You know how they say that that the French are loyal to their boulangerie and fromagerie? I found that a little hard to understand because you wouldn’t expect that in a country where you’re never too far away from good bread and cheese. That was until I figured out just how important it is to be friends with your fromager.
When I was at the farm shop for the first time, I was intimidated by the choices I was faced with. Fresh cheese, aged cheese, hard cheese, soft cheese, stinky cheese, mild cheese, blue veined cheese. Problem of plenty. I spotted a fat disc of fresh goat cheese. Yes. Goat cheese is always good. Just to be sure I’d like the taste of it, I asked the guy at the counter if I could taste some. He looked confused. Of course he didn’t know English. I scrambled to frame a sentence in French, “Je voudrais goûter un peu.” He pulled out his tongs and plucked out a bit of cheese from the ball. It was delicious. Soft, creamy and perfectly mild. Just the way I like goat cheese. He packed it for me and I happily walked back home thinking about all the things I’d do with my ball of fresh goat cheese.
The next week, I was back at the farm shop to buy more cheese. I was waiting by the counter marvelling at all the cheese when I heard “Hello! How are you today?” Did someone just speak in English?(!) It was my fromager who probably learned the language in a week, and spoke much better English than I speak French. (So it’s true -the French do give you a hard time until you attempt to speak their language.) A few pleasantries and a wedge of Comté, Parmesan and a tub of goat milk yoghurt later I returned home. (The goat milk yoghurt, by the way, has the same distinct smell of goat cheese, only milder, and the texture of, well, yoghurt.)
This week I wanted some more of that fresh goat cheese (why bother experimenting when you’ve found what you like, right?) But instead my cheesemonger had other plans for me. He told me I should try this cheese from La Ferme De Chauvry. “Itz ze best”, he assured. Who am I to argue? I brought back this small piece of farm fresh goat cheese and ate half of it sliver by sliver appreciating the creaminess in every mouthful and the other half spread on a slice of baguette with a drizzle of honey.
It’s only wise to stick to my fromager.