Description

You could use any combo of cheeses you like here — just make sure to have a good mix of firm, semi-firm and soft cheeses for the best texture. I’d use a lighter touch with stronger cheese (including blue cheese) since they can overwhelm the fromage fort (unless you’re into that).

The exact ratio of what I used was: 4 ounces of goat cheese, 6 ounces of a triple-crème brie, 4 ounces of Cantal, 2 ounces of Fontina, 6 ounces of Campo de Montalban, 2 ounces of Butterkäse and 8 ounces of Vermont cheddar.

You can make this up to 24 hours in advance (again, GREAT for parties). The fromage fort will thicken and mellow as it sits.

Scale

Ingredients

2 pounds cheese — firm and semi-firm cheeses grated, soft cheese cut into small pieces*
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon chopped chives + more to garnish
1–2 tablespoons of butter (optional)
For serving: baguette slices or crackers, plus any other cheese plate accoutrements you’d like

Instructions

Combine the cheese, garlic, pepper and wine in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth. If you’re using a lot of hard cheeses, you may need a tablespoon or two of butter to get a creamy texture.
Add the chives and process a few times until they are incorporated. Taste and add salt if necessary (I didn’t need any).
Transfer the fromage fort to a serving bowl, or if making ahead, to an airtight container.

Notes

*What to do with rinds? Obviously cut off any hard rinds, but you can keep any softer rinds — texture-wise, they’ll blend in with the cheese. Really strong rinds can overpower the fromage fort however, so use caution with any washed rinds or anything with a lot of funk.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 16