Things have been going well. Classes are in full gear - getting homework, feeling like I have a routine, etc. Last night I had, what I imagine, would be a night I fantasize of at 3 am in Rush Rhees Library. After dinner I painted my nails while finishing Water for Elephants, which was quite good, and then watched the first half of “Easy A” before going to bed. This morning I woke up, ate breakfast, finished the movie, rode on the stationary bike, and then got ready to go to town for a Cheese Tasting with CEA. It was lovely.
About 10 of us took over a little “Fromagerie” for about an hour and a half. We got very brief history of cheese, what regions it comes from, the 7 types of cheese, and then got to taste 8 different cheeses. The man who owned the store was very kind and helpful and had an interesting story. Up until 2 years ago he was the regional director of sales for Dell computers in France, but quit to follow his passion – which is cheese. I also feel very strongly about cheese, so I feel we might be kindred spirits. ;)
Anywho, this is a titch about what I learned, beefed up by readings on the internet.
They carried cheese from cow, goat, and sheep milk at "Fromagerie Lemarié," and they were from all over France. Aix is not known for any type of cheese, and cheese making is not big in the area. However, Provencals, in general, are big goat cheese fans.
There are then 7 families of cheese (though the internet tells me 8):
1)Fromages de Chèvre (Goat Cheese)
2)Fromages à Pâte Pressée (Pressed Cheeses)
3)Fromages à Pâte Pressée et Cuite (Pressed and Cooked Cheeses)
4)Les Fromages à Pâte Molle et à Croûte Fleurie (Soft Cheeses with Natural Rind)
5)Les Fromages à Pâte molle et à Croûte Lavée (Soft Cheese with Washed Rind)
6)Fromages à Pâte Persillées (Bleu Cheeses)
7)Fromages Frais (Fresh Cheeses)
These Fresh Cheeses are usually very soupy and can be eaten in the same manner as yogurt.
Our samples were accompanied by Baguette, a red wine, and fig preserves. When one samples cheeses they must start with the most mild and work there way up in strength as to not taint their palettes. So, we started with a Goat Cheese "Mothais sur feuille", then moved on to two sheep cheeses which were pressed cheeses "A Nepita" and "U Tagnone" both from the same farm in Corsica. Next was a pressed cow cheese, "Comte d'estive" which was wonderful and probably my favorite; it had been aged for 1.5 years in the alps and it was also one of the most expensive cheeses in the joint, so I capitalized on the free samples. Next was a Soft Cheese with a Natural Rind: "St Nectaire Fermier," then a nice and strong Brie (which is a washed rind cheese). I then had to choke down a bleu cheese (not my favorite), which was better then I expected, and definitely palatable and well complimented by the fig preserve (but was recomended with fresh pear slices) - it was "Forme d'Ambert". Last was the worst smelling cheese I've ever put near my nose. The Fromager Affineur (cheese guy), brought out little forks for us to stab the samples with and wore gloves to cut it. Apparently, we would smell the rest of the day if we touched it, and I believe it. It can imagine it smelled something like a jockstrap after weeks of practice - no joke. I tried it, and it definitely tasted better than it smelled, but I was unable to finish the sample.
CEA is hooking us up with a tour of a chocolate factory tomorrow, so stay tuned!
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