Munster
Alsace specialty cheese

A well-known cheese made in farms high up in the Vosges mountains. The town of Munster is its home. Of monastic origin (munster is a contraction of the Latin monasterium), it has been in existence since the Middle Ages. Faithful to tradition, munster is made with rennet-curded milk, put into molds, it drains slowly and matures for 21 days (14 for a small munster). The cheese, a flat disk in shape, has a smooth surface varying in color from yellow-orange to red. Mild when very young, it becomes spicy with a sweet, rich flavor as it matures. It comes in various sizes, the largest are the best.
It is used in regional recipes as well, such as quiche, pie and raclette.