Comté AOP — 24 months aged, raw cow's milk, from the Jura massif in eastern France. Comté is France's most produced AOP cheese and one of its most strictly regulated. It can only be made in Franche-Comté, from the raw milk of Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows grazed on the natural pastures of the Jura mountains, and each wheel must be made within a defined distance of the farm where the milk was produced. No silage is permitted. The milk must be delivered to the fruitière (the cooperative dairy) within 24 hours of milking, and each wheel — weighing around 40kg — is the product of approximately 450 litres of milk. At 24 months, this Comté has moved well beyond the mild, buttery character of a younger wheel. The paste is firm, dense and golden, with occasional protein crystals that add texture. The flavour is complex and layered: roasted hazelnuts, brown butter, dried fruit and a long, savoury finish with a faint caramel sweetness. The diversity of the mountain pastures — hundreds of plant species across the Jura's alpages — is what gives Comté its range. No two wheels taste identical, and the flavour shifts with the season the milk was produced: summer milk from high pasture produces a deeper golden colour and a more aromatic, floral cheese; winter milk produces something paler and nuttier. At 24 months, these differences have had time to develop fully. Origin: Franche-Comté, Jura, France (AOP) Ingredients: Raw cow's milk, salt, rennet. Storage: Wrap in wax paper or cling film and refrigerate. Use within two to three weeks of cutting. Bring to room temperature before eating. Allergens: Milk.
