P380 - France - Munster Valley in Alsace

The traditional way to make Munster cheese, Munster Valley in Alsace, France

Munster originates from the upper Munster valley in the Vosges mountains of Alsace, France. Munster is an ancient cheese. It has been in existence since the Middle Ages and was originally made in monasteries. The name Munster comes from the town of that name which is itself a contraction of the word 'monastery'. Benedictine monks, Irish monks who settled in the Vosges in the 7th century, observing their order's rule against meat, sought nourishment in milk and its derivatives. Although it was first made for their own consumption, the monks later taught the local peasants how to make Munster cheese. The local people then used their cheeses to help pay rent to the monks whose land they farmed. The success of the cheese led to it being produced over a wide area and brought a little prosperity into a harsh and deprived region.

芒斯特起司產自法國的阿爾薩斯地區。

References sources : www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk/