Types of French Cheese

Cheese can be classified as per its place of origin, type of milk used or fat content. Whether it's hard or soft, prepared from cow, goat or sheep, fresh or aged, different types of French cheese are found in France. The cheese in France is mainly made by small independents or co-operatives that adopt their own unique style that makes these cheese differ from each other.

French cheese production can be categorized into four types as per the PDO/AOC rules:

• Fermier: A farmhouse cheese made from milk and produced on the farm.
• Artisanal: Producing cheese in small quantities either from the farm milk or by purchasing milk from the local farms.
• Cooperative: A dairy along with the local milk producers of an area work together to produce the cheese.
• Industriel: A factory produced cheese made from milk which is sourced locally, regionally or by the entire country.

Storing French Cheese

French cheese should be stored at a cool, dry location to maintain its mild aroma. While storing, always wrap it with a mild paper rather than a plastic as the paper allows the cheese to breathe and will keep it fresh. Even in summers, cheese can last a couple of days without refrigeration. But if you store it in a fridge, before serving keep it out for at least one hour to preserve its natural odor and taste.

Different Types of French Cheese

Though there are nearly 1000 varieties of popular French cheeses produced in France, the cheese is traditionally classified into eight categorizes which are as follows:

• Fresh Cheese (Fromages Frais): This cheese is made from cow's milk, goat's milk, or sheep's milk, and is white in color. It is rich in water but not aged. Instead of putting rennet, which is used to prepare some cheeses, the curd is made by adding lactic started to the milk. This cheese is quite often used in recipes and usually eaten separately, sometimes as a yogurt. The two popular varieties of French fresh cheeses are Petit Suisse and Brousse.
• Soft Cheese with Natural Rind (Les Fromages à Pâte Molle et à Croûte Fleurie): It is a soft cow's milk cheese which has a white and floury surface. It is aged for about a month and is usually served after the main course. Some popular varieties of soft cheese include Brie, Camembert, Neufchatel cheese and Chaource.
• Soft Cheese with Washed Rind (Les Fromages à Pate Molle et à Croute Lavée): Made from cow's milk, soft cheese undergoes a washing procedure which prevents the formation of surface molds, and produces a supple and colorful rind. Some well known varieties of soft cheese include Munster cheese, Pont l'Eveque and Reblochon cheese.
• Pressed Cheese (Fromages à Pate Pressée): This cheese undergoes a pressure treatment during the processing which drains some of its moisture content. After this, it is placed in controlled conditions and aged for few months. During this, it is washed, brushed and turned to create the rind in a uniform fashion. Cantal and Ossau-Iraty are the two most popular varieties of pressed cheese.
• Pressed and Cooked Cheese (Fromages à Pate Pressée et Cuite): This cheese is prepared from the curd which is heated for an hour before being pressed. Usually manufactured in the mountainous regions of France, it is prepared in large cylinders and ripened for a long time. It is mainly used for cooking purposes, especially as toppings for hot dishes. Emmental and Gruyère are some common varieties of pressed and cooked cheese.
• Goat Cheese (Fromages de Chèvre): As the name suggests, this cheese is made from goat's milk. Sometimes this milk is mixed with cow's milk to form a mi-chevre. The cheese comes in variety of shapes and sizes, and two most popular ones are Crottin de Chavignol and Pouligny-Saint-Pierre.
• Blue Cheese (Fromages à Pate Persillées): This cheese is made mainly from cow's milk with prominent exception of roquefort (made from sheep's milk). Having a strong flavor and smell, it is recognized by the blue or greenish blue channels that run through it. Some popular varieties of blue cheese include Bleu de Bresse and Roquefort cheese.
• Processed Cheese (Fromages à Pate Fondue): This cheese is made from other varieties of cheese mixed together. It can be flavored with garlic, pepper, herbs, etc., and is usually sold in small portions.

These were just few out of many different types of French cheese available. It is commonly said that 'there are so many varieties of cheese in France, that even if you ate a different one each day, you still wouldn't have tasted all of them after a year!'.