Abondance
February 15, 2008
Country and region of origin: France – Groisy, Haute-Savoie département
Milk: Raw Cow’s Milk
Age: At least 90 days
Rind: Non-edible, natural, brushed.
Creamery: Fromagerie de la Tournette
Creamery website: http://www.fromagerie-la-tournette.fr/uk/index.htm
Properties: We think of this as a French Gruyere, as is Comte. Abondance is a thin, flat round of cheese with a concave heel. Its average diameter is from 15 to 18 inches and it is 3 to 4 inches thick and weighs from 15 to 25 pounds. This is a great melter!
Uses: Anywhere you’d use Gruyere – so: in Fondue, on French Onion Soup, in Sandwiches and with most fruit. According to Steven Jenkins it’s a fine substitute for Raclette.
Wine Pairings: All light and fruity reds and full-flavored whites
Production Notes:Pressed semi-cooked. Small eyes. Abondance has been made for more than 700 years.
Testimonials:
Max McCalman – Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best:
It’s flavors are delightfully fruity and sweet, mildly sour, and reminiscent of wildflowers.
Steven Jenkins – Cheese Primer:
An extraordinary, name-controlled cheese… that deserves 10 points on a 10-point scale… firm, nutty, and sweet, with a floriously ripe, almost funky fruitiness – although more complex and butter [than Comte]. It is a great melting cheese often substituted for French or Swiss Raclette.
