The AOC regions of French cheese
Cow’s milk cheeses
- Abondance de Savoie – 1990
- Beaufort – 1968
- Bleu d’Auvergne – 1975
- Bleu de Gex haut Jura – 1977
- Bleu des Causses – 1979
- Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage – 1998
- Brie de Meaux – 1980
- Brie de Melun – 1990
- Camembert de Normandie – 1983
- Cantal – 1956
- Chaource – 1970
- Comté – 1952
- Époisses – 2004
- Fourme d’Ambert – 1972
- Fourme de Montbrison – 1972
- Gruyère – 2007
- Laguiole – 1961
- Langres – 1991
- Livarot – 1972
- Maroilles – 1976
- Morbier – 2000
- Munster-Géromé – 1969
- Neufchâtel – 1969
- Pont l’Evêque – 1976
- Reblochon – 1958
- Saint-Nectaire – 1955
- Salers – 1979
- Tome des Bauges – 2002
- Vacherin Mont d’Or – 1981
- Goat’s milk cheeses
- Banon – 2003
- Chabichou du Poitou – 1990
- Chevrotin – 2002
- Crottin de Chavignol – 1976
- Mâconnais – 2005
- Pélardon des Cevennes – 2000
- Picodon – 1983
- Pouligny-Saint-Pierre – 1972
- Rigotte de Condrieu – 2008
- Rocamadour see also Cabecou – 1996
- Sainte-Maure de Touraine – 1990
- Selles-sur-Cher – 1975
- Valençay – 1998
Sheep’s milk cheeses
- Ossau-Iraty – 1980
- Roquefort – 1925
Mixed milk cheeses
- Brocciu – 1983 (sheep and goats’ milk)
With more than 400 different kinds of cheese and an average consumption of 53 pounds per person per year, the French take pride in their cheese. There are too many recipes to count which include cheese but true cheese aficionados take their cheese as a separate course presented after the main dish and salad, but before the desert.
In putting a platter together, each item should be sufficiently different from the others to maintain the diner’s interest, and the selection should make sense together. Feature some fresh cheese, soft cheese with surface mold (Brie, Camembert), soft cheese with a washed rind (Maroilles, Epoisses, Reblochon), soft cheese with a natural rind (Saint-Marcellin, most goat cheese Crottins), blue cheese (Roquefort, Bleu d’Auvergne), unheated pressed cheese (Cantal, Morbier) and heated pressed cheese (Beaufort, Emmental). Each cheese can be placed around the platter in the best order to taste it, from the mildest to the strongest.
Our favorite “recipes” for cheese include: