Vacherin Mont d'Or is a special seasonal cheese in both France and Switzerland, only available between mid-September and March. The cheese is made from the winter milk of cows who have been brought down from their pastures for the season. It is related to other mountain cheeses such as Emmentaler and Gruyere, but made in much smaller rounds and also treated differently, so that the cheese is almost liquid when fully ripe.

Some Vacherin Mont d'Or is under a protected origin designation, which means that cheeses with special labels are produced in a particular region of Switzerland, the Canton de Vaud. A series of very strict requirements govern how the cheese can be made, processed, and handled, and the Vacherin Mont d'Or produced will be carefully monitored by an independent certifying party to ensure that the cheese is of the highest possibly quality.

Vacherin Mont d'Or comes in a special round pine box with a layer of waxed paper over the cheese. When the cheese is pulled out, it in enclosed by a birch strip called a sangle, and a velvety red rind. To eat the cheese, it is recommended that it be allowed to breath at room temperature for several hours before carving off the inedible rind and scooping out the soft cheese inside. Vacherin Mont d'Or is a very delicate cheese, and should be kept very cold in storage before being consumed.

Vacherin Mont d'Or sometimes appears on its own as a dessert cheese, or spread on crackers and fruit. Sometimes Vacherin Mont d'Or appears on salads, or as part of the main course, particularly served with small, delicate fingerling potatoes. Some chefs also roast the cheese, serving it hot and gooey directly out of the rind.

Vacherin Mont d'Or is made with both pasteurized and unpasteurized milks, depending on the region. The milk is curdled by introducing rennet and heating the mixture, and the curds are packed into tall cylindrical molds, with holes in them so that the whey can drain out. After the cheese has firmed slightly, it is cut into rounds which are encircled with the traditional sangles and moved into a cheese cave to ripen. During the ripening phases, the Vacherin Mont d'Or is turned daily, and brushed with a brine solution. After one month, the cheese is ready for sale, and is boxed.

Vacherin Mont d'Or is a very unique cheese, with an almost runny consistency and a rich, creamy flavor. The sangle and subsequent pine box lend Vacherin Mont d'Or a slightly astringent, forest like flavor which is delicious and quite distinctive to Vacherin Mont d'Or alone. Cheese consumers interested in exploring new and interesting flavors will greatly enjoy Vacherin Mont d'Or.