What are the best cheeses in France? History of cheeses

Known all over the world and the pride of France.

France has more than 400 types of cheeses, and each is unique in its own way: hard and soft, aged and young, moldy or crusty, made from cow's or goat's milk.

It is surprising not only the variety of types of cheeses, but also the huge number of their shapes: circle, disk, drum, rectangle, square, standing cylinder, lying cylinder, ingot, cone, heart and triangle.

Where do so many different forms come from? It's very simple. The fact is that each type of cheese in France has its own individual history, its own life and even character. French cheeses such as Camembert and Brie are always prepared in disc form. It is this shape that ensures uniform ripening of the cheese.

French cheeses in the form of a triangle or rectangle also have long historical roots, since they were produced by those peasants who used containers at the molding stage similar shape. Over time, this became a tradition.

French goat's milk cheeses are most often made in the shape of a cone. Pulp goat cheese the much more delicate and conical shape helps maintain the integrity of the cheese. Large round or drum-shaped cheeses are usually hard varieties. This makes it easier to store them in the cellar.

French cheeses can be classified by hardness:

hard cheeses
soft cheeses
blue cheeses

By milk type

from cow's milk
from goat milk
from sheep's milk

Cheeses can also be divided into two groups according to origin: homemade cheeses or industrially prepared cheeses.

The most famous varieties of French cheeses

Cantal- One of the oldest French cheeses, Cantal, is produced in the Auvergne region. The cheese wheel is large, cylindrical in shape, 35-45 kg, with a thick golden rind, covered with mold with red dots; The pulp is uniform, pale yellow in color. Ripens in 2 to 6 months.

Comte- hard boiled cheese with soft yellow pulp and a brown-golden hard crust, ripens for 8-12 months. Raw cow's milk is used for preparation. The summer Comte has fruity notes, while the winter Comte has a nutty flavor.

Emmental- traditional cheese with holes. Produced in a large area of France, in particular in the east of the country. It has a fruity and nutty sweetish taste. It is made in the shape of a circle, sometimes this shape is called a “wheel”, the cheese head reaches 50 kg in weight. Emmental matures in six to ten months. The consistency of the cheese is elastic, hard, oily, with large oval eyes, the color is pale yellow.

Mimolette- hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Produced in the north of France. It is made in the shape of a round ball with a grayish crust and flesh with a reddish tint. Has a slightly sweet fruity taste. The aroma is subtle, nutty.

Brie- a soft cheese made from raw cow's milk. The shape is “cakes” with a diameter of 30 - 60 cm and a thickness of 3 - 5 centimeters. Brie is covered in mold, the color resembling white velvet.

Camembert- soft cheese, produced in the province of Normandy. It has delicate creamy pulp and a moldy rind, the cheese has a rich aroma, and is traditionally sold in a wooden veneer wrapper. Camembert has a special fermented milk taste and a pleasant champignon flavor.

Epoisses- a round soft cheese that matures from five to eight weeks. During ripening, the cheese rind is rubbed first with salted water and then with water and Burgundy apple brandy. The resulting crust is smooth and shiny, reddish-orange in color. The creamy pulp of the cheese is light beige in color, tender and piquant in taste, with a strong aroma.

Mondor (Mont d'Or)- traditional seasonal cheese, made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Cheese with a thin yellow-orange rind and ivory pulp. Mondor is used for fondue.

Munster- soft French cheese. The cheese with a reddish rind is made from cow's milk. Matures from 5 weeks to 3 months. A head of cheese in the form of a flat cylinder. The taste is sharp, piquant, pungent aroma.

Pont-L'Evêque- belongs to the family of soft cheeses made from cow's milk with a washed rind. Its square shape makes it easy to distinguish from other Normandy cheeses. The cheese has a white-orange rind. The consistency is delicate and soft, the color of the cheese is pale yellow. The taste is slightly salty, rich and creamy, and the smell is pungent and strong.

Saint-Nectaire- French soft cheese made from cow's milk. Ripens for at least three weeks. Cheese with a hard crust that smells of straw and oats. The taste of the cheese is subtle, nutty, with a hint of spice, slightly salty. Fruity aroma. The head is in the shape of a flat cylinder with a diameter of 21 cm, a height of 5 cm and a weight of about 1.7 kg.

Bleu d'Auvergne- “blue cheese” Bleu d'Auvernier is made in the Santal mountains from cow's milk. The cheese matures for three months in a damp cellar. Like any other cheese with blue mold, it is riddled with green-blue veins of mold. The cheese mass of Bleu d'Auvernier is wet , sticky and slightly loose, but should not be crumbly. The cheese has a strong pungent aroma and a spicy, not too salty taste.

Roquefort) - “blue cheese”, covered with a white, always slightly moist and shiny crust. Inside is oily pulp with blue mold, which forms small cavities. Roquefort has a distinct, unique taste reminiscent of hazelnuts. The aroma emanating from Roquefort is a complex bouquet, the basis of which is the smell of sheep's milk and limestone grotto. This is the only blue cheese made from sheep's milk.

Bleu de Bresse) - soft "blue cheese" also made from cow's milk in the province of Bresse. The shape is either cylindrical or rectangular. This type of cheese has a combination of the delicate taste of the pulp, the sharp taste of mold and the spicy taste of the rind. The ripening period is only two to four weeks.

Coeur de Chèvre- soft goat's milk cheese. It is made in the shape of a small heart weighing about 150 grams. The cheese is very gentle and not aggressive. There are small grains in the pulp.

Shabishu- one of the famous brands of French goat cheese. This is a cheese made from whole raw goat milk. The weight of a head of cheese is about 150 grams. The shape is cylindrical, slightly tapering at the top. The cheese matures from three weeks to two months. The pulp of the cheese is ivory-colored and has a delicate, piquant, slightly sweet taste with a slight sour-salty tint.

Chèvre au Poivre- soft goat's milk cheese seasoned with pepper, fennel and rosemary.

Cheese is one of the products integrally associated with the image of France, where it is the most consumed dairy product, ahead of even yoghurts, which are so popular these days. 62% of French people eat cheese every day. The average Frenchman eats 24 kg of cheese per year. They say that more than 360 types of cheese are produced in France, i.e. If you wish, you can try a new cheese every day of the year. Cheeses differ in the origin of the milk from which they are made, in the region and in the preparation technologies.

