Maredsous is a semi-hard loaf-shaped washed-rind cheese made from

cow's milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulati ...

. It is suitable for slicing, and characterised by an orange coloured rind. The cheese has been produced at

Maredsous Abbey Maredsous Abbey is a Benedictine monastery at Maredsous, in the municipality of Anhée, Wallonia, Belgium. It is a founding member of the Annunciation Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation. The abbey was founded as a priory on 15 No ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

since 1953. The cheese is lightly pressed, then washed in brine to create the firm, orange crust and pungent aroma. Each cheese is washed by hand every two days, starting with the older cheeses. The water used for the washing of the older cheeses picks up the appropriate bacteria which are then transferred to the younger cheeses when the same water is used for washing these. The maturing process in the cellar takes place over 22 days. Maredsous is now an industrially produced cheese, produced by

Groupe Bel The Bel Group (a.k.a. Groupe Bel or Fromageries Bel in French language, French) is a multinational cheese marketer centered in France. Overview The Bel Group is headquartered at 2 allée de Longchamp in Suresnes (near Paris). It manufactures and ...

. It was formerly matured in the abbey cellars where the even temperature of and the 95% humidity favour the micro-organisms that transform the raw

curd Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as l ...

into cheese. The only cheeses still manufactured at the abbey are in the traditional sizes of 390g, 800g and 2.5kg. The abbey currently makes seven varieties: Maredsous Tradition, Mi-Vieux (half old), Fumé (smoked), Fondu (fondue), Frais (the fresh cheese), Light, and Fagotin.

References

{{Belgian cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses Belgian cheeses Walloon culture Namur (province)

See also

References