# Fromage Fort



## Otter (Oct 24, 2004)

Alton Brown may have solved my leftover cheese problem. On his show today he made Fromage Fort, which is made with leftover cheeses and a few other ingredients. It creates a spread for bread or crackers. Now I can use the exact cheese specified in the recipe with no leftover problem. Bye, bye Velveeta?
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/appetizer/fromage-fort-recipe.html
Of course, the story of my life is that I will love the first one and then never be able to match it again.


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## Audeo (Oct 24, 2004)

Wow!  Is this ever a great idea!  I have a short ton of leftover cheese from a gathering last weekend, so I'm going to give this a whirl tomorrow.

Thanks for posting this one!

Otter, I feel your replication pains....notes, notes and more notes!


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## Otter (Oct 24, 2004)

Audeo, let me know how it comes out. I'm always several days ahead on my food planning (defrosting what was on sale last month) and won't be able to get around to it for a while.


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## Audeo (Oct 25, 2004)

Shall do, Otter.  I'll probably kick it into gear after a nap later this morning.  Very busy night last night in the OK Corral...


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## Audeo (Oct 30, 2004)

I finally got around to trying out the Fromage Fort yesterday and it was pretty darned good...pretty darned interesting, too.

I combined English Cheddar, Cotswold and Gruyere, in fairly equal amounts, and I added a wee bit of remaining brie and Camembert.  All in all, I had about 1-1/4 pounds of cheese.  Threw it all into the food processor, then added about 1/4 cup of cabernet, instead of the white wine called for in the recipe.  (Personally, I enjoy a cab with most cheese...and I had a bottle already opened and no chardonay around...)  I omitted the butter (an oversight really) and did not add additional salt.  The taste at this point was very appealing!  Since the consistency was a little "loose", I refrigerated the blend for a couple of hours.

The result:  A delicious cheese spread, definately on the cheddar side and with the obvious tart richness of the cabernet in every bite.  The entire family enjoyed it and it was consumed in a flash by the son's pals who came for dinner.

I'm a little relieved that I greadily refused to spare even a morsel of the Roquefort to add to this.  Besides the fact that I'm adicted to the stuff, I really think it would have provided too much "confusion" to the blend.  I can see this recipe working exceptionally well with like-minded cheeses, but I would resist making a meld of a wide variety of cheeses...not too certain if that would still be as appetizing.

Great recipe, which I will definately make again.  Thank you for sharing this, Otter!


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## Otter (Oct 30, 2004)

Very interesting - I hadn't tried it yet because the only wine I had in the house is my favorite - Cabernet Sauvignon! I bought some Chardonnay yesterday expressly for the Fromage Fort, so I guess I will use that with some Colby and Pepper Jack in order to make room for the Havarti, Muenster and Smoked Gouda I bought yesterday. I don't have time to try it this weekend, so will post the results next week.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 30, 2004)

I think we could all be called cheese-heads around here LOL.  I love cheeses and at one time read the ingredients on a box of Velveeta to see if I could make my own.  It wasn't a very hard recipe to duplicate.

I suggest we experiment a little, and give the recipes to each other when we come up with a winner.  I think next payday I'll have to get some Havarti, Jarlseburgh, nad maybe some well-aged Balderson Cheddar, and of course, the creamy flavor of a good Muenster will have to be added.  I'll melt over low heat with milk, and blend with my immersion blender (works great for blending cheese sauces that have been taken to too high a temperature, causing seperation and lumps).    We could even add flavorings like smoke, or carraway, or horseradish, etc.  Peppers might be nice too.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Otter (Nov 1, 2004)

Well, I finally got around to trying it this afternoon. I had hoped that I could take cheeses that were sitting around because I didn't like them  and make them into a spread I would like. Unfortuately, it didn't happen for me. I think possibly the pepper jack overwhelmed the others. Anyway, no big loss because it freed up space for some cheeses that I do like.


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## jkath (Nov 1, 2004)

I'm gonna have to try this........
but I'll have to actually buy cheeses for this experiment and hide them;
You see, we never ever have leftover cheese!
DH's late night snack is whatever cheese we have in the house,
along with a dill pickle spear, and perhaps some carrot or celery sticks.
Thanks for this link, Otter.


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## Otter (Nov 2, 2004)

I think it has potential if you use cheeses you like. I was trying to get rid of cheeses I didn't, which is somewhat akin to trying to make a silk purse out of sow's ear.


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## Audeo (Nov 2, 2004)

LOL, otter!  I really like the concept of Fromage Fort, though.  Your discovery seems to support my earlier worries that some cheeses will co-mingle well and others won't.  I am still going to use this method and Goodweed's suggestions to fiddle around until I find combinations that work.  This seems like a perfect spread to have for holiday gatherings!  (And it's so darned easy to do!)

Thanks for the report, Sir Otter!


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## Otter (Nov 2, 2004)

I even tried a rescue with my recently aquired Herbes de Provence, but to no avail. I think the Pepper Jack overwhelmed the colby and the cheddar, when the opposite was what I was hoping for. I might try again using only milder cheeses. I made a really small batch, so at least it wasn't a major disaster.


