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Food in France - cheese
Cheese in France is big business, and is taken very seriously. Many a French meal is passed discussing the merits of one particular variety or another, and what elaborate process the producer had to go through to get this particular cheese to the table.
One important thing to remember - in France, the cheese course is usually taken before the dessert course at dinner.
There is good reason for the reputation of French cheese. While many cheeses in the world have become over bland with the introduction of more mechanical techniques of production, the finer French cheese have avoided this to some degree, in part by introducing the AOC (protected name and methods) for cheeses, much as they have for wines.
A market in France will almost always have a cheese stall or two, offering a bewildering array of local and exotic cheese, each in their way magnificent. All I can suggest is that you come to France and try some, because the best cheeses really are the locally produced, locally sold, varieties. But enough snobbery.
There are reputedly more cheeses in France than there are days in the year - undoubtedly true, but there are three French cheeses in particular for which France is renowned world-wide, and all quite different.
The three French cheeses of greatest repute, both at home and internationally, are Roquefort, Brie de Meaux, and goat's cheese. I have added separate sections for brie and roquefort, including a recipe or two. Goat's cheese I am still conducting taste tests!:
Goats cheese - I will add a section when I have completed my extensive and extremely pleasurable research.
Want to buy French chesse?: From 1997, fromages.com offer to the cheese fans a selection of traditional french cheese. Delivered worldwide in express delivery.
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