Tomme de Savoie

This tomme is the oldest of all Savoie cheeses. The milk comes almost exclusively from cows of one of the local breeds: Tarine, Abondance and Montbéliarde. The manufacture and maturation are carried out exclusively in Savoie and Haute-Savoie. This earned the cheese a protected geographical indication (PGI) in 1996.
From the low-fat version (10% fat content) to the richest (25%, made from whole milk), Tomme de Savoie is the only high-quality French cheese to be available in several fat content levels.
In 2006 it was decided that a true dairy Tomme de Savoie must be marked « Savoie » on the heel with food-quality ink of a burned wood color.
Farm-produced Tomme de Savoie is marked « Tomme de Savoie fermière » on the top.
It can be found in sections (1/8, 1/6, quarter, demi-Tomme) in the cheese aisle and cheese counter.

The rind is more or less dark gray and thick, spotted, downy and slightly rugged. Its paste is white to yellow, and reveals small holes from its molding. Its texture is both soft and firm: the true Tomme de Savoie is never runny or chalky.

With a straightforward taste and delicate, subtle flavors that vary according to the level of maturity and the seasons. The younger a Tomme is, the milder its taste becomes, with a hint of tang; the older it gets, the more typical, powerful and rustic its taste becomes (with sometimes a slight touch of bitterness).