Sunday, May 10, 2009

Stephen's Cheese List or We've died and gone to cheese heaven


Just a few interesting facts to add to Stephen's cheese list.

The French consume approximately 42 pounds of cheese per person per year. Americans, not so much, 20 pounds. Experts say there are nearly 200 varieties with another 100 with similar variations.

Our friend Stephen Bacon stayed with us not long after we arrived in Paris. Stephen is a cheese connoisseur and has sent me his list of favorite French cheeses for publication...

Abbaye de Bellocq (E, fermier)
Ami du Chambertain (C, semi-soft, fr Gevrey-Chambertin in Bourgogne)
Barkass
Bethmale Chevre (G, semi-firm, silky texture)
Bressan (E & C)
Brillat-Savarin (C, semi-soft, triple fat, round, thick crust)
Briede Mellun
Bleu d’Auvergne (C, moist & creamy, 50%, fr Auvergne)
Boulette d'Avesnes (Conical cayenne covered cheese with mixed herbs)
Bucheron (E, short logs, aka Boucheron/Boucherondin, fr Loire Val,)
Camembert Affine au Cidre de la Maison
Cantal (CU, 45%, semi-firm, fr Auvergne)
Cantalet (C, fermier, like cheddar, fr Auvergne)
Chabichou du Poitou (G, 45% fermier, fr Loire Valley),
Chaource (C, 50%)
Coeur d'Arras (C, RW, heart, fr Maroilles fam ?)
Cœur de Camembert au Calvados (C, soft, soaked in Calvados, fr Normandie,)
Coulommiers (CU&P, rich and creamy)
Crottin du Berry (du Chavignol ?) (G, 45%, sft, fr Berry & Perigord)
Epoisses de Bourgogne (C, 50%, RW w/ marc de Bourgogne.)
Explorateur (C, 75%)
Gaperon (Garlic/peppercorns. Bound by string, low fat)
Langres (C, plateau of Langres in the region of Champagne-Ardenne)
Livarot (C, 40%, semi-sft)
L'ami du Chambertin (CU, Epoisses-like, moist, RW w/ Marc de
Bourgogne, fr Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy)
Morbier lait cru (Nov-Feb, line of ash in the middle, delicate flavour)
Munster (fr Alsace, very pungent, rich, strong, creamy with a hint of sweetness)
Neufchâtel (soft, slightly crumbly, mould-ripened, Normandy, 6thC, heart shape)
Ossau-Iraty (E, 50%, raw milk, firm, fr Basque)
Pavé d'Affinois (C, soft-white, vegetarian)
Pavé d'auge (C, aka Pave de Moyaux, fermier, Normandy, reddish rind.)
Pont l’Eveque (CU, 40%, white orange rind, Normandie)
Pavé de Moyaux (see Pavé d'auge)
Pouligny-Saint-Pierre (G, AOC, pryamid shaped, fr Berry)
Raclette (C, raw, WR, fr Savoie)
Reblochon (C, semi soft, fr Savoy mountain region)
Roquefort (E, 50%, blue, balance of sweet, acid and salt, deep full flavour)
Roquefort, Petite Cave (Wailtrose)
Soumaintrain (powerful rich flavour w/ pungent smell; sweet, salty, creamy milk)
Tomme Cabriolet
Tomme d’aiguebelette
Tomme de Chèvre au Muscadet (G, firm, fr Loire Valley ; Cambridge Cheese stall)
Tomme de Savoie (C, semi firm, skim? fr Savoie Fr Alps, gray-brown rind)
Tomme Fermière des Lindarets (C)
Tomme Noir des Pyrénées (CP, semi-soft, black wax rind, pale, small holes)
Vecchio Corse

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