Author Topic: Tomme Blanc recipe?  (Read 6042 times)

Bella

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Tomme Blanc recipe?
« on: September 30, 2009, 12:40:13 AM »
My French neighbours have asked me many times to make them a Tomme Blanc cheese, but it's very difficult to find much reference to this at all, let along a recipe. Does anyone have a recipe or even a hint of an idea as to how it's made?

Any suggestions would be very mcuh appreciated.
TIA
B

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2009, 02:09:40 AM »
Is Fromage Blanc the same thing as Tomme Blanc?

There a recipe here for Fromage Blanc ...

http://www.thebeveragepeople.com/cheese.htm

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2009, 03:31:50 AM »
Tomme is just a generic term for a small wheel. Blanc means white so it's probably referring to a white goat cheese. There are several cheeses that this might refer to.

Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2009, 04:28:00 AM »
Thanks Debi and Sailor
When next I am speaking with them, I'll ask whether Fromage Blanc and Tomme Blanc are one and the same thing and report back.
B

Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2009, 07:01:36 AM »
Hi again Debi and Sailor
My neighbours have just called in to collect Faisselle I made for them today, so I took the opportunity to ask about the Fromage Blanc and Tomme Blanc and whether they are the same. The answer is that they are not. They commented that Tomme Blanc is a Tomme cheese eaten in the first few days after being made. So I guess what I am seeking are the specifics of that: how long after the make; what processes are used (pressing?brining?air drying? etc); and at what point is the production stopped?????
B

Cheese Head

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2009, 02:44:47 AM »
Bella, I just looked through my pictures here, none labelled Fromage Blanc, quite a few large Tomme wheels, but none labelled Tomme Blanc and none look fresh, they all look well aged . . . good luck!




Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2009, 09:01:12 PM »
John
How lucky you are to have experienced that - I just love those pictures!!! Drooooool!!!!!!!!!!!
B

zenith1

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2009, 02:18:44 AM »
I believe that the term Tomme means "cheese" and is the prefix for a series of cheeses made in the Savoy mountain region of France. That being the case I think it would probably be a sheep's milk cheese.

After further research it appears that "tomme blanche" is the early, white, unsalted version of laguiole cheese, it has a rubbery, springy, airy texture, very different from the butteriness of the matured cheese -and it is also a cow's milk cheese
« Last Edit: October 03, 2009, 02:29:17 AM by zenith1 »

Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2009, 10:44:51 AM »
Hi Zenith
I have also done some research since my earlier posts and as well as laguiole, cantal is often used. I don't know how laguiole is made as I've never seen a recipe, but I have made cantal and the salt is mixed in with the curd prior to hooping and pressing. That would imply that the tomme blanc (blanche) from cantal is salted.

According to my neighbour, it is a popular cheese in the Savoie (where he comes from) so it's strange that there is so little written about it and about its production method(s). He didn't mention that it was made from sheep's milk, though.

This is becoming quite a mystery and it would seem that there are several possible answers.

Thanks for your post
B


zenith1

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2009, 03:02:56 PM »
Bella -have a look here: http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/222-Cantal.html

It's from New England Cheesemaking website by their cheese guru Jim Wallace.

Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2009, 01:47:46 AM »
Thanks Zenith
Yes, that is the recipe I use for cantal - have made it four or five times.

So, if this recipe is used to make tomme blanche, then it will be salted as the salt is added priior to hooping. If the laguiole is used as you suggested, it will be unsalted. From this it would appear that tomme blanche can be either salted or unsalted. (do you have a recipe for laguiole?).

Or is this splitting hairs? Can it be made however you like, and call it tomme blanche?????? I'm still mystified!
B

zenith1

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2009, 02:32:26 PM »
Bella- to further complicate the issue for you I have found this in a travel site:

     Cheeses :

    * Reblochon produced locallyLe Reblochon fermier: the king of the cheeses from this valley, with the label "appellation d'origine contrôlée", has been produced since the 13th century in the alpine meadows of the Aravis district.

      The cheese is made in the morning and in the evening after each milking; the cows are mainly of the Abondance breed and they graze all year on the flavoursome grass of the Aravis Mountains.

      A green casein imprint on the cheese certifies its farmhouse origin (a red label signifies Reblochon made with milk from various farms).

      Reblochon is ready to eat after 3 or 4 weeks maturing in cellars. Its delicate flavour leaves an after taste of hazelnut.

      It is used as an ingredient in the traditional Pela and Tartiflette, dishes cooked with sautéed potatoes, onions and lardons


    * La Tomme Blanche: this is eaten only in the Aravis district. It is a fresh Reblochon eaten as a fromage blanc immediately after it is made. It is eaten salted and peppered with potatoes, salad and ham or sausage.

Bella

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2009, 09:19:11 PM »
Hi Zenith
You are right - that does complicate matters!!

Given that Reblochon is now in the mix, it would definitely appear that Tomme Blanche is not a specific cheese at all, but rather a generic term for a product of any or several different cheesemaking processes where the curd is eaten fairly soon after being made. I make Reblochon regularly for my neighbour (and some of his French friends), but he never calls it 'tomme' because it is a smaller cheese (at least that is my supposition).

It's about time I made another Cantal, so I will turn that into a Tomme Blanche for him and see what he says and report back!

Thanks again for your ferreting!
B

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Tomme Blanc recipe?
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2009, 09:52:20 PM »
Maybe you can show them a picture and ask if that's the cheese they are looking for?