Cheese wire… Abbaye de Tamié

Veteran cheesemonger Patrick Ambrosio lifts the lid on Abbaye de Tamié…

High in pastoral Savoie, Abbaye de Tamié is lovingly produced by a group of Trappist monks. This raw-milk cheese has a thick rind that receives salt-water bathings every few days during ageing, resulting in a more pungent aroma and flavour than Reblochon, its better-known cousin. The dense yet elastic inner paste delivers a fruity, lactic tang and bold umami notes reminiscent of cream and mushroom. Elegant enough for your finest cheeseboard, it’s also approachable and economical enough for a casual lunch or even tossed in an omelette. Try using rindless slices for tartiflette and serve with a crisp Savoie or Jura white, or a light red.

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First printed in our sister publication France Today

Patrick Ambrosio is managing partner of the Village Cheese Merchant in Rockville Centre, NY. www.villagecheesemerchant.com