From all the variety, we have selected several popular French cheeses and present them to you:

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Camembert: It was this cheese, together with the baguette and beret, that became part of the image of the Frenchman and France that had developed in the world. This is the most consumed type of cheese in the country, characterized by a soft texture, covered with a hard rind with mold. The history of this cheese began in 1791, when Marie Harel, a resident of Camembert, helped the priest Charles-Jean Bonvouste, who was hiding from persecution by revolutionaries. In gratitude, he gave her the secret of making cheese produced in his native settlement - Brie. Over time, cheese production increased. Once Napoleon III tried it, he liked the cheese, and he ordered its delivery to his Parisian palace. The spread and popularization of Camembert was also facilitated by its inclusion in soldiers’ diets during the First World War. Camembert is eaten plain, in combination with cider, it can be with any additives (truffles, nuts, herbs), baked in breading and as part of a sandwich.

Chevre: cheese made from goat's milk. France is the world leader in the production and consumption of goat cheese. Regions with traditional production of such cheeses are located south of the Loire River. There is a huge number of different types of cheeses made from goat milk: young and aged, natural or with various additives (raisins, herbs, pepper, saffron, honey), marinated in olive oil or in grape must. Such cheeses can be used in the preparation of salads and sandwiches, or tasted in combination with cherry jam or red currant jelly. As for wines, it is recommended to pair such cheeses with semi-sweet white wines.

Brebis basque - a family of cheeses made from sheep's milk in the Basque country (southwest France). These are hard cheeses. The most famous representative of this type of cheese is ossau-iraty. It is recommended to taste it with cherry jam.

Conte (comté): a cow's milk cheese produced primarily in the region (hence the name) from the Gruyere family (hard "cooked" cheeses). The head of Comté has a diameter of 55-75 cm, weighs 32-45 kg, and it takes about 450 liters of milk to produce. Historically, such cheeses were produced communally in regions where cold winters forced survival and preservation concerns. Milk, generously received in the summer, was used to make cheese. Such large cheeses were also easier to transport and sell.

Mont d'Or - another representative of the region . Hisproduced in the mountainous part of the Haut-Doubs department located on the border with Switzerland; Or is the name of the highest local mountain. This is a soft cow's milk cheese with a rind made from natural white mold. Mont d'Or is so soft that it is usually placed in wooden (spruce) round boxes. Other characteristic feature- This seasonal product, which is produced exclusively between August and March, and can be purchased in September – May. During this period, cows spend the winter in stalls, milk production decreases, therefore, it becomes impossible to make Comté cheese, and therefore they switch to the production of cheese like Vacherin (with a thin white mold). To get a kilogram of cheese, you need 7 liters of milk. Mont d'Or is eaten with bread or warmed up under the names Mont d'Or chaud, Mont d'Or fondue (fondue au Mont d'Or).

Morbier is a pressed cheese made from raw cow's milk produced in the Jura Mountains. It got its name from the small town of Morbier. This cheese has always been produced exclusively on farms. Morbier farmers sent the leaven left over from the production of the “noble” Comté to make smaller cheese; In the vat, the starter was sprinkled with soot to protect it from insects. Nowadays, this thin layer of soot, which gives the cheese a subtle fruity flavor and a bluish layer in the middle, plays a more decorative role in memory of this ancient production method. An ordinary wheel of cheese weighs about 7 kg. The cheese must be aged for at least 50 days.

Emmental exists in French and Swiss versions. This is cheese with holes, the secret of their formation has only recently been revealed. In 2015, Swiss scientists found that holes in cheese are formed due to gases released by tiny particles of hay that enter the milk during milking. Grated emmantal is an indispensable product in cooking: it is used in the preparation of casseroles, vegetable soups, pasta, lasagna, pizza, quiche and other savory pies.

Saint-Nectaire: uncooked pressed cheese produced in the region. Originally a “peasant” cheese, until the 17th century it was called “rye cheese”, because... its ripening took place on the straw of this cereal. The cheese became famous due to its fatty pulp and nutty taste. This cheese was one of the Sun King's favorite cheeses. Good on its own, as well as in a salad with tomatoes and even on salted waffles.

Cantal: uncooked pressed cheese from cow's milk in the form of a tall cylinder weighing 35-45 kg, produced in the region. The fact of production of this cheese was recorded as early as 1298. Cantal is divided into “young” (ripening time from 30 to 60 days), “intermediate” (90 – 210 days) and “old” (minimum 240 days). It is also used in preparing various dishes from appetizers to desserts.

Reblochon: This soft cheese is a symbol of the Alps, produced in Haute-Savoie. Its name comes from the Savoyard word re-blocher, which in the 16th century meant “to milk a second time.” According to legend, local farmers had to give the milk from the first milking to the owner (mainly the abbeys) and secretly carried out the second milking late in the evening to get milk for themselves. Then the conditions of the service changed, but the essence remained the same: the owner’s representatives controlled the volume of milk milked in order to calculate how much cheese to take from this farmer. Accordingly, in order to reduce his dues, the farmer was interested in completing milking after the controller left. The milk from the second milking is fattier and of better quality, and it was from this that the reblochon was made. Reblochon is part of regional Savoyard dishes, such as tartiflette (potato casserole).

Roquefort: famous representative of blue cheeses. Historically, this is the first cheese to receive the “Controlled Appellation of Production” label. This cheese is made only from sheep's milk; noble mold develops inside it. Roquefort is one of the oldest cheeses. There is a legend of its appearance: one shepherd, who preferred to run after women rather than tend to his sheep, once, rushing after a passing beauty, left his shepherd’s lunch - bread and sheep’s cottage cheese - in the grotto. Returning back after some time, he discovered his bread and moldy cheese: special kind mold Penicillium roqueforti did its job... Roquefort is also mentioned in the epic about King Charlemagne: during one of his campaigns in Spain, Charlemagne unexpectedly stopped with a bishop. It was Friday, and the prelate had no fish; he did not dare offer meat, because... It was a fast day, so Karl was served whatever was in the house, including blue cheese. Karl began to eat the cheese, but, thinking that the mold was inedible, he picked it out with a knife. Then the bishop explained to him that exactly what he was throwing away was the most delicious thing in this cheese. Charles tried and appreciated Roquefort, ordering the bishop to send two boxes of such cheese to the court every year... Much later, Diderot in the “Great Encyclopedia” in 1742 would call Roquefort “the king of cheeses” and “the first cheese of Europe.” Now Roquefort is produced only in a place specified by law - in the commune of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the Combalou mountains, where there are natural caves with temperature and humidity ideal for aging Roquefort. The cheese must remain in these grottoes for at least 14 days. The ideal time to consume Roquefort is from April to October after five months of ripening. It is recommended to remove it from the refrigerator an hour before eating to bring it to room temperature and allow the cheese to “open up”.

