igourmet Comte AOP Reserve 12 Months Aged by Charles Arnaud - Pound Cut (15.5 ounce)

Made from a centuries-old recipe, 70-pound wheels of Comté have been produced since the reign of Charlemagne, when there were no separate entities named France and Switzerland. Comté has the highest production figures of all the French AOC cheeses, as cheese makers work to satisfy the world's hunger for this exceptional cheese.

Although Swiss Gruyere may be better known, the French variety is no less special. Created by local villagers in alpine dairies called "Fruiteries", its milk comes from Montbeliarde and Tachete de L'est cows. Contributing to Comté's unique flavor, morning and evening milkings are mingled before the cheesemaking process. For transforming the milk into curds, the cheesemaker only uses natural ferments to receive the Comte seal. During aging, the curd is cooked, then pressed, with a natural brushed rind that comes from weekly care.

When it comes to acquiring flavour, Comté cannot be hurried. These Reserve wheels are aged for one year, resulting in a sweet and nutty masterpiece with less bite than its counterpart from Switzerland. Distinguished by a black label, this Comté is hand-selected by Entremont, ensuring the highest quality.

Comté has a satiny, ivory-colored body and a scattering of holes the size of a hazelnut. A traditional fondue cheese, Comte can also be shredded, sliced, grated, and chunked, rather than melted. This is not a cheese that always tastes the same. Each round of Comté reveals differences in the composition of its flavor, depending on the micro-region where it was produced, the season, the particular technique of the cheese maker, and the cellar where it was matured. It can always be called upon and never disappoints, whether as a table cheese or in a gratin.

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk; aged for one year.
• Whole form is 70 pounds.
• We cut and wrap this item by hand.