Vacherin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A unique cheese made from cow's milk that presents a range of textures from soft to semi-soft, often encased in bark or wood for added presentation
2. A distinct variety of dairy cheese, either creamy or semi-firm, that is typically encircled by a wooden or bark ring to enhance its aesthetic appeal
3. A specific type of cheese derived from cow's milk that showcases various textures, traditionally wrapped in bark or wood for visual enhancement

Etymology: Vacherin is a Swiss and Savoyard cheese, and the name comes to English from French, where "vacherin" was borrowed from the Franco-Provençal dialect of the Alpine region. The root sense is pastoral: the word derives from the idea of cows and the dairy work that goes with them, so the cheese is named for the animal that makes it. The more surprising twist is that the name later travelled to a dessert. The meringue confection filled with cream and fruit, which is also called vacherin, is thought to have been named for its resemblance to the round shape of the cheese wheels. The cheese was not named after the dessert; the dessert borrowed the cheese's shape as its label.