La Fête du Fromage - Brie de Montereau

This wedge of Brie de Montereau may have been a bit too ripe and runny by the time we ate it, but it tasted absolutely dreamy!


The flavor of Brie de Montereau is richer than the lusty Brie de Melun, but slightly milder than Brie's extrovert cousin, Coulommiers.
The 4-6 weeks of affinage result in a well balanced and intensely flavored cheese. It is lusciously, melt-in-your-mouth smooth, with flavors of creamy butter, hazelnuts and mushrooms, and a bit of salt. Truly captivating!

It is produced from unpasteurized cow's milk during the months of March to July, in the area surrounding the town of Montereau, in the Seine-et-Marne département.
If you enjoy Brie with some élan and a bit of moxie, then you'll love this one.


A glass of red wine from Burgundy or a Côte du Rhône are both good matches. I also think a glass of Champagne would be perfect with Brie de Montereau. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Séchon de l'Ardèche

This petit chèvre packs a serious punch!

When I choose this little cheese at my favorite Fromagerie in Narbonne, the woman behind the counter told me, actually it was more of a warning, that it was a very dry and strong cheese. "Oui, oui, d'accord," I replied, thinking, bring it on lady, I'm no cheese virgin.

Well, she was right to give warning.

Séchon de l'Ardèche may look like an innocent, little, wrinkly goat's cheese, but it surprisingly potent!
In a really, really good way.


The Ardèche is a rural département in southern France that is known for its rugged, natural beauty, stunning scenery, chestnuts, charcuterie and an AOC goat's cheese, Picodon de l'Ardèche.

Séchon de l'Ardèche is like Picodon on steroids.
Again, in a good way.


The slightly moldy, edible, dry rind breaks open to reveal a brittle, crumbling cheese that has an earthy, tangy and rather goaty aroma. The flavor is rustic and extremely rich and peppery.
The texture -wow! - dense and very, very chewy. It completely coats your mouth with its rich, full texture and flavor.

For those who don't appreciate strong cheeses or "goaty" chèvres, avoid Séchon de l'Ardèche. If you're like me however, and adore them, this is one to try!



Some red Côtes-du-Rhône or white Crozes-Hermitage would be good matches with this piquant cheese. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage

A great find this week at les Halles! The round cheese below, wrapped in a chestnut leaf, had almost disappeared until some small producers saved it from oblivion. It is called Mothais à la Feuille and with it we tasted some Fougerus and a nice slice of Abondance.

Mothais à la Feuille is a fermier, raw goat's milk cheese that is produced in the Deux-Sèvres region of western France. The woman at the Fromagerie told me that this cheese was almost "lost'' until some small producers began making it again. Losing this cheese would have been a very sad thing, because it was wonderful!
It had a creamy, light and airy texture with a delicate, mildly salty flavor. The chestnut leaf helps keep the cheese moist as well as adding a mild aroma. Luckily I bought it just at the end of its season. There will be no more Mothais until next May.
A dry white wine from Bordeaux would be a nice accompaniment.
(also called Mothais sur Feuille)



The Fougerus, also called Fougeru, is an artisanal, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese from the Île-de-France. It is a member of the Brie family of cheeses, originally produced solely for the family's consumption, but now produced commercially. The fern leaf is used both for decoration and to lightly infuse the rind with flavor. Fougerus' texture is like that of Brie, supple, soft and smooth. It has a strong flavor with hints of mushroom, and slightly salty, earthy and woodsy undertones. All and all, delicious!
Pour yourself a glass of Côtes du Jura or Côtes du Rhône to have with this cheese.

High in the mountains of the Haut-Savoie, three types of cattle graze on the lush, green grasses; the Montbéliard, the Tarine and the Abondance. The rich, raw milk from these cows is used to make the celebrated AOC cheese, Abondance. We loved its smooth, velvety texture and the nutty, grassy and divine flavor. Another great cheese!
An interesting bit of trivia - in the 14th century, the monks of l'Abbaye de Saint d'Abondance were the official suppliers of Savoyard cheeses for the Pope in Avignon.
Some white wine from the Savoie pairs perfectly with Abondance.

This week's Fête was wonderful indeed!


Pin It

La Fête du Fromage With a Heart

I *Heart* Cheese!

This week we tasted Coeur de Neufchâtel and le Petit Polignac.


Our Coeur de Neufchâtel was very ripe. As soon as we cut into it, it oozed all over the plate.
Heart shaped, AOC Neufchâtel cheese is made from cow’s milk in the town of Neufchâtel in the Pays de Bray region of northern Normandy. It dates back to 1035, making it one of the oldest cheeses in this region. According to a romantic legend, during the 100 years war, young French ladies gave Coeur de Neufchâtel to their suitors.
We found the flavor to be a bit too sour. Did I buy a bad piece? I honestly don't know. It had a nice, mushroomy aroma and a creamy, soft, oozing texture. Oh well, you can't love them all!
Pair Neufchâtel with some fruity red wine such as a Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône.

Le Petit Polignac is a fermier cheese made from raw ewe's milk in the Haute-Loire département.
That's it! That is all the information I have on this cheese. It wasn't in any of my books or anywhere on the Internet. (how is this possible?) If anyone has information about le Petit Polignac, I would appreciate your help.
Its flavor was mild and earthy and its texture was creamy and soft. Really a delicious little brebis!
We had a glass of red Minervois wine with it, which was wonderful.


Pin It