Posted by Nibbler | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 13-05-2009
I arrived in Paris early on Saturday morning. I was picked up from the airport and then immediately tagged along on the weekly shop to the markets. Pontoise is a little village at the edge of Paris (really a suburb) and it has a fresh market every Saturday in the square and parking lot in front of the town hall.
Although there were a couple of stalls selling cheese I was determined to visit the Fromagerie proper. As soon as we had the normal weekly shop done I dragged them to the cheese shop ready to buy the lot (especially raw cheeses!).
I made sure I bought a Camembert and Brie de Meaux for my little test but I also bought my friend’s favourite Saint Nectaire and a raw ewes milk called Cant’Auriol (I think).
That night, as one does in France, when we had dinner we had cheese before dessert and tried the cheeses I had bought. (Well I tried and they enjoyed again. For them it’s no big deal!)
The verdict on Camembert versus Brie:
OMG they are totally different cheeses!!! True raw milk Camembert is very strong and almost meaty. Brie de Meaux is creamy and mushroomy. I liken them to a pampered Siamese cat and feral cat – both are cats but their temperaments are totally different!
Cant’Auriol (Bergerie de Cazes-Haut):
This was beautiful cheese. Strong with a hint of lanolin often in sheep milk cheeses. It was so runny. As it came to room temperature it melted like the Wicked Witch of the West, leaving a pool of goo and the paper label. Yum – I would eat this cheese again.
Saint Nectaire:
A new favourite to add to the very long list of favourite cheeses. How does one choose just one cheese to pronounce favourite? I just can’t do it.
Day 1 got off to a great cheesy start!
Interesting comparison between camembert and brie. I always thought that the ones here were very similar to each other.
Thanks Lorraine. The difference between the French camembert and ours is truly chalk and cheese (no pun intended)