Vol 2 No 10

Featured Cheeses

Time-Honored Cheeses in the French Tradition

Our first two selections this month hail from a land known for its elegant style and romantic language. Originating in the lush mountain meadows of France, we present to you these distinctive cheeses that will add a bit of flair to your dining and inspire all who indulge in them to add a little savoir faire to their own life.

Comte, How the French Say Cheese

Comte (pronounced con-tay) is a cheese made using time honored traditions in the Franche-Comte region of France, in the Jura mountains bordering Switzerland. These plateaus, known for their rugged terrain but lush green fields, categorize Comte as a "mountain" cheese.

Comté is not only a world renowned cheese with subtle aromas that titillates the taste buds of gourmets. It is also, and above all, a valuable foodstuff, wholesome, natural and an essential ingredient in achieving a balanced diet The outstanding nutritional quality of Comté is the result of the traditional manner in which it is produced which gives precedence to nature and to the seasons.

The main characteristic of Comté is its exceptional aromatic diversity. A study carried out in 1993 by a professional tasting jury identified more than 200 aromatic components. It is not necessary to be an expert however for tasting different Comtés to be a surprising experience. One young Comté may exude a distinct odor of fresh hazelnuts while another will reveal a more discreet touch of nutmeg. A young, 6-month old Comté will bring to mind the delicate smell of buttery mashed potatoes while an older, more patiently aged specimen like the one we bring you may surprise you with its cascade of fruity, spicy and roasted flavours that unfold gradually and lastingly in the palate. Each Comté has its own unique aromatic and unpredictable perfume to set free. This exceptional diversity can be attributed to a couple of different factors : The first is connected to the diversity of the land itself. The apparent unity and geological and historical coherence of the region do not detract from the variety of the soils, the microclimates and the flora which naturally create what could be called "cru" just like in the world of wine-making. In the heart of the Jura massif, the old folk are even capable of distinguishing in which cheese dairy a particular cheese was made with their eyes closed. The second factor is attributed to the duration of the maturing period which enables nature to unfold its divine alchemy at a leisurely pace.

All Comte is graded using a 20 point grading system. A green label ensures the cheese has been graded 15 points or higher, this also denotes it to be labeled "Comte Extra". This is the Comte you are tasting with this month's selection - we only deliver green label. Thanks to its uniqueness, its cultural importance and its economic contribution to the region, Comté cheese was one of the first cheeses to be awarded a label of origin guaranteeing its quality (AOC). As one of the premiere cheeses of France, we know you'll enjoy this fine taste of French living. Bon appetit!

Reblochon Cheese, A Savoy Tradition

Reblochon dates back to the middle ages and began its history in the Alps. The birth of this fascinating cheese is due to the ingenuity of the Savoy herdsmen. In the 13th century, the farmers were completely dependent on landowners who insisted that all the herd's milk was their property. The landowners would keep track of all milk that was collected. This milk was used to calculate the annual rent, payable every month in the form of cheese. If you were like the typical peasant from that long ago period, you would figure that if you did not fully milk your cows, your tax base would be lower. So, you would wait until the tax collector had left to get the last drops of milk (so tax evasion is not a new thing).

The cheese made from this milk, richer in cream than that made from the earlier milk, was called rablassé (the origin of the word Reblochon), and was destined for the peasant's personal consumption. For centuries this cheese was not sold at the local markets, for obvious reasons, but around the 17th or 18th centuries, when taxes started to be paid in local currency rather than in goods, the cheese began to be sold to the public at large. The local merchant and noble classes, as well as the clergy, discovered the taste of these cheeses and started asking for them at their tables. Thus, the Reblochon became a cheese not only for the mountains, but also for the city.

Reblochon is still made high up in the Alps, although today the pasture is more likely to be shared with ski-lifts rather than the tax collector. Reblochon was the first cheese of the Savoy region to be granted the AOC certification, in 1958. Nowadays the cheese is made by mixing the milks of three different breeds of cow : abondance, tarine, and montbéliarde. This cow's milk cheese that has been pressed and matured for about a month. It is creamy, ever so slightly salty, and, quite simply, delicious. It marries well with many different types of wines, and is a great cheese not only to serve at the end of a meal as part of a cheese board, but also to melt into a crepe, or cut into little chunks and serve as an appetizer. With its unique taste it's the perfect complement to France's popular Comte cheese.

