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Legend has it that Jean-Baptiste Grenon, nicknamed Hercules of the North, was so strong that when captured by General Wolfe's troops in 1759 he fought hard enough that they couldn't slip the noose around his neck to hang him. His strength so astounded the English that they released the uncontrollable Frenchman.

It's an appropriate symbol for the level of determination the Labbé family cheese makers in Baie-St-Paul, Que., show in monitoring the pristine quality of their milk.

Every wheel of L'Hercule comes from a small herd of 30 Jersey cows on the Stessi farm located one kilometre from the Laiterie Charlevoix cheese making facility. Jersey milk was specifically chosen for its high protein and fat content, which imparts a smooth texture and rich flavour that becomes more complex during aging. First released at six months old in July, 2007, wheels of L'Hercule are now available further ripened to 18 months of age.

The flavour and supple texture of the cheese gives a nod to such greats as French Comté and Swiss Gruyère. The younger cheese is mild with a fruity aroma and sweet flavour, followed by a tangy finish. By 18 months the aroma is creamier and more complex, and the sharper finish has mellowed to a full, nutty finale that is enhanced by the earthy, toasted flavour of the rind. These traits and its larger wheel size (12-14 kilograms) make L'Hercule de Charlevoix a unique style of cheese in Canada.

Though the Stessi farm's Jersey cows do not graze at alpine elevations, the flavours from their milk and the production process result in a cheese reminiscent of the "mountain style" cheeses made in Europe since the middle ages.

Mountain cheeses are made with milk from cows that graze at high elevations in alpine regions. Because of the type of grasses, herbs and wildflowers growing at these elevations, alpine cheeses develop wonderful herbal, fruity and nutty flavours that reflect their terroir. By cooking the curds, cheese makers can eliminate as much moisture as possible from the cheese allowing the wheels to be preserved and aged to last families through lean winter months. Using large moulds for forming the cheese is a matter of efficiency; it's easier to transport a few large wheels (some as large as 75 kilograms) than dozens of small ones.

Like mountain-style cheeses, L'Hercule de Charlevoix is a cooked, pressed cheese that is non-pasteurized and has a dense, slightly springy paste. While ripening, the exterior is brine-washed to encourage development of its natural rind.

Sue Riedl studied at the Cordon Bleu in London.

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On the block

Cheese L'Hercule de Charlevoix

Origin Baie-St-Paul, Que.

Producer Laiterie Charlevoix

Owners Labbé family

Cheese makers Dominique and Simon Labbé

Milk Thermalized cow, Jersey

Type Firm, pressed, cooked, natural rind, aged six to 18 months

Shape 12-14 kilogram wheels

Food Matches Serve it alone with seasonal pears and honey, or it makes an excellent baguette lunch with ham and a thin spread of butter

Distributor Provincial Fine Foods, Fromagerie Atwater

Available

Quebec: Fromagerie Atwater, Fromagerie Hamel

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.: Pairings Specialty Food Market

Toronto: Cheese Boutique, Leslieville Cheese Market, Loblaws (Yonge Street and Yonge Boulevard), Pusateri's

Ottawa: Jacobsons Gourmet Concepts

Vancouver: Mount Pleasant Cheese