Tête de Moine

The canons at Bellelay monastery were first mentioned in connection with the production of Tête de Moine AOP as early as 1192 (and so more than 825 years ago), a century before the Swiss Confederation was founded.

In those days, they used to pay the annual rent for the various plots of land with the cheese produced at the monastery, which served as a valuable means of payment.

Over time, the Tête de Moine was used by tenant farmers as payment to land owners, as well as figuring in legal settlements, being offered as a gift to the prince-bishops of Basel, and even serving as currency.

[1] In 1797 the canons were driven out of the monastery in the wake of the French Revolution, but production of Tête de Moine AOP continued in the farm-based cheese dairies.

1997 then saw the establishment of the “Interprofession Tête de Moine” trade organization by the milk producers, cheese makers, maturing experts and merchants.

The paring tool got its name from the appearance of the rosettes, which are reminiscent of chanterelles (French: girolle) and gives Tête de Moine AOP its unique shape, thus enabling it to fully develop its taste.

The first theory is that it is a mocking name bestowed by French occupation soldiers who compared the method of serving the cheese to shaving the top of a skull to create a monk’s tonsure.

[9] The maturing period begins after the salt-water bath, when the cheese loaves are stored for at least 75 days on spruce boards in the AOP geographical area, during which time they are regularly tended.

Because of its fine texture, Tête de Moine AOP is not cut, but pared into rosettes with a Girolle® Original or a similar device.