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.
  

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This: Baked Brie and Fig Jam

I am not so green as to serve a bunch of French guests a cheese plate with crackers before the start of the meal.  At least, not anymore.  While I remember this was the height of sophistication at my parents' gatherings in rural Ontario, I learned the hard way that a cheese plate is served at the end of the meal here.  Though you will get a good dose of raised eyebrows if you offer up a platter of your favorite varieties during cocktail hour (known here as l'apéro, an absolutely sacred element to the three hour French dining experience), cheese can be eaten under various guises, and at just about any moment of the meal, from starters, to sauces, and on through dessert.

It's hard to teach a cheese-and-crackers girl new tricks.  I still like a bit of cheese with drinks before the meal properly gets under way, and I've found the perfect compromise that impresses, or dupes, my French friends every time.  It's so easy, you have no excuse not to try it!


Baked Brie with Fig Jam


Get creative and try replacing the fig jam with any of your favorite jams, preserves or chutneys, either sweet or savory.  Serve the cheese warm on a platter with some slices of crostini and a knife and watch your guests dig in.

Ingredients

1 package of pre-rolled puff pastry, 30 cm in diametre
1 whole brie cheese, about 12 cm in diametre
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup fig jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Roll out the pastry on a piece of waxed paper and spread the jam in a 12 cm circle in the centre.  Don't be stingy.  The sweetness of the figs will bring out the creaminess of the brie beautifully, so go ahead and spread it on thick.

Place the brie in the centre of the pastry on top of the jam and then wrap the whole thing up as you would a package, bringing up the pastry around the brie and twisting the excess on top to make a pretty knot.

Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg, slide the waxed paper and your cheesy package onto a baking sheet, and pop in the oven for 20 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for a further 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool about 15 minutes before serving.