On a visit to the Jura Massif region of France, I fell hard for its beauty, tranquility, and dedication to making great food. Foods that began as a necessity centuries ago, like Comte’ cheese, have survived into modern times.
The region’s food may be less known than that of other parts of France, but it deserves as much attention. Comte’ cheese was born in the 13th century in the central-eastern rural sector of France that borders Switzerland. While the snow piled up, dairy farmers preserved milk by making cheese and supplemented their winter incomes by making watches. The 180-pound cheese wheels nourished families in the cold winters, and the farmer’s watch-making skills eventually became some of the world’s most well-known time-keeping companies like Baume & Mercier.
Whether cheese or watchmaking, both require attention to detail. Comte¢ is produced in a defined protected geographic area, called AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée, using precise traditional methods and production standards. Two types of cows, Montbéliarde and French Simmental, provide the milk for the cheese. Their diet of fresh mountain grasses, wildflowers, and local hay gives the wheels their flavor nuances of apricot, caramelized butter, and nutty richness. When you see Comte’ cheese in the store, the color and flavor vary by season; summer grasses and herbs yield a darker golden hue and earthier taste. A diet of winter hay and dried flowers and herbs lends a whiter color with a softer, milky-flavored cheese.
If you visit one of the 140 cheese-making factories, or fruitières, you’ll have to get up early to see the cheese being born. Before the sun peaks over the horizon, fruitières are a steamy hive of activity as trucks deliver raw (unpasteurized) milk within 24 hours of milking to workers dressed in white aprons and rubber boots. The milk is heated and stirred in vast copper vats.
Comte¢ cheese is aged for at least four months and up to 24 months in cellars and on locally sourced spruce boards. Inspectors grade the wheels: cheeses scoring above 14 points have a green label and are called Comté Extra. Those scoring between 12 and 14 points have a brown label and are called simply Comté. Cheeses scoring below 12 or only 1–2 points for taste cannot use the Comté name. You can use Comte’ in any recipe that calls for Gruyere, Swiss, or Emmenthaler cheese. The nutty, rich flavors are ideal in a silky fondue, tucked into a crepe, or sprinkled over a salad or soup. I developed this savory Frilly Kale, Cauliflower, Comte¢ bread pudding as a holiday side dish to turkey, pork, or vegetarian entrée. Learn more and get recipes from Comte-USA here.
If you decide to visit the area, don’t miss the community of Baume-les-Messieurs. Swift-rising cliffs that box in the commune of Baume-les-Messieurs and a 10th-century Benedictine Abbey are deemed France’s most beautiful village. Its citizens, called Baumois and Baumoise, can trace their lineage back centuries and were given homes by the monastery in gratitude for their families’ service to the monks.
Today, though they now live in a tourist destination, the residents hold the same gentle presence as their surroundings and take meticulous care to preserve their heritage and beauty. I can still remember the braided purple wisteria vines entwined in wrought iron handrails on the outside stairs to the abbey and the pink hydrangeas lining the paths as their heavy heads bobbed in the breeze. For information on visiting the Jura region, including cheese makers, see the Montagnes du Jura website.
Steamy, Creamy Comte’ Cheese Fondue
Transport your tastebuds to the Jura area of France with creamy, decadent fondue. I like this recipe from the makers of Comte’ cheese because it uses a Jura white wine, Vin Jaune, a unique barrel-aged yellow wine. If you can’t find Vin Jaune, substitute with chardonnay and a splash of dry sherry.
