Last Thursday, we had a wine and cheese evening with Professor Busby, one of the coordinators of the program. We got to try four different cheese, paired with four different wines. It was wonderful to be able to try the French cheeses, because in France you can get cheese with unpasteurized milk that has been aged for less than 60 days (it's illegal to sell it in the United States). Most cheeses in the United States are made with pasteurized milk, but when the milk is pasteurized, it kills all the bacteria, which in turn kills off the flavor.
The first pairing was Brie de Meaux with a Bordeaux. The brie was really delicious, and I was glad that we started off the evening with a cheese that wasn't too strong. The second cheese was Comté, which is a nutty, smooth cheese that is similar to a cheese made by Pleasant Ridge Reserve (a Wisconsin cheese company). It was paired with a type of wine from the Rhône Valley called a Beaumes de Venise. The third pairing was a goat cheese called Sainte Maure and a type of wine called Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalans (which means it's from the South of France). This was my favorite cheese - it was smooth and delectable and it actually melted right in my mouth. The fourth pairing was what Professor Busby called a curve ball - a really strong artisanal bleu cheese called Roquefort served with a sweet white wine. Because the Roquefort is so strong and salty, pairing it with a white wine makes it easier to enjoy.
It was nice to make conversation with some of the girls on the trip that I don't know very well, and I feel so lucky to have been able to try the French cheeses!
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