England's Chesire Cheese

This Month's Final Selection

Cheshire is probably England's oldest cheese. It can be tracked back to the Domesday Book and it is said to predate Roman times, though with the Roman expertise in cheese they probably contributed greatly to it's improvement. Real farmhouse Cheshire, like the one we so proudly bring to you this month, comes from the county of Cheshire. This northern part of England is irrigated by the River Dee. The county was originally famous for sheep's milk cheeses, but Cheshire was always made from cow's milk as are most cheeses in northern England today. To be called Cheshire the cheese must be made from milk derived from the Cheshire area pastures and made in that same locale, using specific cheesemaking processes and a minimum age.

This genuine cheese owes it salty flavor to the area's soil, which has a high concentration of underlying bedrock salt. This salt makes it to the cheese via the grass the cow's eat. The interior of real Cheshire is smooth, holeless, with a dryish texture and is the most amazing shade of cantaloupe. Here in the United States most cheese is orange in color but in England most cheese range from cream color to golden yellow, so the orange shade of Cheshire makes it stand out on the English cheese counter. Cheshire is organically dyed with annatto, a harmless, flavorless coloring agent made from the pulp of annatto trees. Some say Cheshire began to be dyed to make it stand out from the likes of cheddar and help increase sales. It looks like they have succeeded. Cheshire does come in a white version, which some in Cheshire say is the real thing, but because the annatto does nothing to the flavor the real one is the orange version. The flavor is slightly saline with a rustic, not too strong , tangy flavor. It is neither nutty like Comte, or fruity like Mahon, or sharp like Cheddar. It is truly unique and hardly even known in this country, so enjoy.

Healthful Comte!

Comté is a valuable source of protein due to the wide variety of amino acids that it contains. A 100g. portion of Comté provides 1000 mg. of calcium, i.e., more than a third of the daily recommended intake for an adult. The high calcium/phosphorus ratio (1,4) provides a balanced mineral intake necessary for growth. This is the reason why Comté is often recommended by the medical profession for children, for elderly people and for pregnant women for whom this high ratio is a means of preventing osteoporosis. Comté is a cheese which contains relatively little salt (0.80g. per 100g. of Comté, on average). It is foodstuff rich in vitamins, in particular, vitamins A and C. The fact that it is manufactured from partially skimmed milk means that it contains a moderate level of "useful lipids." A nourishing cheese for anyone interested in healthful living!

Jude's Serving Suggestions

A unique cheese with a character that cannot be imitated, Comté is the essential ingredient of any cheese platter. While dry white wines and light reds go marvelously with Comté, the complicity becomes supreme when the great Jurassian cheese is married with a Jura wine (Arbois, Pupillin, Savagnin...) Both born of the same earth and cultivated in the same massif, the cheese and the wine would seem to recognize each other and respond to one another to the utmost delight of the palate.

Served as an appetizer before dining, Comté cheese is ideal for getting one's taste buds going cut into small cubes.. As a cooking ingredient, the reputation of Comté is a well established fact. The facility with which it melts or browns makes it an ideal ingredient for all kinds of gratinated dishes. In cooked dishes, its subtle flavor makes it an appreciated addition to several fish or white meat recipes.

Comte Cheese Fondue

2 lbs Comté diced or grated

3 cups dry white wine

1 tbs cornstarch

1 garlic clove peeled and halved

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 loaf country or whole wheat bread cut in cubes (each cube must have a piece of crust)

Rub the fondue pot with garlic. Add the wine, heat until simmering. Then add the cheese, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the cheese is melted. Season with pepper. In a small bowl, add cornstarch to some cold white wine, mix well and add to fondue pot, stirring to incorporate in fondue until a creamy consistency is achieved. When ready to serve, guests spear bread with a fork and rotate in mixture to coat the bread with cheese fondue. Optional: Kirsch liquor or a pinch of grated nutmeg can be added to the fondue before serving. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Potato and Comte Cheese Tart

Non sugared pie crust

7 oz thinly sliced onions

8 small potatoes peeled and sliced

10 oz tomato sauce, not too liquid

6 oz Comté cheese, diced

3 oz butter to cook the vegetables

1/2 cup of heavy cream whipped with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sauté the sliced onions until soft and slightly golden. Reserve, keep warm. Wash the potatoes, then pat dry. Sauté them in a casserole until lightly golden. Cover the casserole, lower the flame and cook until tender but still a little firm. Roll out the dough and place it in a greased pie pan. Bake until cooked and lightly golden. Remove pie crust from oven. Arrange on top the onions first, then small cubes of Comté, then tomato sauce. Then place the potatoes on top and arrange as for an apple tart. Put back in the oven for about 7 to 10 minutes. Spread whipped cream on top. Put back in the oven for 2 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.