Cheeses

"A cheese platter is the customary filler between the main course and dessert here in Bresse. There are, of course, cheeses, which I will introduce individually, as well as figs, grapes and a grenadine jam. There are bread and crackers to try each of the cheeses on as I introduce them. After you have sampled a small amount of each cheese, you may pick your favorites, and experiment trying them with the fruit. Our first cheese is the Camembert." I lift a gooey yellow cheese surrounded by a stark white rind. The prince takes his knife and adds some of the same cheese from his plate to a cracker. The men follow his lead to sample the delicacy. "This cheese is made in the north and imported here. The bloom, which is the white crust surrounding the cheese, and forming the rind is edible and holds most of the flavor. It is the chosen soft cheese for this board and is made from cows' milk."

I set down the Camembert and wait for the thoughts of those around me. With groans of pleasure, and nods of approval I lift the next one, a yellow cheese potted with dark teal. Even from this distance I can smell it. "This is a Roquefort cheese, and like other blue cheeses is strong in savor. The characteristic dark blue is from special molds only found in the soil of Roquefort, making this cheese produced only in the caves of said village. It is made from sheep milk." The men sample the pungent cheese. Some try to hide their disdain for the strong flavor, while others outright make faces. "Liking any strong cheese is an acquired taste." I say with a smile. Bertrand and the Prince are among the few foreigners who seem to enjoy the biting savor. That or they are the best at acting.

I lift a harder ivory-colored cheese with a light brown rind. "This is Comté, and a mild, slightly sweet, cheese for those who disliked the Roquefort. It is made from cows' milk but can't be from any cow. They must be from the breeds of Montbéliarde or Semmental. There are restrictions on the feeds that can be used and cows per a pasture, to preserve the flavor. This a popular cheese and made only in this region. Those brown spotted cows you passed on your march through the lands of Villefranche are the Montbéliarde. The rind is edible, but many people prefer to remove it as it can interfere with the texture of the cheese, and often has a paper pasted on it to identify the cheese. The texture will depend on the age, with the older cheeses being slightly dryer, and crumblier. This is an eighteen-month-old cheese, so in the intermediate age range. It will be slightly firmer than a younger cheese, but will not crumble like an older one, and is lighter in color than the older ones." They cut pieces of it and add try to balance their pieces on a cracker. I can't resist and cut a small piece of mine to eat. I don't bother with a cracker, popping the cheese directly into my mouth. I try to muffle my satisfaction with the subtle, yet delightful flavor.

I lift a cheese similar in color to the Comté but creamier and with a dark black line though the center. "This is a Morbier, and another that requires a refined palette. The black line through the center is created by the spreading of ash halfway through the filling of the mold. The bottom half is left over curd from the morning milking that is used to make Comté. Our agriculturists will spread a thin layer of ash to preserve the curd, and use left over curd from the evening milking to fill the mold, creating a line of ash through the entire cheese. This adds a unique flavor, and pattern, quite different from its cousin the Comté." Most of the Prince's men approach this cheese with caution. My men are accustomed to theses flavors, and don't hesitate to partake. I smile at the stark difference between these men.

I lift the last cheese, which is also pungent and white. "This is a Bûche de Chèvre. It is a creamy goat cheese with a pure white bloom, like that of the Camembert. As it is a goat cheese, it has a particular flavor, but is very mild for a goat cheese. It is popular here and is often paired with sweet things to bring out the same notes within the cheese itself. I enjoy it on bread with some honey or jam." I politely smile at the men around me as they try the last of the cheeses.

I sit down, ready to eat some. "Duchess Pierette-Danielle, here." I turn my head to find the Prince only an inch from my face. I try not to startle back., but I tense at the proximity, feeling his breath against my cheek.