A lean, fermented cheese gently melted with a little water, butter, and garlic until it becomes a flowing, golden, fragrant cream, spread on bread or hot potatoes.

Why this dish? Courbet was born in Ornans, in the heart of dairy Franche-Comté. Cancoillotte, made from *metton* (aged skim-milk curd), was the poor man's and peasant's cheese, eaten melted and warm on everyday bread — the food of his Franche-Comtois origins, of which he remained so proud in Paris.

Come, pull up a chair! In Ornans, there's no need for fuss to eat well: my mother took her metton, let it ferment warm behind the stove until it smelled strong, and melted it slowly with a knob of butter and a clove of garlic. I like it runny, burning hot, ladled onto a thick slice of dark bread — that's real cooking, the people's food, not the bland sauces of those Academy gentlemen! One can be a Franche-Comtois and have the stomach of a king.

How it was made : In the old days, metton was made on the farm by heating skimmed milk until it formed curds, which were left to ferment for several days in a warm place. It was then slowly melted by the fire with a little water and butter, sometimes a splash of white wine. It was an economical cheese because it was lean, ideal for modest families.

The contemporary twist : Served in a small pot with a few roasted baby potatoes and a pinch of cumin, as a convivial appetizer.

Sources : Comté AOP and cheesemaking traditions of Franche-Comté

Gustave Courbet · Charactorium