Comté

Comté is the namesake cheese of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France along the Swiss border. This is one of the finest cheese-producing regions in the world, where well-known cheeses including not only Comté, but also Emmenthal, Morbier, and Bleu de Gex have been produced for centuries. Comté is a firm cows' milk cheese that is produced in large thin wheels about four inches thick. It is a pale straw colored cheese with a firm but smooth texture, sometimes with a few small round eyes. Comté is aged six to twelve months before sale. It is a wonderful medium-sharp cheese that is equally at home in a picnic basket and on an elegant cheese tray. It pairs well with a variety of fruits, from red grapes to dried apricots, all kinds of nuts, and cured meats. Comté is also widely used in cooking, particularly in gratins or melted over onion soup.
To qualify as Comté, the milk has to come from cows from qualified pastures. If the end result is not satisfactory, it will not be sold a Comté.

Gruyère is a similar cheese produced just across the border in Switzerland. The two cheeses are similar, but the Swiss version is sold younger and often has more eyes.