Le Fromage Fort

By corlear

(literally, strong cheese) as described by Marie-Thérèse Meurgey

Marie-Thérèse emphasizes that there is no correct version: the recipe accommodates whatever cheese is available and your taste, but the end result should be most, not liquid - a spreadable paste.

This is rather like the old-fashioned English potted cheese, which was a popular way of using up the end of a Stilton or a truckle of Cheddar.

Ingredients

• approximate quantities:
• 4 hard cow's milk cheeses
• to
• 4 hard goat's milk cheeses (you could use the small cheeses about 2 in in diameter that you see often in France, usually locally made and unnamed or choose a hard cheese such as Cantal mixed with some Tomme de chèvre)
• to
• 2 fresh white soft cheeses
• to
• 1 handful of grated Gruyère
• a large glass of white wine
• a little marc de Bourgogne (or brandy)
• finely chopped garlic
• soft white cheese

Preparation

Step 1

You take some hard goat's milk cheese, or a mixture of goat's and cow's milk cheese, and grate it. I usually put in some Gruyère, finely grated. Pour over a large glass of white wine and a little marc de Bourgogne (or brandy), add some finely chopped garlic and some soft white cheese. Use a fork to mix everything together. Leave in a bowl for 24 hours - put it somewhere cool (not as cold as a fridge as it's going to ferment a little - but not too hot either!). And that's all. You know, this is a wonderfully economic little dish - it's a good way to use up the ends of cheeses, even Camembert.

When you want to serve it, you toast some big slices of farmhouse bread and spread the fromage fort on them to finish a meal or for the casse-croûte in the vines.