Tomme de Savoie

Tomme de Savoie is probably the best known of the Tomme family of diverse cheeses. The word Tomme is widely believed to have originated from the the word “toma” which in Savoyard dialect means quite simply “a cheese made in the mountains” which, of course, this one is. 

Tomme de Savoie is an Alpine cheese from the Savoie region of France and is one of the oldest known cheeses in this area.  It is mentioned in texts and manuscripts dating back to the 1600’s. Tomme de Savoie is made with raw unpasteurised cows milk and animal rennet that had been skimmed; the fat from the milk to be used for cream and butter making.  The then skimmed milk is used to make these wonderful cheeses, with each farmhouse making their own cheeses in various sizes and forms but always with the characteristic thick, greyish rind. 

The taste of the cheese varies throughout the year depending on whether the cows have been eating the rich summer grass or the winter hay. Summer grass making a richer milk and cheese. Each cheese is matured for approximately 4 months and delivers a wonderfully nutty and earthy taste, which is redolent of mushrooms.

During the maturation period, Tomme de Savoie starts to develop a thick grey rind dotted with patches of yellow or red moulding. Tomme de Savoie is a semi-soft, pressed cheese with a pliable and firm texture. It has numerous irregular “eyes” spread throughout the ivory-coloured paste. The flavours are of grass, nuts and rusticity. Expect some tangy, slight citrus and mushroom notes underlined by odours of a cave.

For best results remove from the fridge no more than 30 minutes before the eating.