History of Comté Aop Grande Garde

During the Middle Ages, milk had been transformed into a cheese called Vachelin, likely to meet with the needs of an entire family during a long cold season. The product longevity, and its « improvement » along the time, made it an exportable product out of regional lines and so likely to procure new resources. Those large wheels require a lot of milk; farmers helped each other for production.

Fabrication

Marcel makes exclusively his Comté with raw cow milk. The milk from the two-consecutive milking is poured into copper vats. Milk is then transformed and curdled. This curdle is then heat up at 53- 55°C during 45 minutes. Then, it is extracted, pressed and salted. Maturing of Comté is about 600 days minimum of which the cheese is turned and rubbed regularly.

Tasting advice

Comté is one of the rarest cheeses which can be appreciated at all the stages of a meal, from aperitif to cheese platter. It is particularly suitable for many culinary preparations. Its ability to melt and glaze permits to use it very simply on all gratin meals.

Wine-pairing

Comté is usually served with a slight red wine but also with a dry white wine or champagne.

Appearance: golden yellow in winter and more sustained yellow during pasture period.
Texture: thick and flexible.
Sense of smell: the flavor is not powerful, but rich in nuances.
Taste: many fruity, floral and lactic flavors.

General Characteristics

Code of article: COMT20
Place of production: Franche-Comté, France
Approval number: FR 54 395 173 CE
Place of maturing: Lorraine, France
Used before: 70 days
Artisanal maturing: 20 to 24 months
Storage temperature: from + 4°C to + 8°C
Weight: 35 kg

Nutritional Values

Type of milk: raw cow’s milk
Color of the rind: brown
Type of cheese: pressed hard cheese
|Color of the cheese: yellow

Ingredients:
- Raw cow’s milk 98,50 %
- Salt 1 %
- Rennet 0,30 %
- Lactic ferments 0,20 %

Microbiological Criteria

Listeria: none in 25g No preservatives or color additives.
Salmonella: none in 25 g Guaranteed GMO-free, in accordance
Enterobacteria: < 10 ufc/ml with current legislation.

Energetic value per 100 g

kcal-kJ 412-1711
Proteins 27 g
Total fat 34 g
Of which saturated 22 g
Trans fat 1.9 g
Carbohydrate 1.2 g
Of which sugars 0 g
Salt 0.7 g
Sodium 322 mg