Coffee Cheese Plate

Cheese with breakfast? How continental! This plate offers just the right selection of sweet, fruity and flavorful French cheeses to enjoy with your morning coffee.

Recommended tasting order: Crottin frais, Fleur du Maquis, Mimolette, Ossau-Iraty.

The Cheeses
Crottin frais. A young goat's milk cheese from the Périgord region east of Bordeaux. This natural rind cheese has a soft and creamy texture and a light nutty flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Chabichou du Poitu, Boucantrin, Rove des Garrigues, Crottin Champignou, fresh or aged goat cheese.

Mimolette—Nord-Pas de Calais. Produced in Flanders in the northernmost region of France, this pasteurized cow's milk cheese is pressed, cooked and shaped like a cannonball. Mimolette hardens as it ages, its interior turning a deeper orange and acquiring a mouthwatering array of fruity, nutty flavors. Best when aged 18 months or more.

If you can't find it, ask for: Aged Comté or Beaufort.

Ossau-Iraty. (AOC) Farmhouse made and ripened in a Benedictine abbey in the Basque region of southwestern France. The recipe for this sheep's milk cheese is 3,000 years old! It is semi-hard with a fairly dense, concentrated consistency and delicious sweet, fruit, nutty flavors.

If you can't find it, ask for: Another sheep's milk cheese made in the French Pyrénées.

Fleur du Maquis—Corsica. An artisanal ewe's milk cheese from the island of Corsica, whose name translates as "flower of the maquis," the French term for the scrubby local terrain. Soft, mild and aromatic, with a dusting of bluish mold that is encrusted with rosemary or savory.

If you can't find it, ask for: An herb-encrusted fresh cheese from Corsica or Provence, Tomme de Grand-Mère.

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Elegant Plate

Riesling is the most elegant grape of the Alsace region, producing a graceful, crisp white wine with a touch of sweetness. Happily, the green hills of Alsace are also home to a variety of superb cheeses. Recommended tasting order: Livarot, Munster, Tomme d'Alsace, Tomme de Savoie.

The Cheeses
Munster (AOC). An ancient washed-rind cheese that traces its roots back to monastic life in the Middle Ages. Munster is made from the milk of cows that graze in the mountains of Vosges region in Alsace, northeastern France. Its bright pinkish-orange rind turns darker and more reddish with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: Another washed-wind cheese such as Livarot or Epoisses.

Tomme d'Alsace. This is a pungent, semi-soft, washed-rind cow's milk cheese made in the Alsace region of France. The practice of washing the cheese with wine as it matures helps it to develop fruity notes with hints of mushrooms, grass, and butter.

If you can't find it, ask for: Chimay , Saint-Nectaire.

Tomme de Savoie. Many variations of this cow's milk cheese are produced in the mountainous Haute-Savoie region on the Swiss border. They are generally firm with small holes. They have mild nutty flavors and come in flattened cylinders with crusty natural rinds.

If you can't find it, ask for: Morbier.

Livarot (AOC). This ancient and noble cheese from Normandy dates back more than 700 years, originating in the monasteries. A cow's milk washed-rind cheese, it has an assertive aroma and nutty flavor. The pâte is semi-soft, creamy and smooth with small holes. The round cheeses are traditionally encircled with five strips of sedge or raffia.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pavé d'Auge, Pont-l'Evêque or Munster.

Comté (AOC). One of the most popular cheeses in France, Comté is produced in the rich mountain pastures of the Jura. Its firm and supple pâte, with holes, or "eyes," has a nutty, slightly salty yet sweet taste. Comté is produced year-round by small, cooperative dairies known as fruitières.

If you can't find it, ask for: Beaufort, French Gruyère.

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Fall/Winter Plate

Warm up by the fire with this selection of French cheeses, aged to perfection for cozy occasions. The apple flavor of the cognac pairs beautifully with heartier cheeses.

Recommended tasting order: Pavé d'Auge, Beaufort, Fourme d'Ambert.

The Cheeses
Fourme d'Ambert (AOC). Produced by cooperatives in the Auvergne region, this semi-soft, creamy blue cheese is similar to Stilton but pressed and therefore less crumbly. The cheese is poured into a mold (fourme) shaped like an upright cylinder. Its flavor is buttery and tangy, not salty or bitter.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bleu d'Auvergne, Roquefort.

Pavé d'Auge. This large, rustic cow's milk cheese is similar to Pont-l'Evêque, originally a monastic cheese dating back over 1,000 years. It is produced in a creamery in the Pays d'Auge at the northern base of the Normandy peninsula. The pâte is soft to semi-soft, with a strong woodsy flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Saint-Nectaire, Pont-l'Evêque, Camembert.

Beaufort (AOC). Famous since Roman times, Beaufort is one of the noble cheeses of the French Alps. Made from the milk of an ancient mountain breed of mahogany-colored cows, it has a dense, concentrated, buttery consistency, a fruity aroma and rich, nutty flavors with a hint of sweetness.

If you can't find it, ask for: Comté, Emmental Français, Gruyère de Savoie.

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Grand Plate

This cheese board is a superior Cheeses of France experience. With classic French cheeses, each a product of unique regional terroir, it's a fabulous tasting experience. Assemble the the cheeses for the full terroir experience, or choose one region and create your own regional Fromage Plate. The cheeses on this particular board are arranged as they might appear on a map of France. For example, the Camembert is positioned at the Northwest Normandy corner of the board and the Beaufort is at the Eastern French Alps side of the board.

Recommended tasting order: Saint-Marcellin, Brie, Camembert, Mimolette, Munster, Epoisses, Cantal, Comté, Beaufort, Bleu d' Auvergne.

The Cheeses
Saint-Marcellin — Rhône-Alpes. A legendary farmhouse cheese made from the milk of cows that graze in the mountainous Dauphiné Province in southeastern France. Small rounds with natural rinds that turn from white to light brown as they age. Inside, the pâte is softer and mild, but rich.

If you can't find it, ask for: Saint-Félicien.

Munster (AOC) — Alsace. An ancient washed-rind cheese that traces its roots back to monastic life in the Middle Ages. Munster is made from the milk of cows that graze in the mountains of Vosges region in Alsace, northeastern France. Its bright pinkish-orange rind turns darker and more red with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: Tomme d'Alsace, or another recommended washed rind cheese from Alsace.

Mimolette — Nord-Pas de Calais. Produced in Flanders in the northernmost region of France, this pasteurized cow's milk cheese is pressed, cooked and shaped like a cannonball. Mimolette hardens as it ages, its interior turning a deeper orange and acquiring a mouthwatering array of fruity, nutty flavors. Best when aged 18 months or more.

If you can't find it, ask for: Aged Comté

Epoisses (AOC) — Burgundy. This cow's milk, washed-rind cheese comes from Burgundy. Strong-smelling, with a soft, smooth and mouth-watering flavor, it is washed with wine or usually with marc spirits, which give it a distinctive aroma. The rind has an orange tinge that darkens with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: Munster, Affidelice, Perriere, Soumaintrain or Trou du Cru.

Camembert — Normandy. Camembert is a world-renowned cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region in northwestern France. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pont-l'Evêque or Pavé d'Auge.

Bleu d'Auvergne (AOC). A delicious blue cheese from the Auvergne region of south-central France, Bleu d'Auvergne has a full and pungent taste, but it is not as strong as many other blue cheeses; it is less salty, with a creamier and more buttery taste with a moist texture.

If you can't find it, ask for: Fourme d'Ambert.

Brie de Nangis — Ile-de-France. Produced just southwest of Paris, this is one of the milder, more buttery Bries. It almost disappeared from production but has seen a revival over the past few decades. Brie de Nangis is creamy and smooth and has a slightly chalky center that becomes runny with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: A good quality Brie or Coulommiers.

Cantal (AOC) — Auvergne. A distinguished, semi-hard cheese from the central mountainous region of Auvergne, Cantal is a cheddar-like cow's milk cheese cured with salt, which brings out its full flavor. Heavy and moist, young Cantal has a sweet, milk flavor; well-aged, it has a sharper flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Laguiole or Salers are both cheddar-like cow's milk cheeses from the same region.

Comté (AOC) — Franche-Comté. One of the most popular cheeses in France, Comté is produced in the rich mountain pastures of the Jura. Its firm and supple pâte, with very small holes, or "eyes," has a nutty, slightly salty yet sweet taste. Comté is produced year-round by small, cooperative dairies known as fruitières.

