French Cheeses: Recipes and Wine Pairings
Discover new cheeses with me! A work in progress, this is a list of the cheeses I’ve discovered and mentioned on this blog. Below, you’ll find short descriptions, links to corresponding recipes and wine pairing suggestions.
Cow’s milk
Maroilles: semi-soft; very strong-smelling skin
Pair with: sweet white wine, such as AOC Cour-Cheverny (Domaine de la Marigonnerie, Cuvée tardive 2005)
Saint-Môret: soft and creamy; a good substitute for cream cheese
Recipe: Canapés au saumon fumé (Smoked Salmon Toasts)
Ewe’s milk
Roquefort: soft; strong, salty taste
Pair with: sweet white wine, such as Jurançon moelleux (Domaine de Cauhapé, Ballet d’Octobre 2007)
Pecorino Pepato (Italian): firm and dotted with peppercorns; fairly salty; use in place of Parmesan
Recipe: Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Petit Basque: firm; slightly salty, nutty-flavored cheese
Pair with: dry white wine, such as Jurançon sec (Domaine de Cauhapé, Sève d’Automne 2002)
Goat’s milk
Fresh goat cheese (Domaine de Sansac): soft; fairly mild and creamy
Recipes: Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche, Baked Squash Blossoms Filled with Goat Cheese
Crottin de Chavignol: soft and fairly mild to drier and somewhat strong, depending on ripeness
Recipe: Salade de chèvre chaud (Warm Goat Cheese Salad)
