|
Post by goldenmama on May 24, 2007 4:49:31 GMT -5
???Please keep in mind that this question comes from a somewhat paranoid mom, but I have some concern about my children eating unpasteurized cheese while in France. I feel like there must be a good reason that they were trying to pass a law that all of the cheese had to be pasteurized!
Is there any thing in particular that I should steer them away from?
|
|
|
Post by Truffaut on May 24, 2007 7:29:44 GMT -5
Golden, it wasn't France that was trying to pass a law about pasteurization--it was the EU. And it probably had something to do with increasing exports. There is no danger from eating raw milk cheese, children in France have been doing it for centuries! Americans, in general, tend to be a bit paranoid about cleanliness and this spills over into things like cheese. We are, after all, the country that gave the world Purell. Now, if you really want to get concerned....start thinking about how incredibly bacteria-laden the Métro is......
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 24, 2007 8:12:33 GMT -5
Yeah Golden, don't worry about that. My entire family feasted on all kinds of cheese while we were in France and had no problem. We also leave our butter out on the table - my mother keeps insisting that we're going to catch something nasty from our unrefrigerated butter, but so far so good Oh, and my husband actually brought back some of that yummy cheese...he hid it in the toe of his sock, which he placed in his shoe...
|
|
|
Post by goldenmama on May 24, 2007 8:59:12 GMT -5
;Dsistereurope--he did not put cheese in his sock! LOL! Truffaut and sistereurope, thanks for the words of wisdom. You have me pegged--my daughter has Purel in her lunch box, and both kids have their own in the car. I probably shouldn't admit that! Oh wow, the metro. Do you think rubber gloves on my kids would suffice?
|
|
|
Post by Shoesy on May 24, 2007 10:38:55 GMT -5
Speaking of cheese, do you guys like eating it after a big meal? It didn't bother me in Paris when I was served cheese after a meal, but it didn't give me much pleasure either. I could have gone straight for the creme brulee.
|
|
|
Post by robertzimmerman on May 24, 2007 10:41:48 GMT -5
I adore cheese after a meal. Given the choice, I'll take it over dessert 99% of the time.
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 24, 2007 10:56:11 GMT -5
When we first met our French friend, we invited him to our house for dinner. He had only been here for about 1 month. Anyway, he got a little lost and was a few minutes late. We're real relaxed chefs at my house, so our other guests were sitting around our kitchen table, eating cheese and drinking wine and talking to us while we cooked. When our French friend came in, he took one look at the wine and cheese and thought that we had already eaten and that he had been too late for dinner! He was really confused when we told everyone to go into the dining room for dinner. We still get a big laugh about that one! I do eat cheese after the meal when in Paris, but never here...well, maybe once and a while when we have a splurge meal at a nice restaurant. And I still smile when I think of my friend...who finally got used to the cheese as an appetizer thing.
|
|
|
Post by Shoesy on May 24, 2007 11:09:35 GMT -5
Funny story, S.E.
|
|
|
Post by Penny on May 24, 2007 11:44:14 GMT -5
I was introduced to Brie many years ago and did not even find out until first trip that what we eat in US is not imported. My first trip my then boss says "now we'll have to get you some French food" my reply same as my signature. We saved the company some $, on workdays we went to Gourmand Lafayette (right next to office) and purchased baguette, salad, cheese, fruit. at about 20th of price for a meal in restaurant.
|
|
|
Post by cybee on May 24, 2007 11:44:29 GMT -5
Ha! Yes, whilst I love cheese..after a meal, I am thinking more creme brulee (as Shoesy mentioned... that is one of my fav desserts (and I was wont to make it at home when I returned from my trip!). Anyway, SE, yes! It is funny how cultures acclimate a person to expect certain things and your French friend was picking up his cues correctly for his background, but not for ours! I guess that emphasizes why when one travels, one has to keep one's mind open to new things!
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 24, 2007 12:02:12 GMT -5
Yes, and he has the sense of humor to laugh right along with us. I do feel seriously blessed to have friends and family members from other cultures...and the best part is that I've been able to share that with my kids.
