French Cheese Quartet — An Ideal Grouping
Easy to assemble, easy to taste and easy to share with friends and family. This simple quartet offers a diverse experience of The Cheeses of France and is enough to entertain eight people.
Max’s recommended tasting order: Tradition Jacquin, Ossau-Iraty, Morbier, Roquefort.
The Cheeses
“What you have here is the ideal grouping of different styles: young and old; soft and hard; different regions and different milk types.” Max McCalman, Maître Fromager
Tradition Jacquin. The quintessential goat’s milk cheese, produced from goats that graze in the fields around the Loire River in central western France. The light dusting of ash on these small discs attracts beneficial mold, protecting the subtle, gentle interior of the cheese. The taste is mild, milky and creamy with hints of citrus.
If you can’t find it, ask for: Sainte-Maure, Chabichou du Poitou.
Morbier (AOC). Morbier is an aromatic and surprisingly mild cow’s milk cheese defined by the dark vein of vegetable ash (this is usually vegetable dye now, even in the most artisanal producers’ cheeses) streaking through it middle — a nod to the method by which it was once produced in Franche-Comté. Aged at least 60 days, Morbier has a mild taste and nutty aftertaste.
If you can’t find it, ask for: Tomme de Savoie.
Ossau-Iraty (AOC). A classic sheep’s milk cheese made with the milk of the Manech and Basco-Bearnaise ewes. Aged for at least 90 days, the shape of each wheel can vary from region to region. With an ivory pâte, an aroma of toasted hazelnuts and a sweet, buttery flavor.
If you can’t find it, ask for: Any recommended sheep’s milk cheese made in the French Pyrénées, Abbaye de Belloc, P'tit Basque, Kaikou, Chistou, P'tit Pyrénées.
Roquefort (AOC). Famous through the ages, this blue cheese is made from ewe’s milk in southern France. AOC rules dictate that the cheese must be ripened in the caves of Mount Combalou for 3 to 9 months. Known for its rich, mild creaminess and soft, spicy, tart flavors.
If you can’t find it, ask for: Bleu des Causses, Bleu d’Auvergne, Bleu des Basques, Bleu de Gex, Fourme d’Ambert.
All soft-ripened cheeses used in our Signature Fromage Plates are made from pasteurized milk, and therefore comply with FDA regulations.