a primer on french cheese
in the spirit of learning
the cheese plate is way of life in france
even if it’s more rare than the stereotype suggests (average a few times a month) selecting, serving and slicing cheese was eye-opening (or a glare-inducing experience) and might be one of the most important lessons in all of french culture.
as always it’s helpful if you can find a good cheesemonger to talk with, but tasting will forever be the real test. i’m also hip to the fact that i live in a country specialized in making whatever is illegal in the united states (lait cru, too young, too old, not pasteurized, etc.)
my recommendation
get yourself a mix of the following:
hard, soft and blue
cow, goat and sheep
*something out there*
tips for enjoying cheese in the company of french people
lowers chance of assumption you were raised by wild animals
note the separate knives. usually a knife for milder cheeses and stronger cheeses. don’t mix these up, in case of emergency use your piece of bread to wipe it clean ;-)
never touch the cheese with your fingers
for the rind, it’s choose your own adventure, some rinds are meant to be consumed. so if it looks like it could be done, not too crystalized or dirty––try it. if you like it, keep it, if not, carefully trim it off
cut cheese in such a way as to avoid getting guillotined
cut round or pyramid shaped cheese like you would slice pizza or a tart
for a blue cheese, which will be served in a doorstop shape, cut lengthwise triangles, so you'll have some of the center and the heel
for a cheese like a comté, where you usually won’t eat the rind, you can cut widthwise slices leading up to the heel
brie, often served as a wedge, should have pieces cut off of the side. the brie should always look like a wedge, lopping off the middle might get you murdered
*fromage etiquette bonus round*
the french eat some cheese WITH butter. like in the same bite. at first i was horrified (and turns out ignorant) but i’m over it. that bleu is screaming for some butter
start with the most mild, working up the strongest, your overwhelmed tastebuds wont be able to go backwards
serve cheese at a temperature that would likely get the health department to show up if you’re in the us. let it breathe and get happy, the fat molecules are all closed up at cold temperatures hiding the full flavor.
as for the smell, some of the strongest smelling cheeses are much less violent on your tastebuds than in your nostrils, only experimentation can help you reach cheese nirvana
honorable mention
p.s. i found all this lovely cheese at taka & vermo, a beautiful little fromagerie in the 10th arrondissement of paris. totally worth a stop if you’re in the neighborhood. they’re really helpful but certainly won’t stop you from going overboard, best to buy more and enjoy in good company.
61bis rue du faubourg saint-denis, 75010 paris (https://m.facebook.com/takavermo/).