If you can't find it, ask for: French Gruyère, Beaufort.

Beaufort (AOC). Famous since Roman times, Beaufort is one of the noble cheeses of the French Alps. Made from the milk of an ancient mountain breed of mahogany-colored cows, Beaufort is distinguished by its concave-shaped rind. It has a dense, concentrated, buttery consistency, a fruity aroma and rich, nutty flavors with a hint of sweetness.

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Holiday Plate

Gather with friends and family to celebrate the abundant variety of cheeses produced in France. This Fromage plate is an elegant addition to your traditional Holiday fare.

Recommended tasting order: Chabichou du Poitou, Ossau-Iraty, Camembert, Beaufort, Bleu d'Auvergne.

The Cheeses
Chabichou du Poitou (AOC). Produced in the heart of the goat cheese region of Poitou, Chabichou du Poitou traces its roots back to the 8th century. With a sweet and delicate, slightly salty flavor, and a firm, very white, smooth paâte. Its flavor strengthens with aging.

If you can't find it, ask for: Crottin de Chavignol.

Beaufort (AOC). Famous since Roman times, Beaufort is one of the noble cheeses of the French Alps. Made from the milk of an ancient mountain breed of mahogany-colored cows, Beaufort is distinguished by its concave-shaped rind. It has a dense, concentrated, buttery consistency, a fruity aroma and rich, nutty flavors with a hint of sweetness.

If you can't find it, ask for: Comté.

Bleu d'Auvergne (AOC). A delicious blue cheese from the Auvergne region of south-central France, Bleu d'Auvergne has a full and pungent taste, but it is not as strong as many other blue cheeses; it is less salty, with a creamier and more buttery taste with a moist texture.

If you can't find it, ask for: Fourme d'Ambert.

Ossau-Iraty style. Farmhouse-made and ripened in a Benedictine abbey in the Basque region of southwestern France. The recipe for this sheep's milk cheese is 3,000 years old! It is semi-hard with a fairly dense, concentrated consistency and delicious sweet, fruit, nutty flavors.

If you can't find it, ask for: another Ossau-Iraty style cheese from Basque county.

Camembert. Camembert is a world-renowned cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region in northern France. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and a buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pavé d'Auge or Pont-l'Evêque.

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Mediterranean Plate

Think sunshine, salty breezes, olives, grapes and high, fertile pastures. The abundance of the Mediterranean shines forth in this delightful Fromage Plate featuring cheeses from Corsica and the southern coastal regions of France.

Shown here with Rosé wine from Provence.

The Cheeses
Fleur du Maquis. An artisanal ewe's milk cheese from the island of Corsica, whose name translates as "flower of the maquis," the French term for the scrubby local terrain. Soft, mild and aromatic, which may contain a dusting of bluish mold that is encrusted with rosemary or savory.

If you can't find it, ask for: An herb-encrusted goat's milk cheese from Corsica, Tomme de Grand-Mère.

Casinca Chèvre. This washed-rind goat's milk cheese from the island of Corsica has a tart, slightly salty presence and rousing flavor profile that tingles the taste buds. Its semi-soft pâte offers a balanced and satisfying finish.

If you can't find it, ask for: A goat's milk cheese or chèvre, from Corsica, or ask for the sheep version.

Cabécou Feuille. A small, round artisanal goat's milk cheese from the Midi-Pyrénées village of Rocamadour in southwestern France. This soft and pungent cheese comes wrapped in fig leaves and is best eaten young.

If you can't find it, ask for: Chèvre figue, Rouleau de Provence, Tetoun, Boucantrin.

Thym Tamarre. Produced in Alpes de Haute Provence, this unique goat's milk cheese has sprigs of thyme and lavender tucked within. Made from the milk of goats that graze on wild pasture of thyme, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano and other herbs.

If you can't find it, ask for: Chèvre figue, Rove des Garrigues, Provençal.

Vache de Chalais. A small, round mountain cow's milk cheese made in Alpes de Haute-Provence region in southeastern France.

If you can't find it, ask for: A cow's milk cheese from provence, Saint-Félicien.

