you are looking for a real gourmet Swiss mountain style cheese, then the Tete de Moine is your best choice. Go and try one today!