Walker’s Wine and Dine Series: Flavors of France

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Flavors of France Curated Cheese Box and Shopping List

Each curated Flavors of France box will contain the following selections of cheeses and accompaniments. If you did not order a box to be shipped directly to you, not to worry! Below you will find the cheeses included in the box, along with recommended substitutions as well as what to avoid buying. 

Cheeses

1. Delice de Poitou – Goat’s milk, with ashed rind. Loire Valley.
   Look for: Selles sur Cher. Valencay. Saint Maure de Touraine. Rond du Cher (Jacquin). Oval Cendree (H. Mons).
   
   Avoid: Domestic soft-ripened goat cheeses. Vermont Creamery’s Bonne Bouche or Coupole can sub in if there is nothing French.

2. Camembert de Normandie – Cow’s milk. 45% butterfat. Normandy.
   Look for: Camembert le Chatelain. Camembert Le Rustique. Camembert Fermier. Le Conquerant Camembert. Camembert d’Isigny. Rudolphe le Meunier / Herve Mons / Rouzaire.
   
   Avoid: Domestic versions. President brand. La Bonne Vie brand. Joan of Arc brand. Private label (store brands).

3. Ossau Iraty Affine (pronounced “aw-sow-ee-rah-tee”) – Sheep’s milk. French Pyrennees.
   Look for: Onetik brand. Istara brand. Agour brand. Esquirrou Ossau-Iraty. Etorki brand. Abbaye de Belloc.
   
   Avoid: Domestic versions. P’tit Basque.

4. Comte (pronounced “cahm-tay”) – Cow’s milk. Aged by Marcel Petit. French Jura.
   Look for: 12+ months aged Comte. Other brands: Rivoire Jacquemin, Fort St. Antoine.
   
   Avoid: “Alpine” cheese. Gruyere AOP or domestic versions.

5. Bleu d’Auvergne – Cow’s milk. Auvergne.
   Look for: Livradois brand. Otherwise, look for Fourme d’Ambert. Or another medium weight, natural rind cow’s milk blue.
   
   Avoid: Pungent and non-cow’s milk domestic and other countries’ blue cheeses.               

Accompaniments

1. Mesquite Flower Honey
   A darker, more herbal honey that can stand up to stronger flavors.
   
2. Fig/Pistachio Dark Chocolate
   Chocolate & cheese. Yum.

Additional Accompaniment Suggestions

(Especially if making this for dinner): 

• Freshly sliced plain baguette and/or plain crackers
• Seedless grapes (to cleanse the palate)
• Ripe pear slices
• Unsalted almonds and cashews (roasted or unroasted)
• Pate de Campagne
• Cornichons
• Sliced jambon
• Unsalted butter (look for Beurre de Barrate or Isigny)
• Water – without ice, sparkling or still

Suggested beverages

• Sparkling wine
• Unoaked chardonnay
• Pinot Gris
• Cotes du Rhone
• Farmhouse cider (especially for the Camembert)
• Apple cider or juice
• Pear cider or juice
• Pilsner
• Lighter, less hoppy beers
• For the blue: Sauternes, ice wine, Port

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