HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE: France’s Most Iconic Cheeses

Cheese production in Europe is astoundingly vast and diverse. More than 1,000 French cheeses are said to exist throughout Europe, especially if you consider cheeses that are solely consumed in the region where they were produced.

Some well-known French cheeses, like Mimolette, with its recognisable ball-like form and vibrant orange inside, or Langres, a little button with a concave top and a golden wrinkled rind, are readily recognisable. On the basis of looks alone, certain people could be more challenging to recognise. Is that a Brie or Camembert, for instance? Roquefort cheese or Bleu d’Auvergne?

These hints can assist you in differentiating among the four families of cheese from Europe.

Soft Cheese: Brie vs. Camembert vs. Coulommiers

All three soft-ripened cow’s milk cheeses—Brie, Camembert, and Coulommiers—are matured for around four weeks. Camembert is fashioned into little wheels, whilst Brie is made into huge wheels. Coulommiers are sized somewhere in the between. Brie and Coulommiers have flavours that are similar to each other: buttery and mellow with a little earthiness. However, Coulommiers has a thicker paste, which gives it an even more opulent texture. Rich and mushroomy tastes that get stronger as the cheese ages characterise camembert.

Hard Cheese: Comt é vs. Emmental

Both Comté and Emmental are cow’s milk cheeses manufactured in the Alpine manner in the hilly parts of France that border Switzerland. Although full wheels of both cheeses could be difficult to distinguish from one another, their interiors are noticeably different: Comté contains tiny holes or eyes, whereas Emmental’s eyes are very wide. Comté has a mellow, rich flavour with hints of hazelnuts, butter, and cream. Emmental has a sweet and nutty flavour.

Blue Cheese: Fourme d’Ambert vs. Bleu d’Auvergne vs. Roquefort

This trio is very distinct from one another save for the blue veins that resulted from the injection of Penicillium Roqueforti. Fourme d’Ambert, which has a 1,000-year lifespan, is shaped like a tall cylindrical object. The more conventional wheels of Bleu d’Auvergne and Roquefort are wedge-shaped, but this one is sliced into discs. The mildest of the three, Fourme d’Ambert is delicate and fruity. The flavour of bleu d’Auvergne is peppery and salty, and it has a strong scent. Roquefort is a creamy, tangy, sophisticated cheese that was a favourite of Emperor Charlemagne.

Ash-coated goat cheese: Selles-sur-Cher vs. Valençay

Most people think of fresh chèvre when you mention “goat cheese,” but French goat cheeses come in a wide range of ages, shapes, and flavours. Ash is used to coat the rinds of Selles-sur-Cher and Valençay, resulting in a surface that is more conducive for the growth of beneficial mould. The densely packed, acidic Selles-sur-Cher has a disc-like form. With an unique wrinkled rind and a gentle, creamy flavour with undertones of lemon, Valençay is shaped like a squat pyramid.

Fromage from Europe has a variety of cheeses for any taste, whether they are soft or hard, rich or fresh. Even while some may seem identical, if you dare to sample the different varieties of French cheese, you’ll quickly be able to identify each one’s very delectable characteristics.