Saint-Marcellin. A legendary farmhouse cheese made from the milk of cows that graze in the mountainous Dauphiné Province in southeastern France. Small rounds with natural rind that turns from white to light brown as they age. Inside, the pâte is soft and mild, but rich.

If you can't find it, ask for: Saint-Félicien.

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Mountain Plate

From the Alps to the Jura to the Pyrénées, French mountain cheeses are a special delight. Enjoy the complex and diverse flavors of these cheeses, made from the rich milk of ancient breeds that graze in mountain meadows. On this board, the Pyrénées cheeses are on the left (west) moving east to some central Auvergne cheeses and then deep into the French Alps cheeses on the far right of the board (east).

Recommended tasting order: Morbier, Ossau-Iraty, Tomme Pyrénées, Comté, Cantal, Beaufort, Bleu des Basques, Fourme d'Ambert.

The Cheeses
Morbier (AOC) — Jura Mountains. Morbier is an aromatic and surprisingly mild cow's milk cheese defined by the dark vein of vegetable ash streaking through its middle — a nod to the method by which it was once produced in Franche-Comté. Aged at least 60 days, Morbier has a mild taste and nutty aftertaste.

If you can't find it, ask for: Tomme de Savoie, Bethmale.

Comté (AOC) — Jura Mountains. One of the most popular cheeses in France, Comté is produced in the rich mountain pastures of the Jura. Its firm and supple pâte, with holes, or "eyes," has a nutty, slightly salty yet sweet taste. Comté is produced year-round by small, cooperative dairies known as fruitières.

If you can't find it, ask for: French Gruyère and Beaufort.

Beaufort (AOC) — French Alps. Famous since Roman times, Beaufort is one of the noble cheeses of the French Alps. Made from the milk of an ancient mountain breed of mahogany-colored cows, it has a dense, concentrated, buttery consistency, a fruity aroma and rich, nutty flavors with a hint of sweetness.

If you can't find it, ask for: Emmental Français, Gruyère de Savoie.

Cantal (AOC) — Massif Central. A distinguished, semi-hard cheese from the central mountainous region of Auvergne, Cantal is a cheddar-like cow's milk cheese cured with salt, which brings out its full flavor. Heavy and moist, young Cantal has a sweet, milk flavor; well-aged, it has a sharper flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Laguiole, Salers.

Fourme d'Ambert (AOC) — Massif Central. Produced by cooperatives in the Auvergne region, this semi-firm, creamy blue cheese is similar to Stilton but pressed and therefore less crumbly. The cheese is poured into a mold (fourme) shaped like an upright cylinder. Its flavor is buttery and tangy, not salty or bitter.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bleu d'Auvergne.

Ossau-Iraty (AOC) — Pyrénées. A classic sheep's milk cheese made with the milk of the Manech and Basco-Bearnaise ewes. Aged for at least 90 days, the shape of each wheel can vary from region to region. With an ivory pâte, an aroma of toasted hazelnuts and a sweet, buttery flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Ardi-Gasna, Abbaye de Belloc, P'tit Basque, Kaikou, Chistou, or P'tit Pyrénées.

Tomme des Pyrénées. This round, semi-soft farmhouse cheese (tomme) is large, heavy and solid, with a firm, white, dry and compact pâte and a rich flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bethmale.

Bleu des Basques — Pyrénées. This artisan sheep's milk blue cheese is made in the mountains of French Basque country. These verdant hills are full of the wildflowers and fresh grass that give the milk its complexity, subtlety, and lightness. The cheese has earthy, fruity flavors.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bleu des Causses

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Normandy Plate

The ancient cheesemaking tradition of Normandy has produced some of the most famous cheeses in the world. Taste the heritage in every bite with this very special sampling.

Paired here with cider
Recommended tasting order: Camembert, Brillat Savarin, Pont-l'Evêque, Livarot.

The Cheeses
Camembert. Camembert is a world-renowned cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region in northern France. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms.

If you can't find it, ask for: Brie or Coulommiers, not from Normandy, but similar cheeses. Neufchâtel.

