Les fromages de la France: Comté

The Cheeses of France: Comté

Les fromages de la France - la série:
Camembert
Brie
Pont l'Évêque

Comté is a French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France.
Comté has the highest production figures of all French Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) cheeses. Production totals around 40,000 tons annually.

Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French geographical areas for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO). The name Comté is French for 'county', and the cheese is named after the Franche-Comté region.

Franche-Comté

The cheese is made in flat circular discs, each between 40 and 70 centimetres in diameter, and around 10 centimetres in height. Each weighs up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). The fat content is around 45%. The rind is usually a dusty-brown color, and the internal pâte is a pale creamy yellow. The texture is relatively hard and flexible, and the taste is mild, slightly sweet, and "nutty." Comté is very similar to the Swiss-made Gruyére.

The manufacture of the cheese began as early as le XII ème siècle. Shepherds would spend the summer months in their remote huts of the Jura massif. The distance from towns of any size meant that any cheese they made would need to mature over a period of months. The milk was pooled between neighboring shepherds, and the cheeses were stored until being carried to market at the end of the season.

As summer ended, so did production of Comté, with the cows' milk instead being used to make Vacherin Mont d'Or. Eight départements, each of which surrounds Franche-Comté, are now entitled to produce the cheese. The eight départements include parts of Bourgogne, Rhône-Alpes et Lorraine.

To make the cheese, milk is poured into large copper vats where it is gently warmed. Rennet is added, causing the milk to coagulate. The curds are then cut into tiny white grains that are then stirred before being heated again for 30 minutes. The contents are then placed into molds and the whey is pressed out. After several hours the mold is opened and left to mature in cellars, first for a few weeks at the dairy, and then over several months in curing/storage facility. Comté is aged 6 months to a year, whereas Swiss Gruyère is sometimes only aged for 3 months. Each cheese takes up to 600 litres (158.5 gallons) of milk to produce.

The manufacture of Comté has been controlled by AOC regulations since it became one of the first cheeses to receive AOC recognition in 1958, with full regulations introduced in 1976. The AOC regulations state that:
• Only milk from Montbéliard cows are permitted, and each must have at least a hectare of grazing.
• The cows may only be fed fresh, natural feed, with no silage.
• The milk must be transported to the site of production immediately after milking.
• Renneting must be carried out within a stipulated time after milking, according to the storage temperature of the cheese.
• The milk may be heated to no more than 40º C (104º F).
• Salt may only be applied directly to the surface of the cheese.
• A casein label containing the date of production must be attached to the side of the cheese, and maturing must continue for at least four months.

Each cheese is awarded a score out of 20 by inspectors, according to 'overall appearance' (1 mark), 'quality of rind' (1.5), 'internal appearance' (3.5), 'texture' (5), and taste (9). Those scoring 15 or above are given green casein labels (with the characteristic image of a bell), with 12-15 being given red labels. Any cheese scoring under 3 marks for taste, or under 12 overall is prohibited from being named Comté.

Comté is one of the most popular cheeses in France - it is as ubiquitous in French kitchens as cheddar is in American kitchens. No grated cheese may be sold under the Comté name.



No article about food at The Frog Blog is complete without une recette, so Louis la Vache offers you this recette pour quiche avec oignons et poivrons.

À table!

Quiche avec Oignons et Poivrons

INGRÉDIENTS:

pâte brisée (recette suivante)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cups sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup (packed) grated Comté cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup milk

MÉTHODE:

1) Preheat oven to 375º F (190º C)
2) Place the pâte brisée on a baking tray.
3) Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and wait about 2 minutes.
4) Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion, saute for 5 minutes, and then add the salt, thyme, sage, and mustard.
5) Cover the pan, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6) Stir the balsamic vinegar and bell pepper into the onions, turn the heat up to medium, and cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
7) Sprinkle the Comté cheese into the pâte brisée, then spoon the onion-pepper mixture on top of the cheese.
8) Whisk together the eggs, milk, and black pepper to taste, and slowly pour this over the vegetables and cheese.
9) Bake on the baking tray in the lower third of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the custard is set. Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing, and serve at any temperature.

Pâte Brisée

Oven preheated to 350º F (180º C )

INGRÉDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 oz. (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4" cubes
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

MÉTHODE:

1) Prepare a 9" diameter deep-dish pan, lightly greased with vegetable shortening.*
2) In the bowl of an electric mixer** fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and salt.
3) Add the cold butter and mix on low speed until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs, about 1 minute.
4) Add the cold water and lemon juice and continue mixing just until large lumps form.
5) Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using your hands, gather the mixture together.
6) Using the heel of your hand, knead the dough gently until it holds together, about 30 seconds.
7) Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
8) After the pâte is thoroughly chilled, turn it out onto a sheet of lightly floured wax paper placed on a work surface.
9) Roll the pâte out to a thickness of 1/8".
10) Place the prepared pan upside down on the rolled-out pâte.
11) Carefully run your hands under the wax paper and flip the pâte and the pan so that the pan is now on the work surface.
12) Press the pâte into the pan and trim excess pâte by running your rolling pin over the diameter of the pan.
13) Using a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the shell.
14) Cover and chill for 1 hour.
15) Bake slightly at 350º F as per the footnote below*** before filling the shell.

* It is best to use vegetable shortening to grease pans because it contains no moisture. This helps insure a clean release from the pan.
** This assumes a Kitchen Aid mixer.
*** Bake the shell in a 350º F oven just until the moisture is driven out, but before the shell browns. This will insure a crisp crust.

Voici! Bon appétit!