Do You Like Cheese?

 

Are you ready to embark on a cheesy adventure? I'm talking about an adventure that will take your taste buds on a wild ride and leave you feeling oh-so-satisfied. I'm a self-proclaimed Cheese Yum Bum, and here to share my knowledge with you. 

 

French grocery stores are a cheese lover's paradise, with a plethora of options to choose from. Listed below, I have rattled off a list of cheeses without even breaking a sweat. Let's say I have the Brocante Bug and am a cheese enthusiast. I've tasted them all, and my taste buds couldn't be happier.

 

 

While some people come to France for the museums, fashion, pastries, and architecture, I'm here for the cheese. When Chelsea and Martin married, they had a sit-down dinner, a dessert table, and a sprawling cheese table. Unfortunately, I was too caught up in the joy of the moment to notice (I still cannot believe that) the cheese table, where I had purposely bought enormous antique cutting boards for the cater to display the cheese. However, I recall so many snippets of incredible happiness that day that it doesn't matter. If it hadn't been for my brother Zane pulling me aside and saying, "Have you seen the dessert table!!" I would have missed that, too. Sometimes, I wonder where I was that day. Weddings do that, take you on such a profound level of joy that it is like a blur of stardust in the sunshine, unreal. Anyway, I am getting off the subject. Let's go back to cheese.

The French eat cheese daily, and for good reason. It's a healthy, calcium-rich food deeply ingrained in their culture, often shared after lunch or dinner. Each region offers a unique array of cheeses in taste, texture, and color. 

 

 

Camembert
- Roquefort
- Gouda (Dutch)
- Emmental (most popular)
- Comté
- Cheddar (English)
- Brie
- Parmesan (Italian)
- Saint Nectaire
- Mozzarella (Italian)
- Pont l'Eveque
- Fromage Frais
- Fourme d'Ambert
- Langres
- Mont d'Or
- Brillant-Savarin
- Crottin de Chavignol
- Port Salut
- Feta (Greek)
- Bleu Auvergne
- Cantal
- Beaufort
- Raclette
- Tomme (various types from different regions)
- Coulommiers
- Beaumont
- Fromage Blanc
- Petit Basque
- Banon
- Faisselle 
- Etorki
- Chaource
- Buche de Chèvre
- Gorgonzola (Italian)
- Brebis
- Morbier
- Munster
- Livarot
- Burrata (Italian)
- Brie de Meaux
- Cantal (the oldest French cheese)
- Mimolette
- Bourson
- Epoisse
- Saint Felician
- Abondance
- Reblochon
- Saint Andre
- Picodon
- Cabéco
- Ossau-Iraty
- Madame Loik
- Petite Suisse

 

 

France is the land of cheese, and it's the impossible temptation of their mouth-watering varieties. From soft and creamy Camembert to nutty Comté and tangy Roquefort, each cheese is a unique experience that tantalizes your taste buds. With over 400 types of cheese, there is always something delicious to scoop up and bring home. Imagine traveling by taking a cheese journey through France. 

 

One of the most well-known regions for cheese in France is Normandy. The region is famous for its rich, creamy cheeses like Camembert, Pont l'Eveque, and Livarot. These cheeses are made with cow's milk and are known for their soft, bloomy rinds and buttery, tangy flavors. These cheeses are often paired with local ciders and wines, complementing their flavors perfectly.

 

Another region that's famous for its cheese is Brittany. This coastal region is known for its buttery, tangy cheeses like Saint-Paulin, one of the region's most popular cheeses, a firm cheese with a creamy texture and a nutty, milky taste. It was originally produced by Trappist monks working out of their monasteries.

Burgundy, "The King of the Cheeses," is how Brillat-Savarin described Epoisses cheese in 1826. Matured using Marc de Bourgogne (with a distinctive scent), like most cheese, it should be served with a piece of good bread, pure and simple.

 

In the mountainous region of Auvergne, you'll find a variety of strong, savory cheeses like Bleu d'Auvergne and Saint Nectaire. These cheeses are made with cow's milk and are aged in humid caves to develop their distinctive flavors. They're often paired with hearty dishes like stews and roasts.

 

Roquefort must be produced exclusively with milk from Lacaune ewes. The Lacaune are well known for their high milk production and ability to adapt to the poor land of the Causses. The milk must come from a farm in the approved Roquefort area.

