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A FEW FRENCH FAVOURITES
At the beginning of May we provided a selection of British and Continental cheeses for Arkell's brewery wine-tasting evening. This is an annual event and it's always interesting to see what cheeses are the favourites of the night. This year, in spite of a little anti-Gallic sentiment, the honours went to four French specialities.
People were extremely intrigued by the Boulette d'Avesnes and most (much to our surprise, because it is an acquired taste) loved it. We were told by many that they had never seen it before or, at least, only on visits to France. It is a conical cheese with a greenish-yellow interior and a red exterior (the red colour comes from a paprika coating). The cheese itself is strong and pungent and is mixed with tarragon, pepper and breadcrumbs. It comes from Avesnes, an ancient town near the Franco-Belgian border, and is normally sold when two to three months old. The French nickname for this cheese is 'Suppositoire du Diable' - no prizes for guessing the translation!
Another cheese which was eaten almost faster than we could cut it was the Montagnard, a small cheese from the Vosges. This has a dry, slightly pungent orange/white rind with a smooth runny interior. It's a cheese which is also very much liked by our shop customers, being described by some as 'one of the best cheeses sold here'.
The most popular blue was Fourme d'Ambert, a tall drum-shaped cheese from the Rhone-Alpes region of France. This is a moist blue, with only minimal crust. It has a good strong blue flavour with a smooth creamy texture, and goes well with sweet dessert wines. The round slices also look most attractive on a cheese board as a contrast to the usual wedges.
Small Reblochons from the Savoy Alps were also much appreciated. This raw milk cheese is young and tender with a fresh aroma and a delicate nutty taste. It is made from the richest Alpine milk and is available in a 250g or 500g size.
Bon appetit!
