Abondance

Abondance

What it is

Savoyard tradition has it that in 1381 the monks of Abondance abbey sent fifteen quintals of their cheese to the papal conclave at Avignon; what is certain is that the abbey cleared the high pastures, let them for rent paid in cheese, and gave its name to the cattle breed still milked for it. The curd is only half-cooked, gentler than Beaufort's, which is why the paste stays supple and faintly lactic.

In the kitchen

Melt it rather than grate it dry. A berthoud is a ramekin of Abondance cubes with a splash of dry Savoie white and a scrape of garlic, blistered ten minutes in a very hot oven and eaten with a spoon and boiled potatoes.

Goes with

Potato Garlic Black pepper Onion Walnut Bayonne ham Cornichon White wine vinegar

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