Cheese Fest

Archive for the ‘French’ Category

Livarot

This is apparently the oldest style cheese in Normandy. Originally made by monks, Livarot is washed in fresh water coloured with annatto, which gives its sticky rind a bright orange appearance. Five indentations around its circumference mark the presence of strands of sedge grass that were used to bind it during maturation. Livarot The flesh, is actually semi-soft though it does look like it’s trying to run out once cut. It is a pale golden yellow with randomly shaped holes and a soft rubbery texture. It has a very strong cowshed/farmyard smell, with a very robust flavour, somewhere between a Camembert and an Epoisses. If you like strong, stinky cheeses, then this is definitely one to try.

 Purchased from a French cheese stall outside Brighton station.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2012

(4/5)

Munster

Made in Alsace and Lorraine, north eastern France, this soft rubbery, pale yellow cheese, wrapped in its sticky pale orange rind looks reasonably tame. Munster But, like most washed cheeses, beneath this gentle appearance, lurks something less respectable. Suffice to say… it’s a bit on the whiffy side. The smell is pungent like a good Camembert, but has an “alpine farm yard” quality. Like most cheeses, the smell should never put you off tasting. Munster has a rather interesting “boingy” texture which is pleasant to chew. The flavour is a little bitter and initially quite intense, but it fades quickly leaving a gently creaminess that only subtly echoes the smell. All in all, a very pleasant experience. Just remember to let it breath before serving.

Purchased from the French cheese stall outside Brighton Station.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia.

(4/5)

Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol literally means “horse dung of Chavignol”, Chavignol being a small village right in the middle of France in the department of Cher. Luckily, this description refers to its shape and size rather than its flavour.

Only 50mm across, this little goat cheese has a yellow rind, but as it matures, it develops a dusting of mould that will provide a colourful transition from yellow, to white, to blue/green, through to grey.

It’s paste is white and soft, but becomes crumbly as it ages.

The one we had, (pictured) was just starting to develop the blue mould. (Yes, I know, it’s not a good picture )

Creamy, but with a typical goat’s cheese chalkiness to the texture. There was no instant hit of flavour. Instead, the flavour gradually built up becoming quite strongly goaty with lemony overtones. All in all, a pleasant experience.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2012

(3.5/5)

Morbier

The most visually striking thing about this cheese is the presence of a thin dark grey line though the centre of its pale ivory coloured paste.

This grey line is actually a layer of wood ash. Traditionally, the cheese was made from the curd from two milkings. The ash was sprinkled over the morning curd to protect it during the day, and then the evening curd was poured on top.

This is one of our favourite cheeses. The paste is soft and flexible with a sweet, milky, farm yard smell. Though typically Alpine, in many respects, Morbier captures the best of this. Rich and creamy, buttermilky and nutty with overtones of fresh cut hay and the farm yard. Very satisfying, to nibble and savour with a glass of wine… DELICIOUS!

The original purchase for this review came from Selfridges. However, more recently, a piece has be bought from Tesco Remarkably, the Tesco sample was better than one purchased in France.

Purchased from Selfridges, London.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2010

(5/5)

 

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Update

To our delight, we recently discovered that the French also produce an aged version of Morbier.
Thinner than the usual variety (presumably due to shrinkage), but a dark yellow colour, becoming almost brown near the edges. It looks like it’s been kicking around for while, but… Oh my word! None of those subtle features of its younger sister, this is full force and in your face, intense and pungent. It may be too strong for some, but if you like Morbier and strong cheese, it is definitely worth seeking out.

Brebis Rousse

A visually pleasing and tidily presented cheese, with its neat rectangular form, bright orange/red rind and dusting of white moulds.

This is a complex cheese, with many different aspects for the palate.

Firstly, there is a real “farm yard” smell, which is always a good sign . Initially there appears to be very little flavour, but after a few seconds, it starts to build. It begins with a flavour like many mild, semi-soft cheeses. Then there’s a definite goatiness, which is highly unusual for a sheep’s cheese. As this fades, it leaves a salty aftertaste.

Like most washed rind cheeses, when eaten with wine, it introduces a new element to the flavour. With Brebis Rousse, it comes in the form of a spicyness.

Purchased from Cheese Please, Lewes.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia.

(3.5/5)

 

 

 

Pié d’Angloys

Gourmet cheeses from the supermarket can often be disappointing. The fridges they use are set at temperatures dictated by store policy rather than cheese storage ideals. Sell by dates are set way before necessary, just to be on the safe side. The result is that often supermarket cheese won’t ripen.

Pié d’Angloys seems to be immune to this supermarket abuse and ripens at around the sell by date regardless of how it’s kept.

Typical of Cistercian methods, this is wine washed cheese. The rind is sticky, a pale orange colour and dusted in flour. The inner paste is a soft ivory colour and deliciously gooey when ripe.

Like a good Camembert, it becomes very smelly as it approaches ripeness (even through unopened packaging), but the flavour is not as strong. It has a decadent, but delicate creaminess, with Camembert like pungent overtones. A truly enjoyable and reliable alternative to supermarket Camembert. Additionally, like most washed rind cheeses, it produces the wonderful perfumed flavours when eaten with wine.

Purchased from Tesco.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2012.

(4/5)

 

Tommes De Savoie

A smallish round wheel with a hard white and grey mouldy rind. According to our sources  ”Tommes de Savoie” is made by a wide variety of producers covering a large area of France close to the Italian border. It varies considerably depending upon where it is made and what time of year.

Tommes, is a generic name for a cheese made from the skimmed milk left after the cream has been removed to make butter. As a result, they are relatively low in fat.
Its pale yellow paste is rubbery in texture with small amorphous holes in it.

It has quite a pungent aroma with a strong ammonia smell on the rind. Reminiscent of other alpine cheeses with satisfying farmyard flavour. Very similar to Fontina in taste, though not as strong, with a slight bitterness with creaminess of Morbier.

Purchased from Brighton Sausage Co.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia

(4/5)

Saint Vernier

Saint Vernier is a small round, washed rind cheese beautifully presented in a  little wooden flower shaped bowl.Washed in savagnin wine, this semi-soft cheese has a thick gooey interior with a lovely creamy texture. The presentation, colour and consistency are highly attractive, but it’s smell and flavour are very mild and somewhat indistinct, which, in our opinion makes it a bit of a non-entity.

Purchased from Waitrose.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2012.

(2/5)

Chaumes

Chaumes is a traditional Trappist monk style cheese. It has a soft, waxy, bright orange washed rind. It’s paste is pale cream in colour, soft and rubbery in texture.

It’s washed rind smell promises more than it delivers. It has a mild taste, with a slight tang. Of a similar ilk to that of Port Salut, slightly tastier, but unexciting.

Purchased from Bakers & Larners, Holt.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2012

(2/5)