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This week Tomme Vaudoise from Switzerland. 

Country: Switzerland 🇨🇭

Region: Vaud Canton, Geneva region

Made from: Cow’s milk

Pasteurised: No

Texture: Soft, runny

Taste: Creamy, fresh grass, flowers, acidic

Certification: No

Aging: 1 week

Tomme Vaudoise is a specialty of the Canton Vaud in the French speaking part of Switzerland and the Geneva region. Over 500 dairy farms in the cantons of Vaud and Geneva supply the milk used to make Tomme Vaudoises. 

It is a soft creamy melting cheese. The mature cheese has a distinctive taste whereas the young cheese is rather mild in flavor. The rind is thin and covered with red or white mold. It is made using cow’s milk, and is available plain or flavoured with cumin, pepper or wild garlic.

Tomme Vaudoise has a very creamy paste, with aromas and flavors of fresh grass, flowers, and a hint of acidity.

The cheese is produced in small rounds about eight centimetres in diameter and 2.5 cms in height. It takes over 3 cups of milk to make each round. 

After ageing for a week, the cheese is soft and delicate under a thin smooth white rind. During the week of aging, the cow’s milk is joined with bacteria and good mold that breaks down the cheese curd until it is liquid. The rind acts as a shell, keeping the runny cheese contained.

History

Tomme Vaudoise originated in the 17th century in the mountain pasture chalets of Lake Joux in the Jura. Made with a small amount of milk, it provides a much-loved contrast to the many hard cheeses typical of Switzerland. 

How to Enjoy It

Tomme Vaudoise is a frequent addition to any cheeseboard and is often eaten as a dessert or as part of a meal, especially with salads. It can be eaten as it is, fried or with breadcrumbs.

It is delicious cold or hot and is often served as part of the Vaudois platter with Saucisson Vaudois IGP, cured ham, dried meat, gherkins and pickled onions.

Tomme Vaudoise cheese pairs well with dry white wines, like ones made with the Chasselas grape variety. Tomme Vaudoise can also be paired with roses or light reds such as Gamay. 

Recipe

Marinated Tomme Vaudoise in Strudel Dough

Serves 4

Time required: marinate for approx. 4 hrs. 

Preparation time: approx. 25 mins.

Ingredients

marinade:
3 tbs of white wine
2 tbs of liquid light honey
2 tsp of mustard
½ a tbs of crushed pink pepper

4 Tommes vaudoises
120 g strudel dough
40 g liquid butter
salt

Preparation

Step 1 

Marinade: mix together the wine, honey, mustard and pepper. Prick the Tommes several times with a fork and turn over in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for 3-4 hrs. in the fridge.
 

Step 2

Cut the strudel dough into 4 squares of approx. 18 cm sides for the 4 layers. Brush a little butter on each layer. Lay the Tommes in the middle and salt. Lay the corners of the dough across the Tommes and fold back slightly. Put into the baking tin lined with baking paper.
 

Step 3 

Bake for 10-12 mins. in the middle of the oven, preheated to 200°C.
 

Presentation

Serve the Tommes on plates with a green salad or asparagus.

Sources: regionduleman.ch, Alpenwild, qualitycheese.net, cheesesfromswitzerland.com, culturecheesemag.com, lacouleurduvin.ch

Recipe courtesy of www.swissmilk.ch

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