Livarot (AOC). This ancient and noble cheese dates back more than 700 years, originating with the monks. A cow's milk washed-rind cheese, it has an assertive aroma and nutty flavor. The pâte is semi-soft, creamy and smooth with small holes. The round cheeses are traditionally encircled with five strips of sedge or raffia.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pavé d'Auge, Pont-l'Evêque

Pont-l'Evêque (AOC). Very popular in France, Pont-l'Evêque is an uncooked, unpressed cow's milk cheese that is square in shape. The pâte is soft, creamy pale yellow in color with a smooth, fine texture and a pungent aroma. The washed rind is white with a gentle hint of orange-brown.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pavé du Plessis.

Brillat Savarin. A cow's milk, triple-crème brie-style cheese from Normandy. The creamy flavor of triple-crème cheeses comes from the practice of enriching the milk by adding cream during production. Brillat Savarin has a buttery, rich pâte and a rind of white, flowery mold.

If you can't find it, ask for: Another brie-style cheese from Normandy, Explorateur.

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Ruby Plate

The arid plains of France's southern Rhône Valley are mostly known as red wine country, primarily the wines of the Côtes du Rhône appellation. These famously drinkable reds meet their match with the delicious, varied selection of cheeses on this Fromage Plate.

Recommended tasting order: Saint-Marcellin, Ossau-Iraty, Camembert, Comté, Cantal.

The Cheeses
Saint-Marcellin. A legendary farmhouse cheese made from the milk of cows that graze in the mountainous Dauphiné Province in southeastern France. Small rounds with natural rind that turns from white to brown as it ages. Inside, the pâte is soft and mild, but rich. If you can't find it, ask for: Saint Félicien, Vache de Chalais.

Camembert. Camembert is a world-renowned cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region in northern France. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms. If you can't find it, ask for: Brie.

Ossau-Iraty (AOC). A classic sheep's milk cheese made with the milk of the Manech and Basco-Bearnaise ewes. Aged for at least 90 days, the shape of each wheel can vary from region to region, with an ivory pâte, an aroma of toasted hazelnuts and a sweet, buttery flavor. If you can't find it, ask for: Another recommended sheep's milk cheese that is made in the French Pyrénées.

Cantal (AOC). A distinguished, semi-hard cheese from the central mountainous region of Auvergne, Cantal is a cheddar-like cow's milk cheese cured with salt, which brings out its full flavor. Heavy and moist, young Cantal has a sweet, milk flavor; well aged, it has a sharper flavor. If you can't find it, ask for: Laguiole or Salers.

Comté (AOC). One of the most popular cheeses in France, Comté is produced in the rich mountain pastures of the Jura. Its firm and supple pâte, with holes, or "eyes," has a nutty, slightly salty yet sweet taste. Comté is produced year-round by small, cooperative dairies known as fruitières. If you can't find it, ask for: Beaufort.

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Simple Plate

Easy to assemble, easy to taste and easy to share with friends and family. This simple quartet offers a diverse experience of The Cheeses of France and is enough to entertain eight people.
Recommended tasting order: Tradition Jacquin, Ossau-Iraty, Morbier, Roquefort.

The Cheeses
Tradition Jacquin. The quintessential goat's milk cheese, produced from goats that graze in the fields around the Loire River in central western France. The light dusting of ash on these small discs attracts beneficial mold, protecting the subtle, gentle interior of the cheese. The taste is mild, milky and creamy with hints of citrus.

If you can't find it, ask for: Sainte-Maure, Chabichou du Poitou.

Morbier (AOC). Morbier is an aromatic and surprisingly mild cow's milk cheese defined by the dark vein of vegetable ash (this is usually vegetable dye now, even in the most artisanal producers' cheeses) streaking through it middle — a nod to the method by which it was once produced in Franche-Comté. Aged at least 60 days, Morbier has a mild taste and nutty aftertaste.

If you can't find it, ask for: Tomme de Savoie.

Ossau-Iraty (AOC). A classic sheep's milk cheese made with the milk of the Manech and Basco-Bearnaise ewes. Aged for at least 90 days, the shape of each wheel can vary from region to region. With an ivory pâte, an aroma of toasted hazelnuts and a sweet, buttery flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Any recommended sheep's milk cheese made in the French Pyrénées, Abbaye de Belloc, P'tit Basque, Kaikou, Chistou, P'tit Pyrénées.