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## jkath (Nov 2, 2004)

Okay, I made it last night - 
used dry mozzerella & medium cheddar.
It scared me a bit when, after I put the right amount of wine, that it's consistency was like velveeta (I'm guessing from the mozzerella). But, then I sloshed more wine in (*mostly in me, a la Julia*) and it came out perfectly spreadable. I made more than I thought it would be (I  have a tendency to make big food), but DH & I really enjoyed it.

Now, besides the way we ate it last night, what else can I do with the rest?
I want to experiment more!


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## Otter (Nov 2, 2004)

It supposedly has a refrigerator life of 5 days, so you shouldn't wait too long. I was thinking of a grilled cheese sandwich if it had come out to my liking. Depending on what yours tastes like - mac 'n cheese?


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## jkath (Nov 2, 2004)

Eating it right now - chilled with wheat thins..........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
I can taste the wine (I used white zin) 
After sitting overnight in the frige, the flavor is 
actually even better. I think this will be my snack each day till it's done.

I had visions of more fromage forts in the cheese section today. I got some danish fontina and some hard parmesan for a recipe, but I think there will be enough left...
I think you may have created a monster, Otter


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## Otter (Nov 2, 2004)

jkath, your description is so sensual, it is taking me back to the night when I took my main squeeze to see "Tom Jones." After looking in my refer and seeing what's in Velveeta and Cheez Whiz, I WILL have to try again!  
PS: I have yet to try Fortina - how does it taste?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 2, 2004)

Fromage - French for Cheese
Forte' - All languages with Latin origins- strong

Meso Forte'- Medium strong

Fortisimo - very strong.

Terms are used frequently in music as well as food.

I think I would like to make something - Fromage Fortisimo :twisted: 

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Audeo (Nov 3, 2004)

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> Fromage - French for Cheese
> Forte' - All languages with Latin origins- strong
> 
> Meso Forte'- Medium strong
> ...



Indeed!  Makes me immediately think of Habanero-Cheddar with Horseradish-White Cheddar.  Hmmm...  I wonder how well those would blend...???


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## jkath (Nov 3, 2004)

Otter said:
			
		

> PS: I have yet to try Fortina - how does it taste?



Think of a creamy Jarlsburg, with a less nutty flavor, but with a deep, rich, smooth taste. The strength needed, yet not overpowering. 
Kind of like an oboe solo in the middle of a classical masterpiece: clear, something to take notice of, yet a perfect blend when mixed with the remainder of the orchestra.
(This happens every year: when the seasons begin to change,
and the weather gets a chill, I succumb to all that is classical)


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## Otter (Nov 4, 2004)

kjath, you are a stitch - I never thought I'd hear a cheese compared to an oboe solo! I think I will try the Fontina later, but I just bought enough cheese to last me a while.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 5, 2004)

I won't describe either of these, but will challenge you to try both.  Fontina and Gruyere.  Both are phenominal cheeses.  And for an Italian change of pace, give Asiago a whirl.  It's another very good cheese.  

As one silly little bear would say, "Oh bother."  Now I'm hungry for some really fine cheese, but am broke, and can't get to Canada tonight anyways  (heavy sigh).

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## GB (Dec 21, 2004)

OK I finally made this. I used sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and jarsberg (three cheeses I had lying around). The flavor is great, but my problem is this. The is too crumbly and not creamy and spreadable, especially after being in the fridge overnight. I even used more wine to smooth is out. Any suggestions on what I can do to make it more spreadable? I am planning on bringing this for Xmas dinner.


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## mudbug (Dec 21, 2004)

a little mayo, cream cheese, or sour cream?


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## GB (Dec 21, 2004)

I though of all those, but I don't eat any of them. If it come to it them I will do that for everyone else and I just won't eat it.


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## GB (Dec 21, 2004)

Ohhhh i think I just found out my problem. I forgot to add the butter. i will try adding that in and see if it helps.


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## jennyema (Dec 21, 2004)

GB said:
			
		

> OK I finally made this. I used sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and jarsberg (three cheeses I had lying around). The flavor is great, but my problem is this. The is too crumbly and not creamy and spreadable, especially after being in the fridge overnight. .




Are you whirling it in the food processor with some butter?  

Whenever I have scraps of good cheese, I freeze them and make a spread.  Cheese, garlic or garlic powder, butter and food processor.  Perfect every time.  Never used wine, but maybe I'll try it some time.


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## GB (Dec 21, 2004)

Yeah Jenny. I forgot the butter. That was my problem.


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## jkath (Dec 21, 2004)

Jenny - I never thought of trying it without wine!

You know how cheese & apples work well together?
Sharp cheddar, monterey jack, butter, apple cider....

does that sound interesting...or am I just weird?


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## jennyema (Dec 22, 2004)

Sounds good to me!

Two new ideas for the holidays!


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## luvs (Dec 26, 2004)

thanks for the heads up, otter.


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