La Fête du Fromage - Fantine

Another week, another fabulous French cheese.

My addiction to fromage has hit epic proportions since being on my own for the last few weeks. 
A hunk of baguette, a sliced tomato and a bit of cheese has become my perfect meal.  Even for breakfast.  And if I'm feeling really adventurous I'll add a handful of arugula or a portion of carottes râpées to my plate.
I've reacquainted myself with some old friends such as Rocamadour and Ossau-Iraty, and brought home a mouthwatering, nutty wedge of 18 month old Comté one day.  (I must confess that I cheated on French fromage a couple of times with Italian formaggio, but my dear French fromage knows it will always be my true love)

My newest acquaintance is Fantine, a fromage férmier from the Cantal region in south-central France.

Fantine's aroma is full of rich, earthy mushrooms and its medium-strong flavor is bursting with flowers, butter and yeast.  The creamy, pressed pâte is silky smooth giving this unpasteurized cow's milk cheese a very luxurious mouth feel.
If you're a fan of cheeses like Laguiole or Salers, then you will love Fantine.  Enjoy with a glass of Touraine.

When I bought it at the market, I worried a bit about the cracks and holes along the rind.  But the flavor was wonderful, so possibly it was just poor handling by the seller?

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La Fête du Fromage - La Brique du Forez

The Auvergne is home to many of France's well known and loved cheeses; sublime Cantal, gorgeous Gaperon and two beautiful bleus, Fourme d'Ambert and Bleu d'Auvergne.

In the extreme eastern edge of the Auvergne lies the le pays du Livradois-Forez, home to this week's cheese, La Brique du Forez (also called Chevreton du Livradois).

La Brique du Forez is soft - in texture, aroma and flavor. Nothing about it is over the top.
This is a humble, well rounded cheese that has beautiful butter and hazelnut flavors, and I also detected gentle hints of goatiness. Its earthy aroma has a tiny bit of barnyard to it, but not aggressive at all.

Made from 100% unpasteurized goat's milk during the spring and autumn and a blend of cow and goat's milk the rest of the year, this cheese is produced both on small farms and by artisan cheese makers.
One website did state that la Brique has become industrially produced, however the Fromagerie where I bought it said that this one was lait cru and fermier.

If you find yourself in the Auvergne or see this cheese for sale at a Fromagerie in France, don't hesitate to try it. It is a wonderful cheese!

Wine recommendation: a fruity Beaujolais or a floral Viognier.

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La Fête du Fromage - Brugère

The most delicious cheese that my sister and I tasted during our visit to Paris was Brugère, a wonderful, delicate, unpasteurized chèvre from the mountainous Cantal region of south central France.


Coincidentally, our apartment in Montmartre was located just around the corner from not just one, but two Fromageries.
One of them was a disappointment. La petite vendeuse was totally clueless about cheese! When I posed some questions about a couple that I was interested in, she didn't know where they were produced or if they were lait cru, lait thermisé or lait pasteurisé, nor did she care to.
I didn't linger around to waste her precious time.

Luckily la Fromagerie Lepic was only a few doors away and they were very knowledgeable. And happy that I was interested in their cheese. Had I been on my own, I could have spent many happy hours in this little place.
My sister does love cheese, but would much rather be noshing on some Spanish or French dry-cured ham or eating gelato, so I tried not to bore her by dragging her into too many Fromageries.


We both swooned over this one!
Brugère has a fine, silky texture and is matured to the point of being chewy and chalky, qualities that I love in goat cheese. It has strong milk and fresh grass flavors and a sweet aroma of green pastures. My sister and I both agree that this is one to remember.

Its soft flavor would pair well with either a Pinot Gris or a Pinot Noir.


Fromagerie Lepic
20, rue Lepic
75018 PARIS Pin It