Roquefort (AOC). Famous through the ages, this blue cheese is made from ewe's milk in southern France. AOC rules dictate that the cheese must be ripened in the caves of Mount Combalou for 3 to 9 months. Known for its rich, mild creaminess and soft, spicy, tart flavors.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bleu des Causses, Bleu d'Auvergne, Bleu des Basques, Bleu de Gex, Fourme d'Ambert.

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Sparkling Plate

Champagne is a historic wine region in the northeast of France, best known for its famous sparkling white wine of the same name. Cheeses that come from Champagne and surrounding regions pair beautifully with this special wine, creating a sparkling sensation when presented together.

Recommended tasting order: Pyramid goat, Clacbitou, Brie de Nangis, Langres.

The Cheeses
Langres (AOC). A washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Champagne, with a firm and supple pâte, and a rich, creamy and complex flavor. Unlike many strong, pungent washed-rind cheeses, Langres is milder and more delicate. It has a distinctive dimpled top and vibrant, orange rind.

If you can't find it, ask for: Époisses, though stronger, is about the closest and is easy to find.

Clacbitou. A simple, rustic, raw goat's milk cheese from Bourgogne, Clacbitou can be enjoyed at any stage from young to mature. Aged only slightly, it develops a slight natural rind. Its pâte has a loose, melting texture, with the flavor of fresh hay and nuts.

If you can't find it, ask for: Ripened Crottin

Brie. Produced just southwest of Paris, this is one of the milder, more buttery Bries. It almost disappeared from production but has seen a revival over the past few decades. Brie de Nangis is creamy and smooth and has a slightly chalky center that becomes runny with age — though it should not be too runny when it is at peak.

If you can't find it, ask for: A Brie-style cheese such as Coulommiers, Fougerus or Camembert.

Pyramid Goat. This goat's milk cheese was a favorite of Napoleon. Produced in the Berry region, the cheese comes in a truncated pyramid shape. It has a smooth, creamy rich texture and mild flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Sainte-Maure, Tradition Jacquin, Tradition du Berry. Many fresh Loire Valley goat cheeses pair well with champagne.

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Springtime Plate

The best time to enjoy the selections on this Fromage Plate is springtime, when hints of meadow flowers and grasses pervade the flavors and aromas of freshly made cheese.

Recommended tasting order: Crottin frais, Picandine, Pointe de Bique, Coulommiers, Tomme de Savoie.

The Cheeses
Picandine. A petite, fresh goat's milk cheese with a faint aroma and light lemony flavor, Picandine is produced by a dairy in the Dordogne region of southwest France. It is white and rindless, the shape of a small hockey puck, with a smooth, soft texture similar to that of natural cream cheese.

If you can't find it, ask for: Cabécou.

Crottin frais. A young goat's milk cheese from the Périgord region of east of Bordeaux. This natural rind cheese has a soft and creamy texture and a mild nutty flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Chabichou du Poitou, Boucantrin, Rove des Garrigues, Crottin Champignou.

Pointe de Bique. Nicknamed the Eiffel Tower, this classic Loire Valley chèvre is made in a distinctive four-sided conical shape. It has a pure white, moist and semi-soft pâte with a well-balanced, full flavor that offers complex sweet, sour and salty notes.

If you can't find it, ask for: Sainte-Maure, Pyramid Goat, fresh or aged goat cheese.

Coulommiers. This small, thick Brie-style cheese has a small, fresh center, or heart, surrounded by a pâte of pale yellow, with a sweet and melting taste. It has a white mold rind, at times with a touch of red.

If you can't find it, ask for: Brie, Camembert.

Tomme de Savoie. Many variations of this cow's milk cheese are produced in the mountainous Haute-Savoie region on the Swiss border. They are generally firm with small holes. They have mild nutty flavors and come in flattened cylinders with crusty natural rinds.

If you can't find it, ask for: Tomme from other regions like Pyrénées, or Camembert for the mushroom earthiness, or Saint-Nectaire.

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Super Bowl Plate

Turn football fans into Fromage fans with this hearty selection. These cheeses pair beautifully with beer and all the trimmings of a classic Super Bowl Party. Recommended tasting order: Cap Gris Nez, Mimolette, Epoisses, Cantal.
The Cheeses
Mimolette. Produced in Flanders in the northernmost region of France, this pasteurized cow's milk cheese is pressed, cooked and shaped like a cannonball. Mimolette hardens as it ages, its interior turning a deeper orange and acquiring a mouthwatering array of fruity, nutty flavors. Best when aged 18 months or more.