Savoie is another region that's famous for its cheese. This region is known for its fondue and raclette. Two melted cheese dishes made with local cheeses like Beaufort and Reblochon. These dishes are often served with bread, potatoes, and meats, making them hearty and satisfying.

 

To learn more about cheese, follow these links.

Cheese in France

 

 

Comments

[RebeccaNYC]

EPOISSES! oh how I love it. Someone said that it smelled like the feet of God...I don't know who, but they described it perfectly. So deliciously smelly. I'm also a big fan of Banon...the smellier the better.

Sadly, my hubby likes cheese, but does not LOVE it like I do, so I'm often the only one in the house that eats it. Oh wait. That's not really a problem, is it?

[Teddee Grace]

Oh, I do love cheese! Every once in a while I decide I will forgo the calories and hold out sometimes for weeks, but the cheeses always call me back. The one time I visited France I was toured through Normandy by my ex-husband's English cousin and his wife. I still remember the cheese trays being brought out at the end of the dinners. I do have to say that I think some people who enjoy all cheeses have not grown up washing a cream separator that has aged in the heat of a Missouri summer! Our local supermarket has two little cheese boxes in its imported cheese department filled with remnants of the bigger cheeses. Visiting the cheese boxes is one of my favorite stops on any food shopping outing.

[Ed Schnurbusch]

You forgot the cheese you and I grew up on. Kraft Singles make the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

[Jeanne]

I love cheese and thanks for all you post for us
say C H E E S E

[Diogenes]

OMG I want to dive into this post. I like cheese as much, maybe more, than patisseries.

[annW]

The British Cheese Board states there are over 700 named British Cheeses, it would take a long holiday here to taste each one in its place of manufacture. Amongst my favourites are Red Leicester, Caerphilly, Wensleydale, Double Gloucester, Stilton and many more. The one I find irresistible is only available around the time of Diwali, it is Red Leicester flavoured with Masala spices. Plus there are French, Italian, Dutch, Greek cheeses etc available. Unfortunately I haven't managed to taste them all.

[Kathie B]

Being a westerner, I grew up on Tillamook cheddar. Best grilled cheese sandwiches and mac-&-cheese EVAH!

[Kathie B]

Diogenes, you realize there are cheese pastries, right?

[Judith]

Forget the brocante........I'm up for a cheese tour!!!!!

[Diogenes]

Kathie B, that sounds like a heavenly combo, whether savory or sweet!

[Annafromindiana]

Ooohhh, reading your descriptions, with your beautiful photos, and salivating like Pavlov’s dogs…..I should be wearing a drool bib. A cheese tour sounds wonderful, too.

[Nina]

1. All the photos are beautiful, however when I saw the blue cheese spread on bread my mouth started watering!
2. American singles are standard for grilled cheese sandwiches in our house.
3. Incorporating a cheese day into your brocante tours would be brilliant!
I’ve put away the oatmeal box and am making a cheese tray for breakfast!
Nina, drooling in Michigan

[Judy]

I read your blog 1st thing this morning. Now I'm going to eat cheese for breakfast with my sister's homemade Swedish rye bread (made with molasses while I watch toe sun rise over the Swan mountains in Montana). The bread was our mother's recipe and is the best I've ever tasted.

[Kathy]

I am so a cheese lover!
I appreciate your posts, Corey. Today’s was especially tasty.💕

[Queen]

Soooo, you're planning a cheese tour....?

[Kathie B]

You long ago mentioned that Chelsea's favorite is Camembert with baguette. So when we were in Paris, while I napped (being jetlagged) Farmboy Husband went out to a fromagerie and a boulangerie near our hotel to purchase those items (inter alia), and we had a picnic dinner in bed!

[marilyn]

I have always been OK eating cheese, but not that crazy about it. It seems lately my tastes have changed and suddenly I quite like having two or three nice cheeses in the refrigerator. I love having cheese with my morning breakfast, so good.

[Marilyn Marcus]

Epoisse is my favorite! My girlfriend and I had it for the first time at a lovely little restaurant in Beaune in 2015.
And Bleu Cheese from anywhere in France is the next fave. My husband and I sampled so many wonderful ones barging in Champagne back in 2000. So heavenly.