Tomme De Savoie Cheese

An unpasteurized cow's milk cheese from the Savoie region of France, that is typically available during the winter months. Situated high in the mountaineous areas of France, adjacent to Italy, the alpine valleys around Savoie provide abundant meadows for grazing and producing milk. As fall arrives, the cattle are brought down to lower elevations where they do not feed on lush grasses that produce their rich summer milk. Therefore, the cheese is made during the summer, it is aged for 6 months or more, and ready for distribution after winter has arrived to the French Alps.

Made in wheels that are several inches thick and 8 inches in diameter, Tomme De Savoie cheese develops a thick, rough appearing rind that is grayish-tan in color. Beneath the rind is an ivory colored, smooth-textured flesh with very small holes throughout. This mild cheese has a raw flavor combined with a hazelnut taste containing a somewhat salty overtone. It is good cheese for snacking served with fruit, bread, salami, and wine.