Brie– a family of soft cheeses produced in the Brie region. The city of Provins from this region was once the third city of France after Paris and Rouen. Here they minted their own coins and held famous fairs, where they sold locally produced cheeses - the famous brie.

Mimolette, also called "old Dutchman" or "Lille ball", is a traditional French cheese produced in the north of France - in the region.This cheese is an imitation of the Dutch edam cheese, but differs from it in its bright, rich orange color. The cheese is made from cow's milk. The weight of a cheese wheel is about 2 kg. It has a grayish crust. It got its name from the word “mollet” (French) = “soft, gentle.” Indeed, young cheese is quite soft, but becomes brittle with age. “Young” mimolette is a cheese that has been aged for less than 6 months, “old” - from a year to a year and a half, and “extra-old” - over a year and a half. The orange color of the cheese comes from the addition of a natural dye obtained from the grains of the tropical annatto shrub. The porosity of the crust is formed due to the presence of flour mites. Thanks to them, the cheese “has holes” and gets the opportunity to “breathe”, which allows it to be saturated with aromas and acquire a special taste. The best time to taste mimolette is April - September (after aging for 6 weeks to 24 months), although, in principle, this cheese is good at any time of the year.

Neufchatel (neufchâtel) - French soft cheese with a mold rind, made in the Bray region in the north-west of the country. The emblematic shape of the cheese is the heart, but according to the production regulations, bricks, barrels, and squares are also allowed. The regulations also determine the breeds of cows suitable for this cheese, and their mandatory grazing for 6 months a year. The cheese weighs from 100 to 600 g and must mature for at least 10 days. Ideal time for its consumption: April – August. Neufchatel is one of the oldest cheeses. According to legend, during the Hundred Years' War, during the Christmas holidays, girls gave heart-shaped cheese to English soldiers as a sign of their love.

Chabichou du Poitou is a soft goat's milk cheese with a natural crust. Since 1990, Chabichoux from Poitou has been an officially regulated cheese appellation. This is a small (about 150 g) cylindrical cheese, tapering towards the top. The name comes from the Occitan cabecou (= "goat"). According to legend, cheese began to be made in Poitou in the 8th century, when Arab conquerors came to these territories along with their herds. In 732 the Saracens were expelled, but the goats remained. Local pastures were favorable for the production of milk, from which cheese was made, unlike others. Chabishu is produced in the Poitou region from whole goat milk. The cylinders are formed manually or using special forms. The cheese is salted or kept in saline solution. On average, cheese matures for 2-3 weeks. The ideal time for consumption is from April to August. The cheese goes well with white wines, especially Sauvignon-based wines.

To visit France and not try real French cuisine practically means not to be in France at all. The cuisine of any country says a lot about its inhabitants, and in France the profession of a cook is the most popular, so their cuisine is truly something fantastic. More than 500 types of cheeses are officially registered in France, but in fact there are even more cheeses in this country. Today we will talk about the most famous French cheeses in the world, maybe you would like to try them?

The best French cheeses

1. Affiliation. French cheese, known since the 14th century. Region of origin: Haute-Savoie.

Taste: delicate, soft, rich taste with a fruity tint and a slight nutty aftertaste.

2. Banon. A cheese with a thousand-year history, known since the times of Ancient Rome.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: taste and aroma of chestnut, as well as essential oils;
Wine: blackcurrant liqueur.

3. Bleu de Gex. One of the oldest French cheeses. It began to be made back in the 13th century.

Taste: slightly islandy taste with a nutty-mushroom aftertaste and a slight bitterness.

4. Bleu de Causses. One of the first blue cheeses in the world. Once upon a time it could rightfully be called royal, because it was mentioned by Gaius Julius Caesar himself. Charlemagne also liked this cheese, after which it was actively served at the royal table.

Type of cheese: soft with blue mold;
Taste: salty, almost peppery taste with the aroma of mushrooms and a damp cellar;
Wine: sweet red wines.

5. Beaufort. Monks were the first to produce this cheese in France, following a recipe from the Roman Empire, but it gained its greatest popularity only in the 18th century.

Type of cheese: semi-hard sliced;
Taste: salty with a pleasant fruity aroma and a subtle aftertaste;
Wine: Chablis, Roussette, Chignin, Apremont.

6. Brie. The most famous French cheese, which has not lost its popularity since the Middle Ages. Brie has always been the cheese of kings, so you should definitely try it at least once in your life.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: mild taste, aroma with a slight smell of ammonia. The mold crust has an ammonia aroma, but is edible.
Wine: Chateau Clarke 1993.

7. Broccio. The cheese comes from Corsica, which considers Broccio its national treasure.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: sweetish-spicy, moderately salty;
Wine: white wine.

8. Valence. An unusual cheese in the shape of a truncated pyramid. According to legend, Napoleon himself chopped off the top of the pyramid-shaped cheese after the disastrous Egyptian campaign. Today Valence is the visiting card of the province of Berry.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: pleasant sweetish taste with hints of hazelnut;
Wine: white wine.

9. Camembert. Another world famous French cheese. According to legend, the first wheel of this cheese was made by a Norman peasant woman named Marie Harel according to the recipe of a fugitive monk.

Type of cheese: soft with white mold;
Taste: spicy and pungent taste, reminiscent of mushrooms;
Wine: young red wine.

10. Conte. A very tasty cheese, originally produced only in the French region of Franche-Comté. Today this popular cheese is made in many regions of France.

Type of cheese: semi-hard sliced;
Taste: fruity and nutty taste;
Wine: light red wine.

11. Layol. Monastery cheese, invented in the 19th century.

Type of cheese: semi-hard;
Taste: sourish taste with hints of mountain herbs: thyme, gerniculum and fennel.
Wine: red wine.

12. Langr. Bright soft unpressed cheese from the Champagne region. Young enough.

Type of cheese: soft pressed;
Flavor: smoked bacon flavor;
Wine: red wine.

13. Livaro. Elite cheese from Lower Normandy. In the 19th century it was the most popular cheese in this region.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: exquisite bright taste and aroma;
Wine: Normandy cider, Calvados, white Alsatian wine and red Bordeaux wines.

14. Marual. Another name for this cheese is Maroy. This cheese is cobble-shaped and reddish in color. At one time it was preferred by many French kings.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: pungent, tart and strong taste. Specific smell;
Wine: Lalande-de-Pomerol, Chateau-neuf du pape, Cahors and Moulis.

15. Fleeting. A reddish cheese, once made for the first time by order of Louis XIV himself, as an analogue of edamer.

Type of cheese: hard;
Taste: fruity-bitter taste;
Wine: light red wine, light beer, noble red Bordeaux or Burgundy wines, as well as sherry and port.

