recommend French cheeses?
 

I'd love to try some of the cheeses in France, but I'm one of those picky eaters. I can't eat sheep or goat cheeses (but I'm not allergic) and I don't usually care for soft cheeses (like Brie) or strong ones (Roquefort) - I think the majority of French cheese is the soft variety. Anyone care to recommend their favorites, after all those caveats? Thanks!

Sorry, Brophy, I can not help. Just tagging on as I love cheese and would love to hear what others have to say.

I love Brie and Roquefort and would love to know of other ones to try while in Paris.

Epoisses -- soft and creamy, smelling like "angels feet", spread on crusty bits of baguette ---- Heaven!

You would hate it, given your almost all inclusive list of caveats. Sounds like you would only enjoy good old "American" cheese slices.

Why go to France if your mind is already made up that you won't like the food?

:-)

... I gotta ask why can't you eat sheep or goat cheeses?

If it's in season (yes, I found out some cheese has "seasons"), Mont d'Or is absolutely divine. Soft cheese, in a wooden box, semi-strong aroma, but mild, buttery taste. Heaven. I've discovered many a cheese by just walking into a cheese store and pointing at anything that looks good to me. The fromager can probably guide you to the cow's cheeses, and give you an idea of how strong the taste/smell is.

I never really considered myself much a fan of cheese, especially strong ones, until I went to Paris. After after a week, just standing in a cheese shop taking in different aromas was a favorite thing to do.

Break yourself in easy. Find a sidewalk cafe, order a decent bottle of Bordeaux and a cheese plate. I found it almost impossible not to love good cheese when paired with good wine.

Hi Brophy,

Look for the widely-available Port Salut or Saint-Paulin, not unlike an Edam. Also look for Cantal, French Gruyere and Morbier (with its distinct line of ash through the middle). Some Tommes may pass your test, but check to see if it is made with cow or goat milk.

Without being too adventurous, please try a brie. It won't be the same on holiday, it will be better, and may inspire you to try other cheeses.

JQ

And any "french"cheese you get in the US is not even a remote cousin to the real thing! I do not like the chevre we get here...but in France I gobble it up!

This makes me think of the scene in "French Kiss" when Meg Ryan is eating cheese on the train to Provence...

Actually, the majority of French cheeses are not necessarily soft, if by that you mean Brie/Camambert. Many are on the crumbly side and absolutely delicious. My favorite, however, is Roquefort, which Brophy doesn't like. But what about Bleu d'Auverge? Fromage de Montagne? Grand Vatel? Reblochon?

You might want to pick up a bopy of the Eyewitness Handbook of French Cheeses, which covers over 350 of them. Yum!

French meunster (from cows' milk) is wonderful. So is compté.

http://www.fromages.com/
CamEmbert...;;)

oh Underhill [-X
Comté, Munster

I don't care for a lot of cheese myself but I was introduced to Comte by my friend during one visit. I am hooked. Only one place in my city sells it and it is very expensive. Try it.

coucou georgiegirl! :-x I'll remember you like Comté! ;-)

Cantal, mentioned above, would be a good choice, but if you don't like sharp cheeses it should be a jeune (young) cantal. Cantal is very much like good Northern New York State cheddar, which mostly disappeared in my youth or soon thereafter, thanks to overzealous sanitary regulations that small producers could not afford to comply with.

People who want to research deeply may be interested in a book titled "French Cheeses," published in Britain by Dorling Kindersley, with a foreword by Joel Robuchon - perhaps the definitive guide to French cheeses. The authors are Japanese. Their names do NOT appear on the cover.

I would have said cantal, also, although it's not really that big on my hit list -- the problem is that every French cheese I really like a lot is on your hit list for being either soft and/or strong. Fourme d'Ambert, for example, is one I like a lot, as well as many chevres and camembert.

Another vote for Comte. We discovered this cheese on our last visit. Crumbly and very tasty without being super strong. Fits all your requirements nicely I would think.

I don't like goats cheeses either (French ones at least) they seem to suck the saliva out of your mouth!! The Australian goats cheeses however are not so strong and I do enjoy those. So Brophy, remember in different countries the cheeses will all be different, you try a little, if you still don't like it then fine, move on to the next one, hey you could try a new one everyday for a year and still not have worked your way through them all!

And be sure to have a little wine with the cheese. Heavenly things can happen then.

I thought I didn't like Roquefort either until we had it in the Dordogne. Also a semi-soft cheese that was infused with walnuts(?) -- it was wonderful however I don't think you would ever find it anywhere but in France. Do try a cheese plate with a nice glass of red wine and you might be surprised at what you discover you like! I'm so hooked now, I try EVERYTHING I may not like everything, but it's surprising how many I do.