With
over 500 cheeses available,
France is indisputably the country of cheese. There is an
almost endless variety of cheese in France from the very
mild to the quite strong. There are cheeses for every mood,
liking and budget.
Although
modern technology is used throughout France to produce cheese,
French cheese makers have retained their skills and craft.
Many French cheeses (39) have the prized "Appellation d'Origine
Contrôlée" (AOC) status.
This means that the cheese has been made in accordance with
strict regulations, and more particularly originates from
a specific region.
There
are three main types of cheeses: cow's milk cheeses, goat's
milk cheeses and sheep's milk cheeses. Because of the amazing
number of cheeses, there many others adjectives describing
the texture and taste of French cheeses.
Let's
quote fresh, soft-white, natural-rind, washed-rind, semi-soft,
hard and blue. Some cheeses are emblematic of French culture
and gastronomy. It will be a shame to come in France without
tasting Roquefort, Camembert, Brie,
Epoisses, Reblochon, Comté…
Nothing
goes better with cheese than fresh bread and local wine.
French cheeses heavenly blend with French wines. The best
is often the simplest: local cheese has to be blend with
local wine. Moreover,
cheese can be cooked: tarts with goat's milk cheese or Maroille,
tartiflette or raclette are delicious French specialities
with cheese.
You
can also enjoy succulent cheeses in some of the most beautiful
villages of France: Cabecou from Autoire
or Loubressac, oak's milk
cheese from Balazuc or Minerve,
Comté from Château-Chalon,
Tomme from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval,
and so on.
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