Description
Tomme de Savoie PGI Cheese
About Tomme de Savoie PGI
Tomme de Savoie is one of those wonderfully rustic French cheeses that looks as though it belongs on a wooden table somewhere halfway up a mountain.
Made in the Savoie region of the French Alps, it has a mottled grey-brown rind, a supple centre and a gentle, earthy flavour. It doesn’t shout for attention in the way some of France’s more famous cheeses do, but that’s rather the point.
This was traditionally an everyday cheese, made by farming families from the milk they had available, and I think that’s a big part of its charm.
A Proper Mountain Cheese
The word tomme is used for a whole family of cheeses, particularly across the French Alps, rather than describing one particular recipe.
Tomme de Savoie has its roots in the practical world of Alpine farming. Traditionally, cream was taken from the milk to make butter, and the remaining milk was turned into cheese. Nothing went to waste.
Because individual farms didn’t necessarily have huge quantities of milk available, Tommes were made in relatively small wheels — quite different from enormous mountain cheeses such as Comté or Beaufort, which required the milk from several herds.
The resulting cheese was made to be eaten rather than traded as some great luxury. It was everyday food for the people who lived and worked in the mountains.
And hundreds of years later, that’s still rather how Tomme de Savoie feels to me: unfussy, satisfying and completely at home with a chunk of bread.
Protected By Its PGI Status
Tomme de Savoie is protected by PGI status, recognising its connection with the Savoie region and the traditional knowledge behind its production.
The milk comes from the defined geographical area surrounding Savoie and Haute-Savoie, and the cheese is matured for at least several weeks while its characteristic rind develops.
And what a rind it is.
Grey, brown, sometimes slightly yellow and covered with natural moulds, it can look rather alarming if you’re expecting cheese to have a perfectly neat white coat.
But that’s exactly how Tomme de Savoie is supposed to look. Its wonderfully rustic rind is part of the cheese’s character and helps develop those earthy flavours as it matures.
Tomme de Savoie PGI – Jen’s Tasting Notes
Tomme de Savoie isn’t the prettiest cheese on the counter — although I think its slightly scruffy appearance is part of its appeal.
Cut through that mottled rind and you’ll find a pale straw-coloured paste, sometimes with a scattering of small holes. The texture is supple and slightly springy rather than hard, becoming softer and more yielding as the cheese matures.
The aroma is gently earthy and milky with a little mushroominess from the rind.
Flavour-wise, it’s much gentler than its appearance might suggest. I get creamy, grassy flavours first, followed by hazelnuts, mushrooms and a lovely hint of Alpine herbs. There’s sometimes a little fruitiness towards the end too.
It’s not a big, powerful mountain cheese. Instead, everything is beautifully balanced and incredibly easy to eat.
I suspect that’s exactly why people in Savoie have been eating it for generations.
How to Serve and Pair Tomme de Savoie PGI
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: I’m a great believer in what grows together goes together, so Apremont from Savoie would be my first choice. Its freshness and acidity are lovely against the creamy, earthy cheese.
- Something a little different: A dry cider works surprisingly well too. The crisp apple flavours provide a lovely contrast without overwhelming the Tomme.
- On the plate: Do as the French do and keep it simple. A fresh baguette is really all you need. A little cured ham alongside it certainly wouldn’t hurt, though.
- In the kitchen: Tomme de Savoie melts beautifully, so it’s brilliant in gratins, tarts and Alpine-style toasties. I’d also happily melt it over potatoes and call that dinner.
Jen’s note: I love the fact that Tomme de Savoie started life as a practical cheese. Take the cream for butter, turn what remains into cheese and waste absolutely nothing. Hundreds of years later, we might give it a fancy PGI label and put it on beautiful cheeseboards, but underneath it all, it’s still a farmer’s cheese made from the very sensible idea of using what you’ve got.
Buying Tomme de Savoie PGI
- Brand or Producer: Fromagerie Chabert
- Product name: Tomme de Savoie PGI
- Milk: Cow
- Country: France
- Region: Savoy
- Strength: Medium
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: Yes
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £3.40
- 500g wedge, £17.00
- Whole cheese (approx. 2.5kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet
