While it bears a somewhat French name (“rouge” means “red” in French), ColoRouge is a product from the States. Produced by the MouCo Cheese Company. the band nonetheless bears a European influence. One of MouCo’s founders is from Germany, and she brought her mastery of the German cheesemaking process to help make MouCo the successful company that it is today.

ColorRouge is a nice looking cheese with an orangey rind and a creamy, soft texture. It can be eaten simply with a piece of bread, or add flair to other recipes, such as the ColoRouge Beer Cheese Soup (see that recipe and other recipes on the company’s website).

The cheese is made with antibiotic free 100% cow’s milk, obtained from local farms. As such, ColorRouge arrives fresh at the factory within three hours after having been milked. The milk is then tested to make sure, amongst other things, that it contains no detectable antibiotics. It is then pasteurized and allowed to rest.

The fabrication process starts the following day. It is then reheated again. Once the milk is slightly warm, bacteria of several different types and with varying characteristics is added to give the cheese its acidity and a lot of its texture characteristics. An enzyme is added to the milk to turn it into a curd. The curd is then cut into cubes. This allows water (whey) to drain out of the curd. Once reaching the proper amount of moisture, the curd is gently ladled by hand into forms that give the cheese its shape and size.

The cheeses are drained until they reach a certain consistency. Salt is then applied to the outside of the cheese to help stop the aging process, aid in balancing the flavor of the cheese, and start the aging process. The cheeses are then transferred to racks

During the two week aging period, the cheese is turned and "smeared" by hand. Smearing is a process by which each cheese is rubbed to help along the development of the special rind characteristics.

Unfortunately, the cheese is only available in the States in a few specialty supermarkets and restaurants.

Images with the authorization of MouCo Cheese Company, Inc