16. Morbier. Pressed uncooked cheese. The first mention of it was made in 1795. A characteristic distinctive feature of the cheese is a layer of crushed charcoal.

Type of cheese: semi-hard;
Taste: fruity and nutty taste;
Wine: Sancerre, Pouilly, Seyssel.

17. Munster. One of the most ancient European monastery cheeses. The name of the cheese literally translates to “monastery.”

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: delicate creamy taste, but pungent odor;
Wine: grape vodka and Alsatian wine Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris d’Alsace.

18. Neuchatel. Beautiful and very tasty heart-shaped cheese. During the Hundred Years' War, girls gave men cheeses of this shape. This is how the neutral acquired its famous heart shape. The first mention of this cheese dates back to 1035.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: delicate mushroom taste and aroma;
Wine: red wine.

19. Pelardon. Goat cheese, references to which can be found in the treatise “Natural History”. Previously, this cheese had many names, but by the 19th century only one remained - “Pelardon.”

Type of cheese: with bluish mold;
Taste: delicate taste and aroma with a spicy and salty aftertaste;
Wine: Costieres du Gard, Clairette du Languedoc.

20. Pont-l'Evêque. A square-shaped cheese that is relatively rare today, despite its exquisite taste and rich history.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: pronounced taste and aroma with an islandy aftertaste;
Wine: aged white Burgundy and Pomerol wines, dry apple cider.

21. Reblochon. The name of this cheese can be literally translated as “re-milk the cow.” According to legend, in the 14th century, peasants had to pay a tax depending on the amount of milk they produced. Cows had to be milked in the presence of tax collectors, and in order not to overpay, peasants did not milk the cows, and then milked them again. Such rich milk made excellent cheese.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: rich fruity taste with nutty notes;
Wine: Savoy white wines.

22. Roquefort. Famous French blue cheese. According to legend, an amorous shepherd left a sandwich with sheep's cheese in the pasture and returned there a month later. Naturally, the cheese was covered with blue mold, but the shepherd still decided to eat it. And he really liked the taste of the cheese.

Type of cheese: blue cheese;
Taste: hazelnut flavor;
Wine: Cahors, Porto, Sauternes.

23. Rollo. Another monastery cheese, first made in the 17th century on the territory of the Marual monastery. Louis XIV liked this cheese and gained such popularity that it was even used as a monetary equivalent.

Type of cheese: soft;
Taste: salty taste with bitterness;
Wine: Sancerre.

24. Emmental. Actually, Emmental is a Swiss cheese, but there is also French Emmental, produced in Savoy.

Type of cheese: semi-hard;
Taste: sweetish, spicy taste and aroma;

25. Saler. This cheese is more than two thousand years old, and is still made using ancient technologies.

Type of cheese: semi-hard;
Taste: soft and delicate taste with a bitter aftertaste. Herbal aroma;
Wine: white, rose and red wines.

in photographs

Cheeses.

Abondance (French abondance) is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese with a smooth, orange-brown rind, produced in the French department of Haute-Savoie. The cheese pulp is elastic, tender, slightly creamy, ivory or yellowish in color with holes. The taste is rich, delicate, soft, with a fruity tint and a nutty aftertaste.

Banon (French banon) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat milk with a dry, straw-colored rind with a light coating of blue-gray edible mold and soft pulp. The cheese matures in a dark cellar at a temperature of 11-14 degrees Celsius and a humidity of more than 90%. To obtain young cheeses, the ripening period is two weeks, semi-ripe - 4-5 weeks and mature - 6-8 weeks. Banon goes well with fresh fruit or lightly baked pears. It is paired with Blanc de Cassis blackcurrant liqueur.

France is famous for its cheeses; there are more than 200 varieties. Camembert (French camembert) is a type of soft, fatty cheese made from cow's milk and covered with a fluffy white crust. It has a color from white to light cream. The taste is sharp, piquant, a little like mushroom. It is believed that the first Camembert was made in 1791 by the Norman peasant woman Marie Harel.

Brie (French brie) is a soft cheese made from cow's milk. It is characterized by a pale color with a grayish tint under the “noble” white mold. The cheese has a pleasant taste and a slight smell of ammonia. Brie is perhaps the most popular cheese in France, with more than 10 varieties, but only two types have AOC certification in France (Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun). Brie is very similar to Camembert, but its fat content is much lower. Named in honor of the French province where it was first made.

Roquefort (French Roquefort) is a French blue cheese made from sheep's milk and ripened in limestone grottoes. Roquefort tastes like hazelnuts. For this cheese there is a special “knife” for cutting called a roqueforez.

Bethmale (French bethmale) is an uncooked pressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, which has a slightly sweet and sour taste. Red wines, such as Fronton, or white wines go perfectly with betmal.

Bleu d'Auvergne (French Bleu d'Auvergne) is a French blue cheese riddled with emerald-blue veins of mold. The cheese matures within three months in damp basements or cellars. Bleu d'Auvergne has a salty taste, but it is very spicy and spicy.

Beaufort (French beaufort) is a semi-hard boiled pressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with smooth and elastic ivory-colored pulp. Beaufort is rich in calcium and proteins, so it is recommended for pregnant women, the sick and the elderly. The cheese cannot be grated; in stores it is sold cut into thin slices, but it melts perfectly. It is used in the preparation of various dishes, as well as fondue. Pairs best with Chablis, Roussette, Apremont, Chignin wines.

Valence (French valencay) is a French cheese made from goat's milk, made in the shape of a truncated pyramid. The cheese matures for 4 to 5 weeks in a well-ventilated drying room; for better preservation, the cheese is sprinkled with wood ash. The cheese is covered with a spicy thin crust with blue mold. The taste of Valence is delicate, slightly sweet, reminiscent of hazelnuts. The local white wine, Sancerre, goes best with the cheese.

Vacherin des bauges (French: vacherin des bauges) is a soft French cheese made from cow's milk, covered with a gray mold and produced on farms in the Rhône-Alpes region (in the south-east of France). The cheese ripens after 2 weeks, during which it is brushed with cream diluted with water every two days. Month-old cheese acquires a slight smell of pine resin. Red Savoyard wine Vin de Savoie or Arbois is excellent.

Puligny-Saint-Pierre (French pouligny-saint-pierre) is a French goat's milk cheese with bluish mold, made in the shape of a pyramid. This is where the local name "Eiffel Tower" comes from. The cheese matures for 4 to 5 weeks on wooden shelves or straw mats. The cheese has dense, slightly moist and aromatic pulp with the smell of goat's milk and the taste of hazelnuts. Young cheese is used for making salads and toasts, mature cheese is used with white fruit wines from the Loire Valley such as Sancerre, Touraine and Reuilly.

