• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wine Lover's Kitchen
  • About
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Wine
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Wine
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Summer
    • Recipes
    • Wine
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Appetizers

    Fromage Fort

    Published: Jan 3, 2021 by Carolyn Hetke · This post may contain affiliate links,

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Fromage Fort is a very clever presentation of - wait for it - leftover cheese!

    Pot of fromage fort.

    Is there anything sadder than the dregs of that cheese platter you so lovingly put together- choosing a combination of creamy, soft and hard cheeses? Some mild, some strong.

    And since many specialty cheeses can be quite expensive you will be thrilled to know how you can turn those last little bits into something useful!

    This trick comes in handy especially at this time of the year when you may be entertaining several days in a row. Most of us want to produce a cheese plate that is fairly new and fresh looking. Some firmer blocks of cheese still look okay after they have had some cut away if they hold their shape.

    Others like that last couple of ounces of Brie where the cheese has started to collapse and ooze out of the rind look pretty pathetic.

    Well from now on - stick any dodgy remains into a baggy in the fridge.

    This 'recipe' is an old French tradition. And does anyone know cheese better than the French?

    You take leftover cheese bits - a pound will give you about 2 cups of Fromage Fort -which by the way just means 'strong cheese'- blend it together; add some dry white wine, some garlic and herbs if you care to.

    Collage of mixed cheese bits, dry white wine, garlic and black pepper.
    Fromage fort ingredients.
    Cheese bits blended in blender.
    Cheese bits blended with wine, garlic and pepper.
    Final fromage fort in serving dish.
    Finished Fromage fort.
    Toasted Baguette slices with Fromage fort melted on top with caramelized onions as well as toasted baguette with chicken liver pate with blue cheese topping.
    Fromage fort melted on toasted baguette.

    You can mix up pretty much any combination of cheeses. You should cut hard cheese to small pieces or even grate it. The softer cheese can go in in chunks. Pulse it a bit, add the wine and garlic and other herbs if you are using them. Pulse until evenly mixed, transfer to a small dish, cover and let it sit till you are ready to use it. It will keep in your fridge up to a week or so.

    It needs at least an hour to meld the flavours and overnight is even better.

    The mixture is still rather wet after just a couple of hours but by overnight the wine has been absorbed into the mix.

    The French serve it with baguette or crackers cold or melt it on toasted baguette sliced.

    I used a combination of Brie, Goat cheese and a medium Azorean cheese called Corvo (kind of like a very mild Gouda).

    Jacque Pepin's recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic. I used 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small clove.

    I found the garlic overwhelming if I was using it as a spread, cold from the fridge. It was good melted on toasted baguette and I am using it as a pizza base tonight.

    I would make an awesome garlic bread where you are going for the garlic profile.

    I will reduce the garlic the next time if I want it as a stand-in for a cheese ball-type thing.

    You can use your imagination here depending on you taste. I think some green onion in a milder mix might be good. Parsley or some pimento would be good as well.

    I served some caramelized onion on the melted cheese and that was delicious.

    Pot of fromage fort.

    Fromage Fort

    A clever, versatile way to use up leftover cheese bits.
    Author: Carolyn Hetke

    If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!

    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    SaveSaved!
    Print Pin Facebook
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Resting Time: 1 hour hr
    Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 cups

    Ingredients

    • 16 oz leftover cheeses room temperature
    • ½ cup dry white wine
    • 1 clove garlic you can use 1-3 cloves depending on how much garlic taste you want.
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 Tbsps fresh herbs (optional) parsley, dill, thyme, rosemary to taste

    Instructions

    • Remove rind from hard cheeses. Grate or cut hard cheeses finely. Break soft cheeses into chunks.
    • Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until uniformly mixed. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Will keep in the fridge about a week.
    • Serve with crackers or baguette. Can be served cold or warmed.

    Notes

    Nutrition is per Tablespoon.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thewineloverski or tag #thewineloverski!

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I am Carolyn - the Wine Lover in the Wine Lover's Kitchen! I absolutely love having friends and family around my table with great food and wine to enjoy. If you want great recipes and wine recommendations you have come to the right place!

    Learn more about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • Potato salad in a bowl.
      Potato Salad With Celery and Cucumber
    • Beet, heirloom tomato and burrata wedges on a plate.
      Viking Cruise Recipe: Beet and Burrata Salad
    • A bowl of cold, creamy, almond soup with toasted almond and green grape garnish.
      Chilled Spanish Garlic Soup (Sopa de Ajo)
    • A bowl of cold cherry soup.
      Cherry Soup with Cinnamon Croutons

    Popular Recipes

    • Close up of creamy Cafe de Paris sauce.
      Café de Paris Sauce - The Original 'Secret Sauce'
    • Puffy, crispy flour tortilla flavoured with olive oil and chili, lime seasoning.
      Air Fryer Tortillas
    • Golden brown spinach feta scones on a plate.
      Savoury Spinach and Feta Scones
    • Piece of Italian crumb cake with pistachio cream filling, topped with crushed pistachios and icing sugar.
      Pistachio Cream Crumb Cake
    • Medium rare beef tenderloin sliced on a platter.
      Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin
    • Baked sweetened condensed milk buns piled in a basket.
      Bread Machine Sweetened Condensed Milk Dinner Rolls

    Footer

    ↑ Back to top

    Home

    Recipes Wine

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy
    • About

    Newsletter

    Tired of wandering around looking at wine labels? Get recipes and my Best Buy wine picks every two weeks!

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact

    Follow me on:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • X -Former Twitter

    Copyright © 2025 The Wine Lover's Kitchen

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.