Walk down a street in Paris and admire all the different shops. Wine shops, patisseries, boulangeries, and fromageries. Each has their own special appeal. Let’s talk about cheese shopping in France and what you will find in a fromagerie.
I love cheese shopping in France. There’s something about seeing all those huge wheels of cheese as you look in the window. Some of the labels I can read and others not so much. Some of the names I have trouble pronouncing. And, then there’s that smell. It is a very distinct smell that once you discover it, you will know it whenever you get near a cheese shop.
Walking in a fromagerie for the first time, your senses will be overwhelmed. Your brain will be overloaded with a range of smells. All you wanted was a few small pieces of cheese. Now you’re standing here looking at hundreds and you have no idea what to do next.
How do you know what to buy when cheese shopping in France? For that matter, how do you know if it’s a great shop?
These are some things we discovered by asking a few questions of a friendly shop owner.
First, a cheese shop should smell like cheese the minute you open the door. Not just stinky cheese, either. There should be a wide variety of smells. Of course, the stinky ones might be the first ones your nose discovers. Once you get past that, you should be able to find other scents and smells.
Next, there should be a large selection to look at. In fact, most fromageries will have dozens and dozens of choices. There will be several kinds of each cheese. You will find when cheese shopping in France you will learn how long that particular cheese has been aged, what type of milk it comes from, and what area of the country the cows or goats were raised.
Lastly, cheeses should be cut to order…not laying in small packages. You will see no pre-packed cheese at a fromagerie.
A great cheese shop will be staffed with knowledgeable people who will make you feel comfortable about asking questions. They will be able to direct you to what you’re looking for, especially if you can pinpoint what you like about cheese.
They’ll undoubtedly ask you questions. What are you serving with it? Is it an individual course? Do you like soft cheese or hard cheese? Will you be drinking wine with your cheese? When are you going to serve it? Would you like French and English cheeses or Swiss and Italian cheeses?
Most importantly a good cheese shop will ask you if you would like a taste and chances are you will end up loving your cheesy experience. As you can see, cheese shopping in France is an experience as well as an errand.
When we cook we like to use good, quality cheeses. Check out some of our yummy recipes, like our Cheesy Breadstick Recipe, our Spicy Cheese Pasta, or our Jalapeño Cheddar Drop Biscuits.