Fourme D'Ambert is one of Frances oldest known cheeses
Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses, the name "Fourme" is the old French word for cheese from the Latin noun forma, describing its cylindrical shape. Ambert is the mountainous town in Auvergne where the cheese is made.
The people of this town have been making Fourme d'Ambert since the 7th century! Fourme d'Ambert is high in moisture and compact in texture, so the blue mould does not spread in veins like other Blues, rather it forms in distinct, disconnected pockets making it much creamier and therefore less crumbly.
The loaves are matured in very damp cellars for at least four weeks. The Fourme goes through a ripening process of a minimum of 28 days. The rind is dry and yellow and wrapped in grey velvet. Inside, the pate is creamy, moist, and has a faint hint of blue mould. Its flavour is mild, with light nut and mushroom overtones.
In May 9, 1972, the Fourme was granted the very coveted AOC label. As a whole the Fourme d'Ambert is a tall cylindrical cheese (height 19cm, diameter 13cm) and its average weight is 2 kg. It is sold by horizontally cut slices, with a fat content of 45%. Today production is with pasteurised milk.