Soft, melted, roasted in the oven or dripping from pie, taken as an aperitif, as a starter or as a main course, cheese is a must in French gastronomy. There are more than a hundred in the region and a greater variety throughout the world. Consumed alone or accompanied, cheese goes perfectly with wine and a multitude of foods for original and rich taste experiences. Here are 4 interesting things to know about cheese and its consumption.
The cheese is sufficient on its own, but can very well be accompanied with other foods
Exquisite enough to be self-sufficient, cheese goes well and blends easily with other foods for rich and varied culinary experiences. So if you’re wondering what to accompany your delicious platter, be reassured to know that cheeses go well with most other foods. Of course, the accompaniments vary according to your tastes and the type of cheese.
From simple combinations with bread , to associations with nuts , vegetables and fruits for a colorful touch, not to mention jams , compotes and chutneys . There are many possibilities for your cheese recipes .
With a minimum of creativity , you will be able to create the best assortments for your cheese platters.
Camembert in the oven among the most gourmet cheese recipes
Whether as an aperitif , starter or main course , cheese recipes can be enjoyed in different ways and on all occasions.
Cheese empanadas , potato or pumpkin gratins , oven fondue , toast , croquettes , quiches , croque-monsieur , there are a multitude of cheese-based recipes and preparations, each more delicious than the other. Of all, the Camembert in the oven is certainly one of the most delicious and appreciated. This is a recipe for roasting in the oven combining the powerful taste of Camembert Rustique with fragrant fine herbs from Provence . Perfect for an aperitif, the preparation results in a melting and gourmet texture that will not fail to delight the taste buds of the most gourmets.
Not all cheese rinds are edible
The rind is that outer layer that surrounds the cheese and gives it a unique taste. Relatively thin and hard, it forms during the cheese making and ripening process. Remember that the rind is made up of a mixture of bacteria , milk , minerals and molds that are generally specific to each family of cheese.
So can you eat your cheese down to the rind? Well, it all depends on the type of cheese involved! While it is quite possible to eat the rind of some cheeses, others do not offer this privilege.
Soft cheeses with a bloomy rind (Camembert, Saint-Marcellin, Brie, goat cheese), soft cheeses with a raised rind , as well as blue-veined cheeses are those whose rind is edible. So you can eat them with your eyes closed.
On the other hand, cheeses whose rind is covered with thin layers of paraffin or wax are not edible. This is particularly the case for hard or semi-hard cheeses and certain pressed cheeses such as Edam or Mimolette , the rind of which should be discarded.
There are several major families of cheeses
Cheese is a whole culinary universe. There is, in fact, a wide variety of cheese in France (more than a hundred) and around the world. Naturally, each type of cheese differs from the others by its flavor , its texture and its manufacture among other things. A categorization effort made it possible to group into large families made up of types of cheese with certain affinities. There are thus nearly a dozen families of cheese including:
- Soft cheeses with a bloomy rind , including the famous Camembert ,
- Fresh cheeses which are distinguished by their creamy and melting texture,
- Soft cheeses with a raised rind which are characterized by their strong smell and their moist orange-coloured rind,
- Pressed cheeses cooked like Emmental ,
- Uncooked pressed cheeses such as Reblochon ,
- goat ‘s milk cheeses ,
- Processed cheeses , obtained by melting one or more types of cheese,
- Blue -veined cheeses with their characteristic blue.
Each family of cheeses has its specificities. Knowing them well before starting your exploration of the world of cheese will help you identify and choose the varieties that correspond to your preferences .
