Artisan cheese of the month: Comtesse de Vichy, plus an Auvergne speciality stew

A relatively recent addition to the vast array of French cheeseboard options – it was first produced in 2004 – Comtesse de Vichy is a pasteurised cow’s milk cheese with a soft, pressed texture and a natural rind.

Produced by the Fromagerie des Pays d’Urfé in the northwestern part of the Loire department (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), it is wrapped in spruce bark during the initial draining process, and aged for one month in a cellar on spruce boards – both of which give it a woody flavour.

The packaging has the coat of arms of the city of Vichy, while the taste is similar to a Brie or Coulommiers, and it can also be enjoyed cooked.

Local speciality: La potée auvergnate

As nights draw in with autumn’s onset, stews replace salads on the French menu – easy to make at home is the Auvergne speciality, la potée auvergnate.

It is an economical dish made with cabbage, potatoes, lean bacon, pork shank and sausages. The cooking broth, which can also be used to make soup with slices of stale bread, is then served on top.