Monday, June 12, 2006

What's your favorite cheese?

You're going to think that this is turning into a food blog. But it's not.

There are a lot of cheeses in France. I find most of them wonderful. A few of them I don't for a variety of reasons, too pungent, too moldy, too many spiders on the outside. (I'm not making that up.) But I'm open to trying all of them at least once. Some of my favorites are St. Félicien (cow's milk), Bleu des Basques (sheep's), corsican hard sheep cheese (almost like a pecorino but not), fresh goat cheese, beaufort (cow's), and I'll stop there just to keep the list short.

I know a few people who don't like cheese very much, or who don't like very many cheeses. That's ok, I feel the same way about brussel sprouts. But I know one person who doesn't like ANY cheese. Not a single one. In a country where there are roughly 375 varieties of cheese, I find it hard to accept that there is not a SINGLE cheese that could please said person. Said person will not try cheese and categorically refuses to eat anything with cheese in it. Having said that, said person once ate cheese at my house. Unknowingly. I admit it. I lied to said person. Crab dip was out, said person asked if there was cheese in it and I said no because, really, is cream cheese really cheese? It's more like really thick sour cream. And the number of appetizers said person 'could' eat was already minimal due to another dietary restriction so I was feeling a little panicked. What would said person eat if not the crab dip? Just plain old crudités? Said person trusted me and ate the crab dip and appreciated it. I felt very guilty.

In France, there is a solution for people who don't like cheese. Aside from not eating it and panicking the hostess. Saint Jean d'Aulp. It is a pilgrimage. For people who don't like cheese. And I'm not making that up either.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

For that reason alone (all of the cheese varieties) I could live in France. I love cheese and could probably live off of it for months. I don't compare the cheese in wine country to that of France - I know we are lacking - but thankfully we have plenty and thankfully it does not have spiders.
ps - hope boy2 is all better!

Anonymous said...

pss - I am personally loving your food blogs. If I can't live in France, at least I can pretend to enjoy French fine dining experiences thru your writings. Imaginations are a powerful tool!

Lorraine said...

I will stop eating cheese when they pry my cheese knife from my cold, dead hand. Or, they could just bury me with it. In a vat of chevre topped with a smidge of lavendar honey.

Lex Lata said...

I actually decided to propose to my now-wife while eating some great cheese (& other stuff) with her in an oceanfront park in Normandy. Dunno what kind it was--the wife speaks the French, I speak the German--but it's part of a wonderful memory.

Nicole said...

Beth - try fromage.com, they used to have some good stuff.

Lorraine - And instead of tossing roses we would toss slices of pain de seigle aux noix.

Pat - no wonder she married you.

Rachel G - please think of me the next time you have a slice of sharp cheddar from you state. thank you.

Charlie - I knew you could appreciate the stinkier thing in life.