Produced in the Auvergne region, Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses, dating back to the Roman occupation nearly 1,000 years ago. It is said that the Druids and the Gauls had developed the art of making this unique cheese. In 2002 it was separated from the Fourme de Montbrison, an identical cheese, to receive an individual AOC status.

The cheese is a traditional, farmhouse blue cheese that can be either co-operative or artisanal. Fourme d'Ambert is more supple and dense than most blues. Milk from cows grazing on either lower or higher mountain pastures is used to produce the cheese. Although, the cheese matures in 40 days, it is cave-aged for two-three months for optimum quality. During the aging time, it is injected with Vouvray moelleux, a sweet white wine. It is easily recognizable by its unusually tall cylindrical shape.

The pâté is cream colored with prominent blue veining. The cheese is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti spores for the growth of blue veins. Slightly tangy, savory flavor infused by the bacteria beautiful complements the distinct notes of butter and cream. Wine connoisseurs can enjoy the cheese with Sauternes and other dessert wines as well as full bodied reds such as Rhone’s, Pinot Noirs and Syrah. Similar cheeses include Fourme de Montbrison, Bleu de Montbrison, Bleu de Gex and Bleu de Septmoncel. Try the cheese as a snack with bread and fruit or crumble it on salads.

• Made from cow's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Region: Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes
• Alternative spellings: Fourme d'Ambert
• Type: semi-soft, artisan, blue-veined
• Fat content: 50%
• Texture: creamy, dense and supple
• Rind: natural
• Color: blue

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Other French cheeses:

• hard cheeses: Ardi Gasna, Cantal, Crayeux de Roncq, Crottin de Chavignol, Etorki, Fourme de Montbrison, Fromage a Raclette, Laguiole, Lou Palou, Salers, Sancerre, Tomme Brulee
• semi-hard cheeses: Abbaye de Belloc, Abondance, Babybel, Brebis du Lavort, Cantal, Esbareich, Filetta, Fresh Truffles, Matocq, Mimolette (Boule de Lille), Pas de l'Escalette, Petit Pardou, Tomme de Romans, Tourmalet, Trappe (Veritable), Trou du Cru
• semi-soft cheeses: Abbaye de Citeaux, Abbaye du Mont des Cats, Aisy Cendre, Ami du Chambertin, Aromes au Gene de Marc, Bleu Des Causses, Brie de Melun, Brillat-Savarin, Brin, Brin d'Amour, ... show all ... , Calenzana, Chabichou du Poitou, Charolais, Dauphin, Fleur du Maquis, Fresh Truffles, Fromage de Montagne de Savoie, Langres, La Vache Qui Rit, Le Brin, Le Fium Orbo, Livarot, Mamirolle, Maroilles, Mont D'or Lyonnais, Morbier, Morbier Cru de Montagne, Murol, Neufchatel, Ossau Fermier, Pave d'Auge, Port-Salut, Reblochon, Rocamadour, Rollot, Roquefort, Sainte Maure, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Paulin, Sourire Lozerien, Tamie, Tomme de Chevre, Tommes
• soft cheeses: Affidelice au Chablis, Anneau du Vic-Bilh, Baguette Laonnaise, Banon, Bleu de Laqueuille, Bougon, Boule Du Roves, Boursault, Boursin, Bouyssou, ... show all ... , Brebis du Puyfaucon, Bresse Bleu, Brie, Brie au poivre (Brie with pepper), Brie de Meaux, Briquette de Brebis, Briquette du Forez, Brousse du Rove, Buchette d'Anjou, Butte, Cabecou, Cachaille, Camembert, Camembert de Normandie, Caprice des Dieux, Carre de l'Est, Cathelain, Cendre d'Olivet, Chabichou du Poitou, Chabis de Gatine, Chaource, Chevrotin des Aravis, Civray, Coeur de Camembert au Calvados, Coeur de Chevre, Coulommiers, Crottin du Chavignol, Cure Nantais, Delice des Fiouves, Dreux a la Feuille, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Explorateur, Figue, Fin-de-Siecle, Fondant de Brebis, Fontainebleau, Fougerus, Fourme de Haute Loire, Fresh Truffles, Frinault, Fromage Corse, Galette du Paludier, Galette Lyonnaise, Gastanberra, Grand Vatel, Grataron d' Areches, Gratte-Paille, Greuilh, Gris de Lille, Guerbigny, Laruns, La Taupiniere, L'Aveyronnais, L'Ecir de l'Aubrac, Le Lacandou, Lingot Saint Bousquet d'Orb, Lou Pevre, Lyonnais, Macconais, Margotin, Mothais a la Feuille, Munster, Nantais, Niolo, Olivet au Foin, Olivet Bleu, Olivet Cendre, Palet de Babligny, Pate de Fromage, Patefine Fort, Pave de Chirac, Pelardon des Cevennes, Pelardon des Corbieres, Perail de Brebis, Picodon de Chevre, Pithtiviers au Foin, Poivre d'Ane, Pont l'Eveque, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Pourly, P'tit Berrichon, Pyramide, Quatre-Vents, Quercy Petit, Regal de la Dombes, Rigotte, Romans Part Dieu, Rouleau De Beaulieu, Rustinu, Saint Agur, Saint-Marcellin, Selles sur Cher, Soumaintrain, Taupiniere, Tomme des Chouans, Tommes, Touree de L'Aubier, Valencay, Venaco, Vendomois, Vieux Corse, Vignotte
• fresh soft cheeses: Autun, Boulette d'Avesnes, Brocciu, Fromage Frais, Le Roule, Mascares, Pave d'Affinois, Petit-Suisse, Roule