If you can't find it, ask for: Aged Comté.
Epoisses (AOC). This cow milk, washed-rind cheese comes from Burgundy. Strong-smelling, with a soft, smooth texture and a mouth-watering flavor, washed with wine or marc spirits, giving it a distinctive aroma. The rind has an orange tinge that darkens with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: Trou du Cru, Affidelice, Perrière, Soumaintrain, Trou du Cru.
Cantal (AOC) — Auvergne. A distinguished, semi-hard cheese from the central mountainous region of Auvergne, Cantal is a cheddar-like cow's milk cheese cured with salt, which brings out its full flavor. Heavy and moist, young Cantal has a sweet, milk flavor; well-aged, it has a sharper flavor.

If you can't find it, ask for: Laguiole, Salers.
Cap Gris Nez. Creamy and full of flavor, this washed-rind cheese is produced by one family in the northern coastal region known as Nord-Pas de Calais. Named for the "Grey Nosed Cape" that juts into the English Channel, Cap Gris Nez is rich, pungent and fairly intense.

If you can't find it, ask for: Livarot.

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Valentine's Day Plate

A special experience designed with fromage lovers in mind! Enjoy three of the most renowned Cheeses of France on this romantic occasion.
Recommended tasting order: Camembert, Comté, Roquefort.

The Cheeses
Camembert. Camembert is a world-renowned cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region in northern France. This quintessential French cheese has a soft, white, bloomy rind; luxurious ivory pâte; and a buttery, grassy flavor. The taste of a ripe Camembert is reminiscent of wild mushrooms.

If you can't find it, ask for: Pavé d'Auge, Pont-l'Evêque, Neufchâtel.

Comté (AOC). One of the most popular cheeses in France, Comté is produced in the rich mountain pastures of the Jura. Its firm and supple pâte, with tiny holes, has a nutty, slightly salty yet sweet taste. Comté is produced year-round by small, cooperative dairies known as fruitières.

If you can't find it, ask for: Beaufort.

Roquefort (AOC). Famous through the ages, this blue cheese is made from ewe's milk in central southern France. AOC rules dictate that the cheese must be ripened in the caves of Mount Combalou for 3 to 9 months. Known for its rich, mild creaminess and soft, spicy, tart flavors.

If you can't find it, ask for: Bleu des Causses, Fourme d'Ambert, Bleu d'Auvergne, Bleu des Basques, Bleu de Gex.

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White Plate

The vineyards of the Bourgogne, or Burgundy, region of France are known for both great red and white wines. The cheeses here, from Bourgogne and surrounding regions, are paired with white Burgundy wines produced from the Chardonnay grape. You might try them with a dry Chablis for another successful pairing.
Recommended tasting order: Clacbitou, Fougerus, Epoisses,
Bleu d'Auvergne.

The Cheeses
Bleu d'Auvergne (AOC). A delicious blue cheese from the Auvergne region of south-central France, Bleu d'Auvergne has a strong and pungent taste, but to a lesser extent than other blue cheeses; it is less salted, with a creamier and more buttery taste and a moister texture.

If you can't find it, ask for: Fourme d'Ambert.

Epoisses (AOC). This cow's milk, washed-rind cheese comes from Bourgogne. Strong smelling, with a soft, smooth and mouth-watering flavor, it is washed with marc spirits that give it a distinctive aroma. The rind has an orange tinge that darkens with age.

If you can't find it, ask for: Munster, Affidélice, Perrière, Soumaintrain, Trou du Cru.

Clacbitou. A simple, rustic, raw goat's milk cheese from Bourgogne, Clacbitou can be enjoyed at any stage from young to mature. Aged only slightly, it develops a slight natural rind. Its pâte has a loose, melting texture, with the flavor of fresh hay and nuts.

If you can't find it, ask for: Ripened Crottin.
Le Fougerus. This artisanal cheese from the Ile-de-France region belongs to the Brie group. It has a supple and sweet, soft, unpressed pâte, with a salty taste. A fern leaf decorates the cheese, blending its scent with the smell of the mold.

If you can't find it, ask for: Coulommiers, Brie, Chaource, Delice de Bourgogne.

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