Venaco (French venaco) is a French semi-soft cheese made from sheep's milk, sometimes with the addition of goat's milk, topped with a straw-orange crust, ripening for 1 to 2 weeks. The cheese is used for baking, and more mature cheese is grated for pasta dishes and soups. Venaco goes well with wines: Vin de Corse red, Pinot noir, Côte d'Auvergne red, Sancerre red.

Vigne (French vignelait) is a soft French cheese with a white mold rind made from unpasteurized goat milk, produced in Ile-de-France (Island of France) and Franche-Comté. During the preparation of cheese, cream is added, so the cheese is classified as fatty (75%).

Coeur de Chevre (French coeur de chèvre) is a soft French cheese made from goat's milk, ripening from 8 days to 5 weeks. The cheese got its name due to its heart-shaped shape, because “Coeur de Chèvre” is translated from French as “Goat’s heart.” Young cheese is pale white in color, while ripe cheese is bluish. The taste of coeur de chevre is delicate with a slight sourness. The cheese is served with local La Reine des Reinettes apples. It pairs best with light white wines or reds from Poitou.

Vieux boulogne (French vieux boulogne) is a French soft cheese made from cow's milk with a bright orange rind, ripening for 7 to 9 weeks and produced in the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer in Nord-Pas-de-Calais (in northern France). During the manufacturing process, cheese is soaked in beer. Vieux Boulogne has gained fame as the stinkiest French cheese.

Neufchâtel (fr. neufchâtel) is a French soft cheese made from cow's milk with a crust covered with white fluffy mold, with the aroma and delicate taste of mushrooms, produced in Upper Normandy (in northern France). The cheese matures in 8-10 weeks and comes in six traditional shapes: square, briquette, barrel, double barrel, heart, big heart. Neuchâtel is usually served at the end of dinner before dessert. It is enjoyed with fresh bread and red wines from Côtes du Rhône, Beaujolais, Pomerol or Saint-Emilion.

Vieux Pané (French vieux pané) is a soft French cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk with a washed orange rind, produced in the Mayenne department (in western France). The cheese has a delicate aroma and spicy taste. The cheese matures for two weeks. Vieux Panay goes well with wines made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Cabecou (French cabecou) is a soft French cheese made from raw cow's milk or from a mixture of cow, goat and sheep, covered with a thin, ribbed crust with a white coating of mold and produced by farm methods in the historical region of Quercy (in the south of France). Cabeca is sprinkled with black pepper and stored wrapped in chestnut leaves. The cheese matures for 10 to 12 weeks and has a milky, creamy taste and aroma. Pairs well with St Joseph white wines (Marsanne, Roussanne grapes).

Osso-Iraty (French ossau-iraty) is an uncooked pressed semi-hard French cheese made from raw sheep's milk with an orange-yellow or grayish rind, produced in the south-west of France. The cheese matures for about 3 months in special rooms, which are built from stone in the mountains. Osso-Irati has a delicate nutty taste with a hint of olives and a spicy aroma. The cheese is most often served with the sweet wine Jurançon moelleux, as well as Grave, Irouléguy and Herrika-Arnoa wines.

Mont d'Or or Vacherin du Haut Doux (French Mont d'Or) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a washed rind, produced in France and Switzerland. In Switzerland, this cheese is called Vacherin-Mont-d'Or and is made from pasteurized milk. The cheese is sold in wooden boxes made of spruce. Mont-d'Or has a pleasant creamy taste, reminiscent of pine needles and champignons. The cheese is served with boiled potatoes and spread on white bread, and fondue is also made. Pairs best with young red wine Beaujolais Nouveau and dry white Jurançon.

Cancoillotte (French cancoillotte) is a liquid French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, produced mainly in Franche-Comté, but also in Lorraine and Luxembourg.

Metton (fr. metton) is a French flowing cheese made from cow's milk, which is made in Franche-Comté and matures over several days. Metton cheese is completely low-fat - only 11%.

Cantal (French cantal) is a hard or semi-hard French cheese made from cow's milk, ripening for 3 to 6 months, sometimes up to a year, and is made in the Auvergne province. The cheese inside is soft yellow in color with a thick golden crust with reddish mold. The taste of the cheese intensifies with ripening time. There are two types of cantal cheese: cantal fermier - a farmer's cheese made from raw milk and cantal laitier - a commercial cheese made from pasteurized milk. Used to prepare soups, salads, potato dishes and fondue.

Saler or highland saler (French salers) is an uncooked pressed semi-hard French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, covered with a thick grayish-brown crust, under which there is soft golden flesh. The minimum ripening period for cheese is 3 months, the maximum is up to 18 months. Saler has a slightly bitter aftertaste and a rich herbal taste. Eat cheese with apples, nuts or grapes. Light wines are also served with cheese: white Saint Péray, rose Saint Joseph, Saint Pourçain and red Marcillac.

Picodon (French picodon) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk with a small amount of rennet additives, ripening for 2-4 weeks. A young two-week-old cheese has a white pulp and rind, while a more mature cheese has a white flesh and a yellow tinge, and the rind turns blue. There are different types of this cheese. It goes best with white Saint Joseph blanc or sparkling sweet Muscat de Rivesaltes.

Carre de L'Est (fr. carre de L'Est) is a soft French cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk with a hard washed rind covered with white mold, originating from Lorraine (a region in north-eastern France). The cheese matures for five weeks.

La vache qui rit (French La vache qui rit; translated from French - “cheerful cow”, “laughing cow”) is a French processed cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk, produced by the Bel Group. Cheese is made from cream, milk, fresh and aged cheeses, and then pasteurized. The company sells cheese in more than 90 countries around the world and translates it into the buyer’s native language.

The literal translation from French of the word “fondue” means “molten.” There are different types and methods of preparing fondue.

Pelardon or Pelardon de Cévennes (French pélardon) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk, produced in the Cevennes mountains of the Languedoc Roussillon region (a region in the south of France). The cheese matures for 2-3 weeks in the cellar, where temperature and humidity are constantly maintained, then it is dried. Pelardon has a pungent aroma. Cheese is served before dessert, as well as for preparing various dishes. Pairs best with Costieres du Gard and Clairette du Languedoc wines.

Maroi (fr. maroilles) is a French cheese with a fat content of 45% made from cow's milk with soft elastic pulp and a washed rind. The cheese is named after the village of Maroy in northern France. They produce four types of cheese: “big cobblestone”, “sorbet”, “mignon” and “quarter”. The taste of the cheese is sharp, strong and tart, as well as a specific taste and smell. Maroi is served with Lalande-de-Pomerol, Chateau-neuf du pape, Cahors and Moulis wines. In northern France it is often consumed with beer or cider. As a rule, cheese is served before dessert with wheat bread and is used to prepare salads and other dishes.

