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Port du Salut or Entrammes is a mild cows milk cheese from North West France. Port Salut is a commercial name brand for the cheese. Port du Salut and Port Salut are very similar, but there are some subtle differences between the hand-made Port du Salut and the commercial Port Salut. (The commercial Port Salut is pictured.)

The cheese has a mellow yet nutty flavor. The rind is orange, and the inside is a light yellow. Port du Salut may have several tiny holes in it, or few or no holes at all.

History

The French Revolution of 1789 played an important part of this cheeses history. During the Revolution many monks fled the country to avoid persecution. One such group or Trappist monks fled to Switzerland. While there they learned to make cheese to raise money for themselves. Returning in 1815, they brought their cheesemaking with them. They built the Monastery of Notre Dame du Port du Salut in Entrammes, France. The cheese they produced is named after their monastery.

In 1873 the head of the monestary visited Paris where a distribution deal was made with a Parisian cheese seller. The cheese quickly became popular, and in 1874 the monastery registered the product name to protect it. In 1959 the monastery sold the rights to the cheese to a major creamery.

Where to buy

amazon.com has Port Salut for sale.