Tome des Bauges 
Tome des Bauges is a Tomme-style cow's milk cheese from the Bauges mountains of the French Alps. Made with unpasteurised milk and ripened up to three months, it is known for its thick grey-brown rind, soft beige interior, and scent of wild hazelnut.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Bauges massif, including specific municipalities in Haute-Savoie and Savoie |
| Protection | PDO (2002) |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Fat Content | Minimum 45% after total desiccation |
| Rind | Grey with yellow to brown patches of mould, 2 to 3 mm thick |
| Texture | Slightly firm to flexible |
| Colors | Pale yellow interior |
| Forms | Cylindrical, 18 to 20 cm in diameter, 3 to 5 cm in height, weighing 1.1 to 1.4 kg |
| Age | At least five weeks |
| Rennet Type | Traditional rennet |
| Alternative Spellings | Tomme des Bauges |
What is Tome des Bauges Cheese?
Tome des Bauges is a variety of Tomme cheese made in the Bauges mountains in the French Alps, in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The name is spelled with a single "m" rather than the double used in standard French, a holdover from the old Savoie spelling.
It is made from whole unpasteurised cow's milk, usually collected after each milking, morning and evening. The milk is skimmed in a bag called a poche, heated to between 32° and 35°C, then renneted. The cheese ripens for up to three months.
Wheels run about 17 centimetres (6½ inches) across and 5 centimetres (2 inches) tall, weighing a little over 1 kilogram. The rind is thick and grey-brown, and the pâte inside is soft and beige. Fat content is typically 45 per cent. Le guide des fromages (1999) describes its smell as wild hazelnut.
The cheese is at its best from late summer through winter.
How Does Tome des Bauges Cheese Compare?
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