Comte (French comte) is a French semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a grayish-brown rind, produced in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, after which the cheese is named. Cheese matures from 8 to 12 months. The cheese tastes sweetish.

Mimolette (French mimolette) is a hard French cheese made from cow's milk, usually produced in the vicinity of Lille in France. The cheese ripening period is from 6 months to 2 years, acquiring a special bitterish shade with a fruity aftertaste.

Layol or Tom de Layol (fr. laguiole) is an uncooked pressed semi-hard French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, covered with a grayish-brown rind and golden-yellow pulp. The cheese matures for 4-12 months and has a sour taste with hints of mountain herbs - gentian, fennel and thyme. Pairs best with Côtes du Rhône and Hermitage wines, as well as Marcillac, Buzet and Côtes du Frontonnais.

Mont de Ca (French mont des cats) is an uncooked semi-hard pressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a golden crust and small holes. The cheese matures within two months and has a delicate, pleasant taste. Pairs well with dry white Muscat wines or white Graves. Usually cheese is also served with morning coffee.

Crotin de Chavignol (fr. crottin de chavignol) is a soft, unpressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Depending on the period of ripening, the cheese has several official gradations: “half dry”, “bluish”, “blue” and “very dry”. Crotin de Chavignoles has a pleasant taste with a slight sourness and a slightly nutty aftertaste. Typically served at the end of lunch with fruit and bread, grilled on lettuce, and also used to make pancakes. Pairs well with white wines Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, or Sauvignon Blanc.

Langres (French langres) is a soft, unpressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, which is aged for at least five weeks. The cheese has a strong smell and a spicy taste of smoked bacon. There is a small depression in the center of the head of cheese, which is called a “fountain.” Before serving, vodka is poured into this depression and allowed to soak. Pairs best with Mercurey, Nuits-Saint-Georges or Côte du Rhône red wines.

Coulommier (fr. coulommiers) - soft cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk pale color with a grayish tint under the “noble” white mold, which received its name from the name of the Coulommier commune. In its taste and production method, coulomier is reminiscent of brie cheese.

Pon-l "Evek (in Russia it is also called Pon-Leveque) is a soft cheese made from cow's milk with a washed rind. Quite fragrant cheese with a pronounced taste, the sharpness and color of the rind depends on the ripening period (the longer, the more pronounced the taste ).

Livarot is one of the most ancient and famous Norman cheeses. Made from cow's milk, the texture is soft with a rich golden color with an orange crust. Its pungency and aroma depend on ripening. The peculiarity of this cheese is that it is wrapped five times with seaweed so that the cheese does not settle during ripening. In France, five stripes correspond to the rank of colonel, which is why the cheese has a French-folk name - “colonel”.

Morache (French montrachet) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk with a piquant taste, produced in Burgundy. Morache is consumed fresh with young red (Burgundy) and white (Meursault) wine.

Epoisses (French epoisses) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a washed rind, ripening for 5-8 weeks. The cheese is cut into four parts and eaten with a dessert spoon. Light Burgundy wines or slightly sweet white Chablis or Sauternes go better with cheese.

Morbier (French morbier) is a semi-soft pressed uncooked fatty cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, ripening for two months. It differs from all cheeses in that it has a black layer of wood ash. The taste of Morbier has a delicate fruity and nutty hue.

Fourme de Montbrison (French fourme de montbrison) is a French blue cheese made from cow's milk with a thin dry rind of gray and red color, ripening from 4 to 8 weeks. The cheese has a spicy salty taste with the aroma of milk and nuts. Usually cheese is served with a slice of bread and grapes. Sauternes or Rivesaltes wines are best.

Motay-sur-feuille (French: mothais sur feuille) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk with a natural crust. The cheese has an elastic and creamy texture. Recommended for consumption with rose champagne, white and red wines of the former Touraine province or local ones.

Rollo (French rollot) is a French cheese made from cow's milk, ripened for four weeks. The cheese has a pronounced salty taste with a slight pleasant bitterness. Pairs perfectly with Sancerre red wine.

Monster or Monster-Jerome (French munster, munster-géromé) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a washed rind, ripening from 5 weeks to 3 months. Cheese is used to prepare various dishes, from which you can select a mixture of jacket potatoes with melted cheese, a pie with filling and various salads.

Reblochon (fr. reblochon) is a French soft cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a “washed rind”, made in Savoie and ripened for 2 to 4 weeks. Ripe cheese has an orange rind with a thin white coating and a soft, sweetish creamy interior.

Temple (French templais) is a pressed boiled French hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, produced at the Fromagerie Baechler cheese factory in Le Temple-sur-Lot in Aquitaine (southwest France). The cheese has a spicy aroma, the softness is yellow straw color. Tample matures in 16 weeks.

Fourme d'Ambert (French Fourme d'Ambert) is a French cheese made from cow's milk interspersed with blue mold, covered with a thin dry crust of gray or red color. The cheese matures for at least 28 days. Served before dessert and used in preparing appetizers, salads, soufflés and as a filling for pancakes. Chinon, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, and Coteaux du Layon wines go well with cheese.

Rigotte de Condrieu (fr. rigotte de condrieu) is a soft pressed French cheese made from goat's milk, covered with a thin crust of bluish mold.

Sel-sur-cher (French: selles-sur-cher) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk, covered with a bluish crust, ripening from 10 days to 3 weeks. It has delicate snow-white flesh with a characteristic odor of goat's milk. Sel-sur-cher is served thinly sliced with an aperatif and warm grain bread or at the end of a meal with other cheeses. White wine Sancerre or young red Chinon are best, as are Bourgueil and Gamay.

Chabichou du Poitou (French: chabichou du poitou) is a French goat's milk cheese with a moldy crust of a grayish-blue hue and ivory-colored flesh. The cheese matures for at least 10 days, but is usually kept in the dryer for 2-3 weeks. Chabichou du Poitou has a strong taste, with a nutty aroma and a specific smell of goat's milk. Local wine from the Poitou region (in western France), white wine such as Sauvignon or Sancerre, goes well.

Tamié or Abbey de Tamié (French abbaye de tamié) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with an orange-brown rind on top, made in the Abbey of Tamié in the department of Savoie (in eastern France). The cheese pulp is cream-colored with a small number of holes. Ripens in 4 to 8 weeks. Tamier cheese melts well and is used to prepare various dishes, as well as sandwiches. Fruity white wines work well. There are two types of Tamier cheese: Petit Tamier and Grand Tamier.

