La Fête du Fromage - Brebis Férmier de David

One of the trio of cheeses that I picked up last November in Gascony got overlooked. Lost in the shuffle. Disregarded.
Ironically it was the favorite of we three tasters.

I think that after four days of canard, butchery education, Armagnac, fritons, the stunning scenery of Gascony and the enthusiasm and inspiration of Kate Hill, I was lulled into a blissful stupor. Obviously I'm still recovering.
But I can't wait to return.

Brebis Férmier de David is sold by a special fromager in Eauze who handpicks artisan and small farm produced cheeses from the Béarn region of the Pyrénées.
If I had to come up with one word to describe this unpasteurized ewe's milk cheese it would be lusty. The full-bodied, almost sharp, concentrated flavor is pure heaven on the palate. It has a flaky, crumbly texture and smells of fresh ewe's milk and grasses.
A bit like an aged Pecorino Romano. I loved it!

And enjoyed with a glass of 100% old vine carignan from the Minervois, it was even better.


Here's a very different Brebis Férmier from Aveyron that I tasted last summer. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Vache Férmier de Jean-François

The little car hurtled across the lush Gascon countryside and deep down into Armagnac country where it finally came to a halt in the market town of Eauze, our destination. Our plans for the day were simple: pick up a few fresh vegetables and some other treats at the market for dinner, then have a bite of lunch before an afternoon of Armagnac tasting. If only every day were like this one!

Kate also wanted me to meet a special fromager at the market whom she is friendly with.
What makes him special is that he hand picks and sells the cheese from a few select producers based in the Béarn area of the Pyrénées. As the cheeses are all produced by artisans or on small farms, they are given the names of their producers.

Let me introduce you to Vache Férmier de Jean-François.




This is a typical, rich and buttery unpasteurized mountain cheese. The flavor of sweet grasses softly perfume the pâte and the lovely nutty flavor is really delicious. I noticed a mild saltiness and the texture is supple and chewy. All around a very enjoyable fromage férmier. Jean-Françios should be very proud of his creation.
And for the price of only €9.95 a kilo, this cheese is a bargain!

We opened a bottle of 100% old vine carignan and found it to be a superb wine pairing.


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