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 - Roussin and Galotin du Dauphiné

Roussin and Galotin du Dauphiné are two petit, essentially bite-sized cheeses that I picked up at our local Intermarché.
I have to admit, it was their cute, dainty little size and the fact that they were sold in packs of four that sold me. And the Saint-Félicien...well, I had to buy some, it is irresistible!


Le Roussin is produced in the Haute-Marne by a cheesemaker who also makes two of France's most memorable cow's milk AOC cheeses, Langres and Époisses. Its full name is Roussin au marc de Bourgogne and it is rich, meltingly soft and creamy, with pleasant salty and mushroom flavors. The cheese's rind is bathed in marc de Bourgogne and is quite aromatic, but I tasted no lingering flavor from the spirits.
Some Chablis or Champagne would be a good wine match.

Le Galotin du Dauphiné is produced alongside Saint-Félicien and Saint-Marcellin cheeses in the Isère département of southwestern France. Its dry, chalky and chewy texture is similar to an aged Saint-Félicien. This is a mild, nutty flavored, soft cheese that just wasn't that special. Basically, it lacks character. If given the choice, I would prefer either Saint-Félicien or Saint-Marcellin to Le Galotin du Dauphiné.
A glass of red Côtes de Ventoux or white Viognier would pair with any of these three cheeses.


Both Roussin and Galotin du Dauphiné, although produced by individual cheesemakers, are sold by Rians a company that sells fromage blanc, yogurt, cheeses and other dairy products. (be warned - the website plays music) Pin It

This Week's TO DO List

1) Go to the Mairie for this year's letter stating my validity as a resident in France. As usual, my Carte de Séjour is late. It expires today and there's no indication that the new one will arrive any time soon.

2) Drop off 5 liter cubie (a plastic jug that holds 5-10 liters of wine) at neighbor's to be filled with his fantastic, 100% Cabernet rosé. If he's not at home I'm to leave it on his windowsill between the flowerpots and he'll fill it and bring it to our house.

3) Tuesday market in Olonzac. Must go early to avoid the August crowds.

4) Price paint for the bedroom. This involves driving to Olonzac, Lézignan and Narbonne or Carcassonne to BricoRama, Brico Marché, Monsieur Bricolage and Tridome. It could be September by the time I find the color I want at the price I'm willing to pay.
Doesn't €60 for 2.5 liters of wall paint seem rather exorbitant?

5) Order 6 cases of Domaine Coudoulet Viognier.

6) Do something with all of these tomatoes. I need my kitchen counters back.

7) Teach kitten to use the stairs so I don't have to keep carrying him upstairs to the litter box.

8) Go to the bank to find out why they haven't moved money from our account in the States to our account in France yet. This normally takes 1-2 days. When I went in last week after 3 days, they shrugged and said, "it's August, c'est les vacances, check after 7-8 days." Unfortunately the direct debits due to come out of the account this week don't know that it's August.

9) Invite summer friends around for a drink before they head back home. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - L'Ecir en Aubrac

*yawn*

This week's cheese for la Fête du Fromage was B O R I N G!

I mean, it was pleasant enough, just not great. If you like soft, very mild, slightly honey and grassy flavored, young, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese, then you'll probably like L'Ecir en Aubrac. To me, it seemed lacking in character.

Ironic, isn't it? Last week I was lamenting over the super strong flavor of le Cados. Now this week I'm complaining about L'Ecir en Aubrac being too mild.

fickle fickle
(at least it wasn't flavorless like Bergues)



Some facts about l'Ecir en Aubrac:

• It was created by Jean-Marie Cayla in 1987 on his family farm. In 1996 he partnered with Vincent Alazard and the farm now produces on average, 1000 small cheeses a day.
• It is named for l'ecir, the frigid, northern wind that blows across the high plains of the Aubrac plateau in the Aveyron, where the cheese is produced.
• It is made from the raw milk of the Aubrac et Simmental breeds of cattle.
• Good wine matches would be a white Viognier or a hearty red Fitou or Faugères

This was a young piece so maybe I should have tasted a more mature version? Maybe I was having an off day?
It doesn't matter, I think it deserves another chance. Pin It