A valley, a breed of cattle, a village, a cheese. It was in the Middle Ages, spurred on by the Valley’s monks, that the production secrets of this cheese came to light.
A cheese of quality
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) since 1990.
All about Abondance
- Made from unpasteurised milk
- Semi-soft, pressed cheese
- Wheel of approximately 10kg with a concave vertical edge
- 40cm in diameter, 10cm high
- Amber-coloured rind with a meshed look
- Soft, melting inside
- Fruity taste with hints of hazelnut, pineapple and citrus
- Exists in a farm-produced version (green oval casein disc) and a cheese dairy version (red square casein disc)
- Optimal maturing time: at least 100 days (4 months recommended)
- Fat content: At least 45% fat to the dry content, or 33% in relation to the total weight
Production Area
Haute-Savoie, with the cradle of production: the Abondance Valley
Origin and know-how
High up in the Haute-Savoie mountains, the Abondance Village gave its name not only to an entire valley, but also to a breed of cattle, and a cheese! The farmers’ use of a copper cooking pot and draining through cheesecloth is what contributes towards the specific characteristics of this semi-soft cheese, as does the pressing into a circle which gives the rind a concave shape.
One could say “An” Abundance!
