A Cheese for Every Occassion

Charles de Gaulle summed up France rather succinctly when he wondered how anyone could "govern a nation with two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese".  In fact, the General underestimated his countrymen's passion; there are over three hundred and fifty recognized French varieties.  Until setting up shop in France, my knowledge of cheese had been limited to cheddar.  Not even particularly good cheddar, but rather that bright orange variety sealed under thick plastic wrap, purchased at the local A&P and kept hard and cold in the refrigerator's "cheese compartment".  Imagine my utter confusion, amazement and lightheadedness when I was faced with a veritable wall of cheese in every market, grocery store and specialty shop I entered here.  The choice was truly staggering, and what's more, some of the varieties looked so strange, even dangerous, blanketed as they were in blue and grey and green and orange molds, that I would have thought they were only good for the garbage bin.  I quickly sussed out the cheese situation in my newly adopted home, however; serving a platter at the end of a meal was absolutely expected, and serving the right selection of cheeses to complement the meal as a whole was akin to the name of the Parti Socialist's Under Secretary, or how many lovers Simone de Beauvoir took; it is something you simply must know.
Luckily, I found my local cheesemonger only too happy to guide me in selecting the components of my cheese plate.  Here's a few tips he's given me over time...

How to buy it

• Let your palate be your guide.  Always ask to taste before buying; it's your prerogative as the customer, after all, and if you like it, then go for it!  If not, ask to taste something else.
• Ask lots of questions.  Cheesemongers carefully select their cheeses from trusted producers, and often tinker with them further themselves, ageing them or soaking them in alcohol or dusting them with herbs.  They will help you select cheeses based on what you're serving and steer you in the right direction.  A fifteen minute conversation with your cheesemonger is genuinely educational and worth it every time.
  
• Don't buy more than you need.  Let's say your serving a dinner for four; a plate with three good-sized hunks of cheese will be ample.  Also, try to avoid packaged or pre-wrapped pieces; cheeses that are cut from the wheel in front of you are generally of superior quality.

How to keep it

• Respect your cheese!  Cheese contains living organisms that need to breath.  Keep them in a cool, dark and well-aired place, like a cupboard or a shelf in the pantry.  The refrigerator is not the place to keep your beautiful French cheese; it's not ventilated enough and the cheese will dry out.  Also, wrap your pieces of cheese loosely in waxed paper rather than plastic wrap.

How to serve it

• If you have stored your cheese in the fridge (old habits die hard) bring it up to room temperature for at least a half an hour before serving.
• Consider a cheese plate a taste journey from subtle to full-out riot.  Offer a choice of mild, medium and strong flavours, soft, hard and creamy textures, goat's, sheep's and cow's milk varieties, pasteurized and unpasteurized, and cheeses with different types of rind.  
• Make sure there's plenty of slices of crusty bread on hand and a good, full-bodied wine, hearty enough to stand up to the strongest cheese on your plate.