Blondie

There is a cheese that is baked on top of sandwiches, melted in crepes and put inside baguettes with meat.
What is it? I don't care for it and forgot to ask so I can avoid it going forward.
Also, do the french not have cheddar?

indytravel

I think it's gruyere. Don't ever recall seeing many yellow cheeses in France. I like goat cheese (chevre) and langres.

HuisClos

It's either gruyere or emmentheler. As for cheddar, they do have cheddar, but like in England, it's white, not orange.

cigalechanta

Goat cheeses are white.

StCirq

Lots of cheeses are white. The cheese that's used on top of Croque Monsieurs and Croque Madames and French Onion Soup and all the other standard recipes is Gruyères. Occasionally, they use Emmenthaler. And no, the French don't have a Cheddar - that's an English cheese - and I suppose we have copies of it here in the the USA, but no, the French don't have Cheddar, per se.

Christina

I love cheese, and especially French because I like softer cheese, mold-ripened and goat cheeses, and the French are good at those. What you are asking about is gruyere, which is Swiss. It's also used traditionally in fondue. It should be easy to avoid because even modest cafes list ingredients on the menu of sandwiches.

Cheddar is an English cheese, although they make it a lot in the US, also. If you want a harder, strong, yellow cheese, there are some from the Auvergne/Cantal region. You might try Salers, that's a stronger yellow one. I don't think it's as sweet as cheddar, which may be what you like about it.

Patrick

I'm not sure that you're talking about a type of cheese at all. Perhaps you are referring to the bachemal sauce that is often put inside crepes and over the croques before baking or toasting.

Ursula

For the melted cheese, it's likely to be Gruyère.

As for the sandwiches, they mostly use Emmental, sometimes together with ham.

Patrick, I know what you mean, but it's béchamel!

Mathieu

Ursula, is that you from Switzerland ?
If yes, nice to hear from you again. You may not remember me but you were most helpful with the Swiss chocolate question and discussions about a year ago.

Gutten Tag ! (or..gree-urt-see !)

Patrick

Sorry, Ursula, my fingers work faster than my brain, which isn't any too fast.

Kay

What kinds of French cheese would I ask for if I wanted something quite strong and can be taken along on a picnic with bread/ham? (preferably hard cheeses). Also what cheeses does one usually get served for a cheese course at the end of a meal? I love cheese but know so little about French cheese. Thanks, Kay

MyriamC

Kay,
Some good cheeses for a picnic may be a Comté, Beaufort, Gruyère, Emmental. These are hard cheeses with good flavour.

What cheeses you will be served at the end of a meal will mostly depend on the region (and sometimes the season). Usually a hard cheese (Gruyère, Emmental, ...), a soft cheese made of raw milk or semi-soft cheese (Camembert, Brie, Brillat Savarin, Reblochon, ...) and a blue cheese (Roquefort, Bleu de Gex, ...).

Ursula

Mathieu, Grüezi! And yes, that's me!
I managed to pull up that thread by typing 'Teuscher' into the search box. Did you post as 'Mathew' at that time?

As for the hard cheeses, I also love Parmiggiano (Italian) and Sbrinz (Swiss). But it might be more difficult to get them in France.
As for the soft ones, I am a fan of goat cheeses (chevre).

Kay, if you want to get cheese for a picnic, it's best to get them at a cheese shop, where you can get very little portions (ask for 50 grams=some 2 oz.). Sometimes, they will let you taste, before you buy.

Myriam, I find it difficult to find a real good flavoured Emmental. Very often, it tastes just like chewing gum,
unless you get it a nice cheese store.

Patrick, don't tell me. I wish there was an edit and spell check function here.

MyriamC

Ursula,
In our cheese store (I always buy cheese in a specialized store) they sell the real Emmental de Savoie. Sometimes my son complains that it's more holes than cheese, but that is the real good one!

Ursula

Ha, Myriam, real Emmental de Savoie! I believe you, sure, but the Emmental is a Swiss region and origin of the real Emmental. It looks like foreigners imagine Switzerland. Nothing but cows and charming little villages.
My mom was from Langnau, the center of the Emmental.

I used to love Emmental cheese, when I was a kid. Because of the holes, I guess. ;o)
And the good thing of all, you don't pay for the holes!

But the one they usually put into the sandwiches, tastes like chewing gum and its colour is almost white. Yuck.

Heimdall

I think it would be more diplomatic to ask for a French cheese in Paris, rather than Swiss or Italian. For strong cheeses, any goats cheese, or a roquefort would do. I once ordered fromage blanc from a menu at a restaurant in Vichy, and got a white cheese covered in cream. Don't know what the cheese was called, though.

RufusTFirefly

"How can you be expected to govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?"
Charles de Gaulle

Ursula

Heimdall,
Fromage blanc is widely known in France. It's similar to ricotta, but creamier, sometimes also richer.
It's comes unseasoned. For dessert, you can add sugar, honey or whatever. French like to have it for dessert.
Sometimes, you see it salted/peppered with herbs added as a dip together with apéro snacks (celery, carrots, cucumber, etc.)
I love real French fromage blanc, but it's not easy to find outside France. Sometimes, I buy Greek yoghurt instead, which is a little similar.
And just by the way, when I lived in Paris, I didn't feel undiplomatic at all, when I bought Swiss or Italian cheese. No problem at all.

Mathieu

Ursula : Yes, that was me ! I wanted to register as the same name but it was already taken, so I did the next best thing....since I speak French too.

I, too, really enjoy the many kinds of chevres (sorry, I don't have the accents on my keyboard). What's better to go with a good Merlot on a snowy winter's evening ?

Has anyone tried the Portuguese "St. Georges" cheese ? It is a white, salty, hard cheese but is great for just casually picking at with wine or apples.