Not to venture too far from the cheese theme:
Yes, goldenmama, my husband did indees put the cheese in his (thankfully) clean sock...although if I recall it was one of those French cheeses that smell like feet anyway!!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by goldenmama on May 24, 2007 13:36:45 GMT -5
sistereurope--I just have to know-- was the cheese in his sock, and the sock on his foot?? Or was it packed in a suitcase? Would your kids actually eat cheese that had been any where near their dads foot? Oh, that just cracks me up!
|
|
|
Post by iank9 on May 24, 2007 13:44:18 GMT -5
Hi, For us an "intermediate" cheese board is a must, for it usually evokes memories of a place visited, or equally when visiting, memories of a good meal or great dining experience. We are fortunate to spend part of most summers around St Maure de Touraine, just south of Tours and never sicken of visiting the local goat's cheese farms in that area. Then to sit in a restaurant in Paris (or elsewhere), and see that little round , fresh cheese with the straw running through the middle........well good memories come flooding back. Equally as good touring Normandy, particularly Calvados and finding farms selling their own cheeses, and sitting in a restaurant in Pont L'Eveque, and eating ........Pont L'Eveque!!!! This by the way goes great with a Californian Black Muscat! We enjoyed a great dining experience one spring in Bruges, at the De Karmeleit restaurant (great seafood) and the Chef's fabulous and gracious spouse introducing us to "Old Bruges"!!! Once eaten, never forgotten, and instant memories now of that beautiful city and fantastic restaurant. The following is a link to a French On-line Cheese Supplier www.fromages.com/They also have a good library of cheeses and some excellent recipes and matching wines --for instance a great Tartiflette! I have just put weight on thinking about it! We have used this service a couple of times, son's 18th and 21st birthdays, and delivery has been spot on (Fed-Ex) for the exact dates and times requested in refrigerated packaging. This board just gets better and better...........
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 24, 2007 14:54:24 GMT -5
goldenmama - HA! It was packed in his suitcase...in a clean sock! But as I wrote, it was a particularly stinky cheese...only one of our kids likes that kind so the others wouldn't have eaten it anyway. I just tried to forget the means by which it arrived in my kitchen.
Ian!! What a great pic! And thanks for the link. I love all kinds of goat cheese...mmmm. I will enjoy looking at that site. I really do want to learn more about matching wines with cheese.
But I think my favorite thing was a goat butter that we had in a restaurant in CA. I'm sure that they serve goat butter in France. It was heavenly...
|
|
|
Post by supremecourt on May 25, 2007 11:53:41 GMT -5
I love cheese and can't wait to try some new stuff in Paris. Can anyone recommend anything offhand that they really like? I love any kind of goat cheese, super-sharp cheddars, mild bleu cheese, and I absolutely love to cut up chunks of parmigano-reggiano and eat it with red wine. I just wondered what French cheeses would be kind of similar to those? However, I'm generally unfamiliar with French fromage and what the names mean (other than brie and chevre, LOL).
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 25, 2007 12:23:08 GMT -5
Hey! Glad you posted and welcome!
I am no expert on French cheese - there are SO many. Many are named for towns or regoins. I like most goat cheeses, and Pont L'Eveque and Saint Andre are some really well-known brie-like cheeses that I like (and can get here). Have a look at the link provided by Ian. Quite honestly, I usually just wander into the cheese shops (or cheese cart in a restaurant) and point at what looks good!!! Half the time I have no idea what I'm eating.
|
|
|
Post by Penny on May 25, 2007 12:23:40 GMT -5
Cheese Primer by Steve Jenkins, over most of the cheeses (of world) wine pairing. available on Amazon- lots of others on cheese also. do a search in books using word Cheese.
|
|
|
Post by Happygoin on May 25, 2007 14:24:10 GMT -5
supremecourt, try a goat cheese called Tomme Fleurs Verte. It is wonderful, with a coating of herbs that must contain (at the least) lavender because the cheese tastes just like flowers. It is devine. I have had any number of friends try it and the look on their face when the taste sinks in is great. Everyone loves it. Someone, help me out here...was it DeGaulle who said something about how can you possibly govern a country that has 236 varieties of cheese...
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on May 25, 2007 14:27:44 GMT -5
Yes! I know that one - it's really really good. There's also a really yummy goat cheese that has something that looks like gray ashes all over it - that's something different, right? (My cheese ignorance is becoming very obvious...I know what I like but have no idea what they're called)
|
|
|
Post by Happygoin on May 25, 2007 14:30:48 GMT -5
yes, it's edible ash though, not the fireplace kind. Oh, I've never met a piece of cheese I didn't like...even Cheese Whiz in a midnight crisis. (Can't believe I admitted that...)
|
|