Cheese + Mold. Is it safe to eat? This is a question I get asked a lot! This article on the Bon Appetit website came across my radar the other day (even though it was written in 2018!) and after I read the following paragraph, I knew I had to share it. "The first thing you’ve got to understand is that, by and large, microorganisms like mold are what makes cheese, well, cheese. “In a lot of ways, cheese is mold,” explains Morillo. With the notable exception of fresh cheeses that are meant to be consumed shortly after they are made (mozzarella, ricotta, queso fresco, etc.), most cheeses owe their distinct deliciousness and texture to the microbiological alchemy that occurs when mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms feast on the proteins and sugars present in milk, transforming them into a wide range of flavorful compounds. (Science is cool!)" Yes, science is cool! And mold, when it comes to cheese, can definitely be our friend.
Last week France feted its National Day of Cheese , a day I love to celebrate. (yeah...who am I kidding...I celebrate French cheese pretty much every day!) But it got me thinking about the fromageries here in Paris. There are a handful of famous fromagères and fromagers in the city who are lauded over and over, but what about the minor players? What about the small, off the beaten path cheese shops? What about the passionate cheesemongers with only a few staff members who take precious time off from their already busy schedules to visit farms and find small producers so they can offer new and interesting cheese and dairy to their customers? Let's talk about them. And let's support them! And there is a lot to talk about! I've met classical musicians, bankers and accountants who left their careers to become cheesemongers and to open up their own cheese shops, and there's even an actual dairy in Paris now. I see more and more young people buying up and breathing...
I resisted. Boy did I resist! The idea of going virtual with cheese "tastings," both during and after the lockdown in France, was completely overwhelming to me and I just didn't know how to make that transition. Several friends offered advice, but I was stubbornly closed to the idea. Then something changed. Part of it was the positive reaction from the guest post I wrote listing my Top Ten French Cheeses for David Lebovitz's fabulous blog. Additionally, Context Travel, who I was about to start doing tours with back in March, asked if I would join them as their online cheese connoisseur. So, I'll be going live on September 27 with a deep dive into all things cheese-y at From Camembert to Chèvre: An Exploration of French Cheese. Hope to see you there!
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