La Fête du Fromage - Vache Férmier de Jean-François

The little car hurtled across the lush Gascon countryside and deep down into Armagnac country where it finally came to a halt in the market town of Eauze, our destination. Our plans for the day were simple: pick up a few fresh vegetables and some other treats at the market for dinner, then have a bite of lunch before an afternoon of Armagnac tasting. If only every day were like this one!

Kate also wanted me to meet a special fromager at the market whom she is friendly with.
What makes him special is that he hand picks and sells the cheese from a few select producers based in the Béarn area of the Pyrénées. As the cheeses are all produced by artisans or on small farms, they are given the names of their producers.

Let me introduce you to Vache Férmier de Jean-François.




This is a typical, rich and buttery unpasteurized mountain cheese. The flavor of sweet grasses softly perfume the pâte and the lovely nutty flavor is really delicious. I noticed a mild saltiness and the texture is supple and chewy. All around a very enjoyable fromage férmier. Jean-Françios should be very proud of his creation.
And for the price of only €9.95 a kilo, this cheese is a bargain!

We opened a bottle of 100% old vine carignan and found it to be a superb wine pairing.