Fromage Bleu: 11 Cheeses Compared

A Sampler's Guide to French Blue-Veined Cheeses Beyond Roquefort

© Larry Ervin

Saint Agur, by permission from iGourmet

France and Italy may feud over whose blue came first, but you can't beat the French for sheer variety. You may have to go online to find some of these, but it's worth it.

Editors Choice

When it comes to cheese, France is best known for three broad varieties:

This article focuses on the blues. And there are scores of them. As Charles DeGaulle famously said:

"Comment voulez-vous gouverner un pays qui a deux cent quarante-six variétés de fromage?" How can you govern a country which has 246 kinds of cheese? (from Les Mots du Général, Ernest Mignon (1962)

Make no mistake. They're not all Roquefort wannabes. What makes them different? Part of it is the animal: cow or sheep or goat (or buffalo! Not here, That's the Brits ), Part of it is method: using raw or pasteurized milk, how long the cheese is aged. But the big factor is terrior, or as a real estate agent would put it: "Location - Location - Location." Just as with wine, terroir encompasses everything that goes into the sense of place:

Whether you're picking a cheese to crumble over a steak, or one to snuggle up next to a wedge of pear, or one simply to spread on a hunk of baguette, here's a sampler of French blues and some aspects of each one's terroir to help with the decision. (Part of the decision may be expense, so also included is an indication of relative cost based on various web sources.)

Roquefort

Bleu Chevre

Bleu d'Auvergne

Bleu de Basque

Bleu de Bresse

Bleu de Gex (also known as Bleu du Haut Jura and Bleu de Septmoncel)

Bleu de Laqueueille

Bleu des Causses

Fourme d'Ambert

Fourme au Sauterne

Saint Agur

Blue Cheese Recipes:

Hungry for more? Find out what's happening in French Cuisine, Check out more recipes that demystify the basic techniques and ingredients of French Cuisine. Explore the cuisine of France's Regions beyond Paris


The copyright of the article Fromage Bleu: 11 Cheeses Compared in French Cuisine is owned by Larry Ervin. Permission to republish Fromage Bleu: 11 Cheeses Compared must be granted by the author in writing.


Bleu d'Auvergne, by permission from iGourmet
Saint Agur, by permission from iGourmet
Bleu de Gex, by permission from iGourmet
Roquefort, by permission from iGourmet
Fourme au Sauterne, by permission from iGourmet


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