How to Make Fromage Fort ... or "How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread like a BALLER"
Originally published June 5, 2013. Updated on 9/7/2021
How to Make Fromage Fort - very much a case of your final product being the result of what ingredients you have on hand, & your tastes!
Recently, I woke up from dreaming about Fromage Fort.
Literally, I woke up to myself unconsciously making a mental list of the bits of cheese that we had in the fridge, if we had any appropriate wine already open, etc.
To be fair, it HAD been a while since I'd made the stuff. It was just an odd thing to randomly wake up to, you know?
What is Fromage Fort?
Anyway, for those not familiar with it, Fromage Fort ("Strong cheese") is recycling at its finest.
This is a ridiculously delicious cheese spread that you make from whatever odds and ends of leftover cheese you may have laying around in your fridge.
Add some garlic, white wine, maybe some fresh herbs... yeah.
Awesome stuff!
How to Serve Fromage Fort
Cold Fromage Fort
As-is, fromage fort is a cheese spread. It’s great to spread on bread - toasted or not - crackers, etc.
Serve a little pot of it on a charcuterie plate, or make it the centerpiece of any cheese tray!
AMAZING Garlic Cheese Bread
Our favorite use of the spread is to lightly toast some baguette slices in the oven, spread liberally with fromage fort, and then broil until it's all melty and amazing.
That's actually what my husband woke up to for breakfast, that morning!
SO GOOD.
How to Make Fromage Fort
Fromage Fort Ingredients
Like some of my other recipes, this is less a "recipe", so much as "guidelines and suggestions".
This is very much a case of your final product being very much the result of what ingredients you have on hand, and your personal tastes!
The amounts of ingredients that you'll use will vary, depending on a few factors.
Cheese
I like to use a mix of cheeses that work well together. I’ll use flavourful cheeses, but not necessarily ones that are TOO overpowering.
As an example, personally, I don’t like to use bleu cheese, or anything that smells like gym socks.
If I’m using cheeses that have flavouring added, I make sure to only use ones that work together well.
Using a couple different herb cheeses are fine, but then other cheeses - especially dependant on the amount used - may not play well with that.
The types of cheese will need to be taken into account for some of the other ingredients, so keep a mental note of how much of your cheese mixture is soft vs harder cheese.
Once you’ve got your cheeses picked out, remove any rind - if applicable - chop into pieces and weigh it all.
Butter
If I'm using a lot of hard cheeses, I'll add a couple Tablespoons of butter for every ½ lb of cheese. This helps the final texture.
White Wine
Generally speaking, for every ½ lb of cheese, I'll use 1/-8-¼ cup of white wine.
The actual amount depends on how soft the cheese are that I start with, and how soft I want the final spread.
I’ll generally use a bit more wine for cheese mixes with a higher percentage of harder cheeses, and a bit less if there’s a lot of soft cheese.
Aside from that, more wine is great for a dip or spread, and less wine / less soft is great for spreading on a baguette and broiling. Too much wine can cause a soggy baguette, when the cheese melts
Flavour
Aside from the flavour from your cheese, you can add additional elements to round out your fromage fort.
Garlic
I like to use a ton of garlic, maybe 3-5 cloves per half lb, depending on my mood and the cheeses used.
Some people will use as little as ONE clove per POUND of cheese. Do what you like!
Fresh Herbs
Use whatever you like, in whatever amount you like. Start with a little, taste, and add more if desired.
I’ll usually use fresh chives and/or parsley, but others work well as well.
Rosemary, thyme, oregano... just think about the flavour profile you’d like to finish with!
Technique
If any of your cheeses have a rind on it, trim the rind and discard it.
Optionally - Weigh your cheese mix, to have a rough idea of what you’re dealing with.
Place all of your cheese into a food processor, blitz it till it’s finely chopped.
Add butter and garlic, continue blitzing until finely chopped and well combined.
Slowly stream in your wine, a bit at a time, until the cheese mixture reaches the consistency that you’re looking for.
Taste, and add any herbs that you’ll be using, and blitz again.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Cover spread tightly, chill for at least a day to allow flavors to mingle. (Assuming you have patience. We usually do NOT.)
Cheese Recipes
Are you a wild cheese freak like us? We've some recipes for you!
Brie en Croute
Easy Cheese Souffle
Grilled Halloumi Salad with Peaches & Figs
Heart Shaped Beer Pretzels with Jalapeno Jack Dip
Hot Cheeseburger Dip
How to Make Fresh Mozzarella
How to Make Proper Queso
Jalapeno Artichoke Cheese Dip
Paneer Burgers
Smoked Cheese Balls
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Southwest Fondue
The One Cheese Ring
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
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Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Fromage Fort
Equipment
Ingredients
- Bits of leftover cheese
- Butter
- Fresh garlic peeled and pressed
- Dry white wine of choice
- Fresh herbs optional
- Salt & pepper optional
Instructions
- If any of your cheeses have a rind on it, trim the rind and discard it.
- Place all of your cheese into a food processor, blitz it till it’s finely chopped. Add butter and garlic, continue blitzing until finely chopped and well combined.
- Slowly stream in your wine, a bit at a time, until the cheese mixture reaches the consistency that you’re looking for. Taste, and add any herbs that you’ll be using, and blitz again.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
- Cover spread tightly, chill for at least a day to allow flavors to mingle. (Assuming you have patience. We usually do NOT.)
Explain to me this "leftover cheese" of which you speak.
It's a rare phenomenon, I know!
Can't wait to try this. It makes so much sense. Thanks!
I'd forgotten about fromage fort and haven't made it in years, I'm so glad that you posted this to Facbook!