Cheese Database

Le Douanier vs Morbier

Le Douanier

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Washed rind
Rind
Washed rind
Country
Canada
Place
Quebec

Le Douanier is a semi-firm cheese from Quebec, Canada, made from pasteurised cow's milk. A washed rind covers a supple, pale yellow paste, and a thin line of edible vegetable ash runs through the middle. The French name means the customs officer. Makers use the ash line as a picture of the border between Canada and the United States, near the area where the cheese is produced. The taste moves from creamy and nutty toward a light spice as the rind develops.

Morbier, field guide plate
Morbier, photographed

Morbier

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Pressed
Rind
Washed rind
Country
France
Place
Franche-Comté

Morbier is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from Franche-Comté in France. A thin dark line of ash runs through the middle of the wheel, and that line is the mark people look for. The paste is ivory to pale yellow, smooth, and supple. The rind is smooth and light brown to orange, and it is brushed during ripening. The cheese is mild when young and fuller after more time in the cellar.