Rocamadour (French rocamadour) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk with a crust made of natural mold, covered with a white velvety crust. The cheese matures for 1-4 weeks in cellars on wooden shelves. Rocamadour has a slight smell of goat's milk and a piquant taste. Young cheese aged six days has slightly sour flesh with a delicate nutty taste, while more aged cheese becomes sharper. The cheese goes well with Cahors, and Gaillac wine and white Vouvrey are also served.

Chaource (French chaource) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, ripening for 2 to 4 weeks. It has a delicate, slightly sour taste with the aroma of mushrooms and hazelnuts. Usually served before dessert, and sometimes cut into cubes along with an aperatif. Burgundy wines Chablis blanc and Irancy are ideal.

Saint-Nectaire (French saint-nectaire) is a soft uncooked pressed French cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese matures from 5 to 8 weeks. Saint-Nectaire has a hardened crust that smells of straw and oats, and soft, elastic yellow flesh with the taste of hazelnuts, mushrooms, salt and spices. The cheese is served with St. red Bordeaux wines. Estèphe, Pouilly, as well as Coteaux d'Auvergne and Cotes Roannaises.

Sainte-Agur is a semi-hard French blue cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, matured for two months. The consistency is creamy, elastic and pasty interspersed with blue mold. The sharp taste of blue mold harmonizes well with the soft creamy taste of the cheese. Always produced in an octagonal shape, packed in foil.

Tom des Bauges (French tome des bauges) is a semi-hard, uncooked French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, produced exclusively in the Bauges mountain range in Savoie (a department in eastern France). The cheese is covered with a grayish rind with some yellow-brown mold. The cheese has a straw-colored pulp with small holes. The cheese matures for 5 weeks and has a spicy taste.

Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine (French: sainte-maure-de-touraine) is a soft French cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk, covered with a bluish-gray crust of fluffy mold. Cheese ripening time is from 10 days to 6 weeks. A straw remains in the head of the cheese, which is used during ripening and plays the role of ventilation. The cheese pulp has a salty-sour taste with a nutty aroma. Serve as an aperitif or at the end of lunch. Used for making toast. Local light dry wines go best with cheese: white Vouvray and Sancerre or young red Chinon.

Tom de Savoie (French tomme de savoie) is a semi-hard, uncooked pressed French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk with a thick gray-brown rind that is not edible and has spots of natural mold of yellow and red color. The cheese matures for 10 weeks. The pulp of the cheese is tender, elastic and slightly salty, and has small “eyes”. The smell of the cheese is slightly “raw”, and the taste has fruity and herbal tones. Pairs best with Savoyard and Côtes de Beaune wines. Cheese is also served with sausages, fruits and bread.

One famous French politician talked about how difficult it is to govern a country in which there are several hundred varieties of cheese. France can rightfully be called the capital of cheese making. Here to dairy product They are not treated like a snack or a component of a sandwich, swallowed on the go in the morning. Eating cheese is a special ritual for the French, and cheese itself is a complete, highly respected dish that is almost deified.

Classification

In every city and province, moreover, in a small village, their own special type of cheese is created. Some of them are known and loved all over the world. Others only French gourmets have the opportunity to enjoy. The technologies for preparing the product are kept in the strictest confidence and are passed down from generation to generation unchanged. In the business of cheese making, traditions, experience and reputation are much more important than immediate success.

Based on the raw materials used for production, cheeses are divided into cow, sheep and goat cheeses. In some cases (very rarely), milk from two types of animals is used. For each variety, it is important to take only certain milk. Animals eat different foods and live in different conditions. The taste and quality of the final product directly and very strongly depends on this.

Traditionally, cheeses are divided into different types, including by aging period. They are:

young;
fresh with aging;
soft with a hard white crust;
semi-solid;
hard;
cheeses with blue or greenish mold inside (an unusual smell for many);
flavored (with herbs).

In the fashion capital and its provinces you can find all of the listed varieties. If in our country semi-hard varieties are more often consumed, then the French simply love to spread soft cheese on fresh crispy bread. Their favorites are both blue and hard varieties.

To be fair, it should be noted that this classification is very common and easy to understand. But they also divide products into those produced industrially and manually. Cheeses may be subjected to heat treatment or pressing, or can ripen under their own weight. They also reach readiness in different conditions: basements and storage facilities with a special microclimate and temperature, in the sun, in caves, in cells in a factory.

Forms

Many of us are accustomed to the traditional round wheel of cheese. However, in France there is no such concept. Each type of cheese has a recipe, color and, of course, shape that has been established for centuries. There are cheeses of square, rhombic, rectangular, cone-shaped, cylindrical, spherical and other shapes. Appeared in lately even fancy blanks, for example, in the form of hearts or bars.

This diversity is due to the peculiarities of the preparation of each type of product. Thus, the disk shape allows the cheese to ripen more evenly. The cone shape is used for sheep cheeses due to the fragility of their structure. And semi-hard and hard cheeses of peasant production have long been made in the shape of a square or triangle.

It is worth mentioning the color variations of French cheeses. In addition to the usual golden and orange ones, you can easily find black, white, red, blue, purple, and green cheeses here.

There are many handmade aromatic options, flavored with spices and decorated with herbs. Often each such work of art exists in a single version. And each bar is unique in taste and appearance.

Description of famous varieties

In France, any cheese has its own history, legend and a clear understanding of why it is prepared this way and not differently. It is rightly recognized that cheese making in this country is akin to art. It does not like haste and being taken too seriously. Light, sparkling notes, like the character of the French themselves, accompany the aged basic taste qualities in their cheeses. And the aroma of most varieties with honey, nutty, creamy or herbal notes makes one recall the popular definition of “food of the gods.”

Among the great variety of magnificent varieties, we can highlight some of the most famous and beloved, as well as the most rare and even unknown to many.

Universal Camembert, made from cows' milk, has earned popular love and popularity both at home and abroad. A rich but mild taste, wide possibilities of use in preparing various dishes and an affordable price category have made this semi-solid variety a favorite among many.
Hard variety of French Comté cheese named after the localization of its production - the Franche-Comté region. This is one of the rarest species. It is produced in very limited quantities in a makeshift way. And the production recipe has remained unchanged for several centuries. The raw material used is milk from cows that graze at an altitude of about four hundred meters. The cheese has a very delicate pulp with a creamy taste and fruity sweet notes. Due to its good melting properties, cheese can be used in the preparation of gourmet dishes (including fondue, first courses, gourmet sauces).

