French cheeses in general

French have always regarded their cheese as essential, whether they buy it at a farms or in grocery store . People have milked thousand of cows, sheep and goats since someone in the past decided to curdle milk. But what should make us decide on which type of French cheese to purchase ? Any what does the word cheese mean anyhow? It is a dairy product for sure which is fermented or not fermented, matured or not matured, it is more or less skimmed, or cream or dasher. It can be coagulated, before it is drained or just partly drained or not drained at all. At least 23% of dry matter should be kept . The kind of milk used has to be labeled when it is not made of cow milk.

The 400 sorts of French cheese recorded can be made with milk or with pasteurised milk. The milk label means that the milk was not heated over 37 degrees Celsius. When warmed at this degree It keeps all its properties , and it loses certain pathogenic bacteria which can be dangerous for human digestive system. From the official point of view the real farm French cheese is a hand made with the milk of a single drove, each day. Small scale production is as significant nowadays as it used to be and it is proved by the expensive price of cheese products !

The milk which is used to make pasteurised cheese is heated up to 72 degrees Celsius for about 20 to 30 seconds each time and this process annihilates any pathogenic germ. Then the milk is seeded again with lactic bacteria in order to restore the flora indispensable for maturing the paste. The French consider it a law breaking to take the main bacteria out of milk and to replace them by others, which are selected and standardised in laboratories.

Besides the original cheese, mass-produced one can not be truly called as cheese although it ranks first in any household consumption. On one hand, you find mass production and low costs, and on the other small scale production, high quality and the prices differ chiefly. Similar kinds of cheese can have a different rate according to their fame and to the price of milk. There is a segmentation when considering brands : Lanquedoc, Lepetit, Gillot, Cooperative d’Isigny are made of milk. Their prices are more expensive , and they are chosen by only 15% of people. The pasteurised camembert branded as President, Bridel / Coeur de Lion are the market leaders with a 85% of market share. They are sold under the prices of cheese made of milk. The cause of this difference is moulding itself. For Lanquedoc camembert, the mould is filled with five layers of curdled milk, which takes a space of 40mm, so as to allow a slow draining and a different taste. So it takes longer time to produce this type.

The difference between cheese made with pasteurised milk or with milk has two sides . Be witting when choosing! If you read Normandy camembert on the label, it means that it is a ladle-moulded camembert made with milk. the origin is guaranteed even if for 15 years or so, most of the cows in Normandy are of Dutch origin. Camembert “made in Normandy” are pasteurised mainly: for cheese lovers, this is not full flavoured cheese. The ordinary label “Camembert” can be used for cheese made in any French region,as well as in any other countries around the world . The major difference is its low price. ~ The difference is ambiguous between cheese made with pasteurised milk or with milk. You must be aware when you make a choice ! Let’s take any example: if you you come across a camembert cheese which is labels “Normandy camembert”, it means that it is a ladle-moulded camembert made with milk which is pasteurised mainly. But I notify cheese lovers to pay careful attention as the ordinary label “Camembert” can be used for cheese made in any French region, as well as in any other countries for example China. The major difference is the low price the cheese is sold.}

Then how do you know which camembert is a pasteurised and a milk camembert? Non-pasteurised cheese has an uneven rind of variety of colours, it is even and white when cheese is pasteurised the ripening process is halted then. The sides of a ripen cheese are soft when you touch them and it goes on ripening stores. Cheese lovers relish milk cheese of guaranteed origin. But 85% consumers eat milder pastes more which is enjoyed by everyone within the family.

Where to buy French cheese? Let’s consider supermarkets first. They are a load of rubbish: suppliers have to pay to get a good place at the self-service supermarket; so they overvalue their products so as to recoup the expenses. Secondly, traditional shops ? A professional cheesemonger, thanks to his know-how and to his presence in the shop, can sell any fresh product, while standing apart from mass distribution systems. He offers his clients as many farm products as possible, plus Dutch cheese, such as old Gouda. They buy small quantities of cheese, in order to keep it splendid.And the prices are not higher than anywhere else. Last but not least, cheese farms. They are the best pick. But for health-related motives, some make a stand against farm cheese. But nobody should fear! Ministries would never allow the sale of any dubious cheese. In farms as well as in factories, hygiene is irreproachable. There are vet inspections. The ticketing of cheese is also submitted to strict rules, such as sales designation, animal species, minimum fats content, manufacturing place and additives