Ewe's tomme
Buttery and nutty when young, drier and stronger when aged.
The Journal · Food guide
What are the best-known Corsican cheeses? Brocciu, maquis tommes and how to taste them
Fresh or aged brocciu, ewe's tomme, maquis-herb tomme, goat's cheese and bold mountain cheeses: a cheese-by-cheese tour of the island.
In short
Corsican cheeses are almost all made from ewe's or goat's milk. The best known is brocciu, the island's only PDO cheese, a fresh curd made from heated whey, eaten fresh or aged as passu. Then come ewe's tommes, plain or herb-crusted, goat's tomme and strong washed-rind mountain cheeses. Taste them from mildest to strongest, at room temperature, with bread, fig jam or honey.
The terroir
Why Corsican cheeses are like no other
Corsica is a mountain in the sea, too steep for dairy cows: its relief explains its cheeses.
Ewes and goats of the maquis
Local Corsican ewes and goats give rich milk, flavoured by the wild herbs and shrubs they graze.
Transhumance and seasonal milk
Flocks once moved between coast and mountain; ewe's milk flows from late autumn to early summer, so fresh cheese has a season.
The must-try
Brocciu, the emblem
Brocciu is the island's everyday fresh cheese and its only PDO cheese.
What is brocciu?
A whey cheese: heated ewe's or goat's whey with added whole milk. AOC in 1983, EU PDO in 1998.
Fresh or passu
Fresh, it is soft and milky; salted and aged for weeks, passu becomes firmer and sharper.
Recognising it
Look for basket marks and a clean milky smell; it keeps only a few days and is best from late autumn to early summer.
The backbone
Corsican tommes
Uncooked pressed cheeses, more or less aged, that anchor the board.
Maquis-herb tomme
Rind rubbed with rosemary, savory and thyme: taste it with a little rind.
Goat's tomme
Whiter and livelier, it brings freshness and contrast.
Village cheeses
Bold cheeses
Farmhouse washed-rind cheeses named after their area, without protected status: treat them as families, not fixed recipes.
- NioluSoft washed rind, among the strongest.
- VenacheseFirmer, long-aged, persistent.
- CalinzanaSmall, fruity then vigorous.
- SartinesuPressed, can be grated when dry.
- BastelicacciuSupple washed rind, milder than Niolu.
Not all of them are available on the mainland; ask the staff what is served on the night.
How to serve
How to taste a Corsican cheese platter
Three simple rules do justice to a platter.
Mildest to strongest
Fresh brocciu first, then goat's, ewe's, herb tomme, passu and bold cheeses.
Fig jam, honey, bread
Fig jam and Corsican PDO honey for aged cheeses; dense, crusty bread.
Serving temperature
Take aged cheeses out 30 to 60 minutes ahead; serve fresh brocciu cool.
Pairing
Pairings and wines
As a guide: a vermentinu white with fresh brocciu, a light sciaccarellu with ewe's tommes, a structured niellucciu with stronger cheeses.
Sparkling water or grape juice work just as well for non-drinkers.
Read our guide which Corsican wine to serve with a board.
L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé. À consommer avec modération.
In L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Where to taste Corsican cheeses in Vaucluse
On the mainland, a few cheesemongers stock them, but they are best tasted Corsican-style, on a board.
Via Notte serves them that way on esplanade Robert Vasse, in a music-bar atmosphere.
The Corsican cheese board
Ewe's tomme, herb tomme, goat's cheese, brocciu, passu brocciu and fig jam.
The mixed board
Island cheeses together with Corsican charcuterie.
Fancy charcuterie too? See our Corsican charcuterie boards.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is brocciu a cheese?
Yes, a PDO fresh cheese — technically a whey cheese rather than a rennet-curdled one.
Can you find brocciu outside Corsica?
Yes, at some cheesemongers, mostly in season; passu travels better. It is always made in Corsica.
Brocciu vs ricotta?
Both are whey cheeses; brocciu is Corsican only, ewe's and goat's milk, with an aged version.
What is the best-known Corsican cheese?
Brocciu, followed by ewe's tommes and maquis-herb tomme.
Are they all ewe's milk?
Mostly, but goat's milk is common too; cow's milk is rare.
In what order should I serve them?
Mildest to strongest, aged cheeses at room temperature.
Explore
Keep exploring
Boards & Corsican charcuterieCorsican produceThe menuWhat to eat in a Corsican restaurantWhich wine with a boardChoosing Corsican charcuterie
Go further
Our full selection, served on boards in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, is on our page about fromages corses.
Fancy a taste?
Book a table for the cheese board
Brocciu, passu and maquis tommes to share while a band plays. Book online or call us.
L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé. À consommer avec modération.