La Fête du Fromage - Le Chartreux

This cheese is, in a word, approachable.

It doesn't attempt to woo you with unusual rind washes or coatings.
It isn't showy and it doesn't have any distracting bells or whistles. 

Le Chartreux is quite simply, pure eating enjoyment.

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La Fête du Fromage - Beaufort d'Été

There's still a bit of time left to get a hold of Beaufort d'Été, but you better hurry! 
And you'll have to find a Fromagerie that will sell it to you.

The friend who carefully transported this generous slab from the Alps to the Languedoc a couple of weeks ago told us that the Fromagerie where he bought it refuses to sell this seasonal cheese after September 15.
The rules state that Beaufort d'Été must be made from Tarine and Abondance cow's milk produced between June 1 until the end of October, however this particular Fromager thinks the cheese is past its prime after mid September. 
So if you don't care to follow the Fromager's advice, you still have a chance to try it.  And you'll be happy that you did.

Beaufort d'Été is packed full of fruity and zingy yeast flavors, and has a delightful, slightly crumbly, dense texture.  Much less complex, buttery and grassy than a more mature Beaufort, but equally delicious. 

White wines from Burgundy or Beaujolais pair well with this cheese. Pin It

Feeding My Addiction

Almost 2 kilos of fragrant, unpasteurized deliciousness was delivered to me today, direct from a farm in the Auvergne.  Add to that the giant slab of Beaufort d'Eté (so perfect looking that I hesitated cutting into it) and the generous wedge of Tomme des Bauges that a friend hand delivered from his trip to the French Alps last week.

It's great to have friends who will willingly feed my cheese addiction. Pin It

Fromage...continued

I finally have the chance to add to the post I started the other day about last week's delectable cheese tasting with my sister.

For someone who finds Roquefort cheese a bit too...well...fort, the Bleu des Basques was a breath of fresh air. It had all the qualities I appreciate in a bleu cheese, without being too salty or overwhelming. It was sophisticated, smooth and very, very tasty.

The little Picodon had a dense, chalky interior with an earthy flavor and a blue-grey rind from aging. It is made from raw goat's milk in the mountains of the Rhone-Alps, specifically the Ardèche and the Drôme. It was granted AOC status in 1991 and has its own festival every summer.



A final taste of Brie de Meaux was supposedly the last wish of Louis XVI before he was sent to the guillotine and it was also declared the "King of Cheese" at the Congress in Vienna in 1814. Creamy and rich with hints of hazelnut and fruit, Brie de Meaux has been made for over 1000 years and was a favorite of Charlemagne's. It is made from unpasteurized cow's milk and was granted AOC status in 1980.

Beaufort, delicious Beaufort! Made in the French Alps and aged for four to twelve months, it has a lovely, buttery scent and is best when served with white wine. It's flavor is smooth and fruity. The best is Beaufort d'Alpage which is made exclusively from the milk of free roaming Tarentaise cows that graze on the alpine grasses and flowers. Pin It