Anybody who knows me knows how much I love cheese, and anytime I get near a good cheese selection I can go a little nuts if I'm not careful. Therefore Dan and I are frequently trying new cheeses.
The other day we came home with a few new ones, one of which was Tomme de Savoie. Tomme cheeses are a type of cheese made in Europe that were traditionally made from less fatty milks and named for the location they are traditionally made, i.e., Savoie in France. Now they can be made with skim or full-fat milk depeding on the specific maker.
Tomme de Savoie comes in small wheels of creamy, off-white paste speckled with small eyes. At room temperature, our Tomme de Savoie was not quite spreadable, but quite soft, and a little stretchy. It has a buttery, nutty taste, more pungent than I expected, with a distinct grassiness that comes from the pasture feeding of the French Alpine herds. It went well with either bread or crackers, but I preferred it plain rather than with fruit or jam.
Something that appears to be Tomme de Savoie may not be actually be from Savoie; if you want the real deal, you have to check the wheel's label to ensure it has the designation of origin. "Fabrique en Savoie" means it is made in Savoie; "affine en Savoie" means it probably isn't authentic.
If you like grassy, earthy cheeses, this one is a nice option. I imagine it could hold up to a simple sandwich or salad as well as it dresses up a cheese plate.
Happy eating!
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