La Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event - January Round-Up

This was another great month for La Fête du Fromage! Thanks to everyone who participated.


Not one, but two cheeses and a recipe for Date Chutney were included in Shira's generous entry for La Fête du Fromage on her blog, Petit Pois. A recent trip to Neals Yard Dairy yielded a duo of traditional British cheeses, Stilton and Lincolnshire Poacher. They both look delicious!

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A rich, triple cream Norwegian style cheese won the heart of Rachel from The Crispy Cook. I can see why! Bergenost is a creamy, artisan cheese produced in Corfu, New York by Yancey's Fancy Cheese. Aren't these vintage cheese plates cute?!

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Danielle of Savor Culture tasted Gouda for La Fête du Fromage, but not just any Gouda - Double-Cream Gouda! What exactly does having double the cream do for Gouda? Danielle says, "it imparts a luxurious, supple texture that melts beautifully and pairs well with a variety of assertive flavors Because the cheese is aged for only six months, its flavor is mellow, with only a hint of tanginess." I'm sold.

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Nathalie of Spaced Out Ramblings tasted Tomino, a cow's milk cheese from the Piemonte area of northern Italy. She describes it as a very mild cheese that is meant to be eaten warm. Different variations include Tomino wrapped in bacon, Tomino sprinkled with fresh rosemary (like this one) and Tomino stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and sprinkled with chopped walnuts. Warmed up, oozing cheese - sounds good to me!

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Now this is a cheese I've never heard of; Apple Cinnamon Monterey Jack. Judith at A Shortcut to Mushrooms describes the apple and cinnamon flavors as very mild and not sweet, like she thought it would be. She enjoyed it on some toasted wheat crackers with a green salad, and melted on a tortilla as a snack. Thanks for sharing this one with us Judith.

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Camille of Croque Camille tasted Bleu d'Auvergne, one of her favorite French blue cheeses, for la Fête. "Simultaneously creamy and crumbly, its texture is equally suited to smearing on bread or sprinkling on salad." I'm with you Camille, this is also one of my favorite French blues.

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Pouligny Saint-Pierre is my entry for January. We tasted this luscious, creamy goat's cheese back in April and my husband immediately declared it his favorite cheese of all time. (I loved it, but have yet to choose one all time favorite - I could probably narrow it down to five.) It bears the nickname "la pyramide" or "la Tour Eiffel" due to its truncated, pyramid shape.

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La Fête du Fromage will be on vacation in February so please join in the cheese tasting festivities again in March.

Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?

The 15th of every month will be the official day for La Fête du Fromage. Please have your entries to me by the end of the 13th.

• Photos are wonderful, but not necessary
• Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
• Posts should be written specifically for La Fête du Fromage and not entered in any other food blog event
• Please send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com with the words Fête du Fromage in the subject line