April 18, 2009

A Cheese Odyssey



Two years ago I impulsively decided to take on the whopping task of tasting each and every cheese produced in France. Today, April 18, is the two year anniversary of la Fête du Fromage.
I think that calls for a celebration!

Each and every cheese
...just how many is that exactly? Apparently there is no definitive answer. Some say as few as 350 and other sources cite as many as 1000. The most common answer is that there are around 400-500 French cheeses.

In the last two years I have tasted about 130 of the 350-1000. That means I've got another 3 to 10 years of delicious French cheese tasting to look forward to. Here's to that!


A few highlights from the last 2 years:

Tomette des Corbières,
Langres
Le Napoléon Commingeois
Tomme de Maquis
la Taupinière
Cabretou
La Courounne Lochoise
Gaperon

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13 comments:

spacedlaw said...

I love your enthusiasm for cheese.

Melanie said...

I applaud your choice in adventures!

Nadege said...

That is a very nice, tasty chalenge.

Anonymous said...

I recently discovered Gaperons myself. It is wonderful. Somehow, it all got eaten before I could take any pictures! ;) I'm hoping to do a post on it sometime soon, though.

Chocolate and Toast said...

Wow, congratulations on your success so far! I can't decide if I would be excited, or daunted and overwhelmed, by such a monumental undertaking. Although, it IS cheese . . . and that can't be a bad thing! Here's to your continued journey, and our vicarious experience of it!

Jennifer said...

spacedlaw
I believe you share the enthusiasm somewhat....?

Melanie
Thanks, it is a fun one!

Nadège
Absolutely delicious!

croquecamille
Gaperon is fabulous.
I think it is time for me to buy another one...it has been a while.

Chocolate and Toast
Cheese tasting definitely isn't a hardship. :)
Glad you're enjoying the journey too.

Betty Carlson said...

Amazing and congratulations!

I often wonder how those "number of types of cheese" figures are calculated. It seems like new "cheeses" are popping up all of the time. I know since we've lived in Aveyron, we've seen a lot of new creations on the market. Something like the Tomme d'Estaing, for example -- does that qualify as a cheese type in and of itself?

My Encyclopédie des Fromages lists almost 40 kinds of tomme, and I don't see why any other type of "tomme" couldn't also count as a special variety.

I would say there are way over 1,000 -- so you have your work cut out for you. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

L'Imperatrice said...

Congrats!
You've tasted more than I have and I AM FRENCH! Shame on me.
If we ever move back to France, I will take on this challenge too, sounds like a fun and delicious one!

April Hollands said...

Happy anniversary from a fellow cheese-lover living in France. I'm in La Clusaz, which has the annual Fete du Reblochon in August. More cheese festivals would be nice - especially where you can learn about different cheeses and TASTE them all...mmmmmm....

Jennifer said...

Sissi
It is a great challenge! I'm really enjoying it.
Can you get a good selection of French cheese in Switzerland?

April
There are a couple of Cheese Festivals that I know of a few hours from where we live. Nothing really close by though. The Reblochon festival must be amazing!

Jennifer said...

Betty
I wonder where they get their figures too...
Yes, it is a tough job. But I am happy to do it!

Susan said...

I love, love, love cheese. Around middle age I became allergic to dairy (as well as lactose intolerant) but I'd still snitch some now and then. Now I've developed severe migraines any time I get near dairy. Figures. Can you stand it? Bloody hell. I still take my chances and wine and cheese is a dear thing to moi. Blessings.

Jennifer said...

Susan
Cannot imagine being allergic to cheese! Quel horreur!