An emblematic cheese of the Hauts-de-France region, Maroilles is refined in the humid cellars of the Thiérache region, whose natural characteristics gives the cheese its inimitable flavour and look.
An emblematic cheese of the Hauts-de-France region, Maroilles is refined in the humid cellars of the Thiérache region, whose natural characteristics gives the cheese its inimitable flavour and look.
The cheese is said to have been created in 960 by monks from the Maroilles Abbey in Avesnois, from where it takes its name. Once nicknamed "Le Merveille de Maroilles" or "Le Plus Fins de Fromages Forts", it was much appreciated by François I, Charles V and Louis VI for its manly and powerful fragrance and its mild taste.
Made from cow's milk, Maroilles is a soft cheese with a washed rind. It is characterized by a very specific flavour and smell that can only be obtained in the Thiérache region.
Since 1976, it has been one of 45 French cheeses to benefit from the controlled origin designation (AOC), which limits its manufacture to this region alone.
The Maroilles is refined in the cellars for four months and turned every week. After being unmoulded and salted, it is placed in a ripening cellar where a slight blue mold covers it. It is then brushed on each side with salted water, sometimes mixed with a touch of beer, which gives it a streaky appearance. A bacterium called "red ferment" allows its aroma to assert itself and its crust to redden. The cheese has a full, blonde and creamy paste with notes of warm milk and hazelnut.
There are several variants of the maroilles such as la Boulette d' Avesnes, la Fort de Bethune or le Vieux Lille, also called "Gris de Lille".
It can be used in cooking or enjoyed natural with a beer (to be consumed in moderation, of course!).
A maroilles tart is also a good compromise to make the taste pass more easily, and if you want to integrate it into a recipe why not with a filet mignon? Enjoy your meal!
Jessica from Comme des Français
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To remain in the Hauts-de-France specialties theme:
- Where to taste the good recipes of the North
- Beer, a rich brewing tradition
- The ideal dessert after a rich ch'ti dish.
