Abondance cheese
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Abondance, a fine breed for milk and mountain cheese.Various authors trace the origin of the breed back to the middle of the 5th C. At the time the area was invaded by the Burgondes from the far north. They had migrated along the banks of the Rhine, through Jura, and finally brought their herds to Savoy and to Switzerland. The excellent reputation of the cattle and the cheese dates back to that period, but the story of the breed is also linked with that of Abondance Abbey (which you can visit). The monks were active in improving the breed, and encouraging the use of these spotted cattle in and around the valley. Their records show the care they took in perfecting breeding techniques, creating different types of grazing, in particular summer mountain pastureland, and above all in producing quality cheese. Abondance cheese earned a fine reputation, and even served as "money" at a time when "hard cash" virtually did not exist. "In 1598, Master Chappuis of Evian received half a quintal of fat Abondance cheese as pay for repairing the high tower...” Today, the manufacture of Abondance cheese, awarded the AOC label (Guaranteed Origin and Quality), is expanding to meet the rapidly growing market. Named after the village of Abondance in the valley, the breed has always produced excellent milkers, with high fat and high protein milk. From the beginning the milk also had a high cheese yield. Over the centuries, the breed adapted to specific conditions in the mountains and the harsh, capricious weather. Few other breeds were crossed with the Abondance and the improvement in quality was largely by natural selective breeding. This, together with clearing the land, was one of the monks' major contributions. They showed a special aptitude for cattle raising, playing an important role throughout the valley, a role that was subsequently taken over by the local cattle farmers' unions. |