Young Saint-Nectaire ripens in one to two months and is made with rennet starter. The classic yellow color and delicate texture of the cheese are complemented by very bright spicy and nutty flavors. On top, the cylindrical flattened head has a hard crust with a whitish coating.
Soft Reblochon made from live, unpasteurized milk from cows in Savoie, located in the Alps region. The sweetish cheese is made in the shape of a circle. It ripens no longer than a month and when ready has a yellow-orange crust with a whitish coating. The origin of the name of this cheese is interesting. It is believed to come from a French word that translates to “re-milking a cow.” The thing is that in the Middle Ages peasants were forced to pay a tax after each milking of their cow. But they managed not to milk the cows in front of the inspectors. And when they left, they milked the cow again. An excellent Reblochon was prepared from this milk.
Munster cheese - one of the most ancient soft species . It is believed that monks of the early Middle Ages had a hand in its creation. Meat food was prohibited most of the time, so they obtained the necessary protein from cheese. It is prepared from cow's milk for about three weeks. The heads are washed with water from the spring twice a day, which is why it is also called “washed.” It has a reddish crust and a yellow interior with small holes. Lovers appreciate it for its pungent taste and pleasant aroma.

Roquefort – the well-known noble blue cheese with mold made from pasteurized sheep's milk. It has a salty taste and a strong smell. With prolonged aging, this precious variety acquires a nutty flavor. It is ideal as an independent dish or as part of a salad.
Cantal from central region France (Auvergne region) is a solid species. It is produced using ancient technologies both in large factories and in small cheese factories. The taste will naturally vary and also depend on the ripening period. How older age cheese, the more pungent its taste. Young unripe heads have a rather delicate milky-nutty taste.
Soft and very strong-smelling Emmental will surprise you with its sweet, spicy taste with a characteristic spicy twist. When cutting the cheese, you will notice quite large voids. They appear due to features technological process preparation in which special bacteria release gas escaping through these layers and voids. Traditionally, this product is made and served in containers made from tree bark.
Salers - a rare jewel of traditional cheese making in France. It is known that the history of its manufacture goes back more than one millennium. Today it is created only by hand. It is made on small farms in the central regions. It gets its special taste from the milk of cows that feed exclusively on lush grass in the Alps.

Francis is an exquisite variety for connoisseurs. It is prepared from a mixture of two types of cow's milk, as a result of which it gets a delicate, creamy, but at the same time very rich taste. And notes of noble mold add a sharp zest to it. They say that he was especially revered at the court of Francis the First himself.
The legendary Valence, according to the French, was given a uniform by Emperor Napoleon. It happened by accident. After an unsuccessful trip to Egypt, a head of this cheese caught his eye, and he cut off its sharp top with a saber. This is how the shape of a truncated pyramid was obtained. Traditionally, for maximum preservation, the crust is sprinkled with ash, on top of which appears white coating mold. Because of this, the cheese has an unusual ash color in appearance. Many people will like its taste: delicate, sweet, with the aroma of hazelnuts.
The Pearl of Normandy Livarot has been produced since the Middle Ages. It is often called the "Colonel" for its appearance, similar to shoulder straps: the bright orange-yellow head is wrapped in five stripes of a special grass. Spicy Picodon is made from the milk of goats in the Rhone River region. It will delight lovers of spicy taste, which is reflected in its very name. The delicacy is aged for a long time and, as it ripens, it acquires increasingly dense flesh and a rich shade of noble taste.
Fans of the unusual will enjoy another brainchild of medieval monks - Shaurs cheese., which appeared in the 14th century. It is beautiful with its bright creamy taste and smell, similar to the aroma of fresh champignons. Small heads weighing up to half a kilogram ripen in dry rooms, buried in straw. To finished product received its extraordinary smell, it is wrapped by craftsmen in sheets of plane tree.

How to choose the most delicious product?

Taste preferences Every person is different. Some will be attracted by the unusual aroma of mushrooms or the taste of nuts, while others will be attracted by the spiciness of pepper. Some people will like the herbal or fruity taste; for others, the presence of threads of noble blue mold in the cheese will be important.

If you need to choose a new unusual type of cheese, you should taste it first. In order for the characteristic taste to be revealed correctly, this should be done in accordance with the recommendations of professionals in their field.

They usually choose from a dozen varieties, cut into the thinnest slices. They are served with well-baked cereal bread. For each type of cheese, a separate fork is given so that the aftertaste does not get lost and the flavors do not mix. You should take cheese from a special plate (or board) not with your hands, but with a special device. This is a cheese knife, but in appearance it resembles a fork with two blunt tines. It is on this that thin slices are put into the mouth. Naturally, you should wait some time between trying two different types, and not eat one cheese over the other.

Fresh varieties are suitable for those who like a soft, delicate taste. They are soft in consistency and have no crust. They are distinguished by their light color and smooth, moist surface. Rarely do they have a sour taste, more often a delicate milky or unopened creamy taste.

Fresh, aged cheeses also have tender flesh, but are covered with a hard crust.. They have interesting herbal undertones in a sweetish flavor and are usually made from goat's milk.
Soft cheese can have very different consistency: mealy, grainy, melting. It has an unusual aroma and taste of mushrooms. There are varieties with subtle bitterness.
Aged varieties have a creamy tint mushroom soup , which is especially appreciated by gourmets around the world.
Semi-hard cheeses are almost universal. Having chosen such a head, it is difficult not to please any discerning connoisseur, since there are a special variety of them in France. The abundance of flavors, textures and colors will delight any collector. Everyone will be able to choose their favorite or new taste, no matter where they are in the country.
Hard cheeses will be appreciated by lovers of preparing various complex dishes.. They are usually made in the form of large flat heads with a rough surface. The more impressive the age of the cheese, the better its rich taste with honey, spicy or nutty notes will be revealed.
Flavored varieties have become widely known relatively recently.. But their invention dates back to the 16th century. Their highlight is in the addition of various herbs, various combinations of spices and even pieces of fruit to them in the production. These additional components in no way interrupt the main taste, but give it a special charm. These cheeses are made by hand and sometimes colored with natural dyes.

The French have their own reverent attitude towards this favorite delicacy. They will not understand its use hastily in the company of a huge piece of bread and a glass of tea. The cheese is tasted, enjoying every shade of flavor it carries, like the aroma notes of a rare perfume. The complex flavor develops gradually, especially in aged varieties. Therefore, it is recommended to eat it in pure form, at least those varieties that you are trying for the first time.

But the French do not consider it shameful to supplement the delicacy with semi-sweet or semi-dry drinks. In their opinion, one taste better helps to reveal and highlight another.