Paris Watch French Cheese Is a World of Unlimited Discovery By KIKI YOSHIDA	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
チーズ王国フランス フランスにはなんと600種類を超えるチーズがあると言われます。チーズはその産地、製法、熟成期間などによって味や香りがさまざまに違い、ワインとパンを合わせると立派なご馳走になります。筆者もすっかりチーズのとりこになってしまいました。

Camembert, Beaufort, Fourme d'Ambert, Muenster, Roquefort, Saint Nectaire.

How many of these French cheeses have you heard of, or actually tasted? Whether you know them all or not, they represent just the tip of the iceberg.

France plays a principal role in cheesemaking. In 1962, then-President Charles de Gaulle said in a speech, "How can you be expected to govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?"

In fact, 246 is not the correct figure. No one knows exactly how many cheeses are produced in France. It is said around 650, but then again many of them are really the same cheese made in a different region and given a different name.

But whatever the exact figure, it is amazing that you could easily taste a different cheese every day for a year.

When I was in Japan, I never used to eat cheese like I do now. I did not have a much of a choice, anyway. In the supermarkets, most cheeses were processed cheese, a cheese byproduct made from natural cheese, vegetable-based gums, dyes, emulsifiers and stabilizers. This was the only cheese I knew when I was little.

Recently, I started writing a monthly cheese column on a company Web site. This has turned out to be an opportunity for me to explore the world of cheese. As I carry out my research, my interest grows bigger and bigger. Now I can't pass the cheese counter at the supermarket without looking closely.

I've even started going to the fromagerie (cheese shop) because of the great variety there. Since there is a fromagerie on nearly every street, there is no trouble finding one. Each showcase is fascinating! The cheeses with various shapes and sizes are most likely handmade. I feel the warmth and the love each artisan put into making them.

There are many different types of cheeses: fresh, soft-ripened, washed-rind, natural-rind, blue-veined, uncooked pressed and cooked pressed. A cheese can be classified in many ways: by the process or recipe used to make it, by the type of milk used, by its texture or by the appearance of its rind.

Cheese is good for you. It can be made from the milk of any mammal, the primary ones being cows, goats and sheep. On average, cow's milk is 87 percent water, 3.5 percent protein, 3.75 percent fat and nearly 5 percent lactose (milk sugar). It also has water-soluble vitamins, such as A, B complex and D, and minerals, including calcium and phosphorus.

I used to be surprised at how much cheese my boyfriend eats. Then when I noticed how strong his bones are, I thought, "That's because he has eaten so much cheese since he was a child."

No doubt you already know Camembert. This is one of the most famous of France's cheeses. Camembert is also made in Germany, the United States and other countries, including Japan. But real Camembert is made in only a few departments of Normandy. Only 6 percent of all Camembert made in France is A.O.C. (Appellation de Origine Controlee).

Although for many years the French took legal steps to protect its national treasures, it was not until 1979 that France began to grant such formal name-controlled status to its cheeses. To date, just 37 French cheeses have met the legal requirements necessary to receive this important distinction, which is aimed at keeping the quality of these cheeses high and honoring the traditions of their production.

However, A.O.C. status is not a guarantee that each cheese is perfect. Quality may vary from maker to maker and may even reflect the time of year the cheese was made and the duration of its ripening.

Preferable accompaniments to French cheeses are bread, wine, salad, olives and nuts. I am happy when there is a loaf of good bread when I am eating cheese — and even happier if there's a bottle of excellent wine too!

It is recommended that wines and cheeses produced in the same region be served together. The important thing is not to allow one to overwhelm the other. Good cheese will make average wine seem better than it is.

I have also discovered the pleasure of cooking with cheese. It is an indispensable ingredient in a wide range of famous regional specialties. Shredded or grated cheese is easier to incorporate into cooking than slices or chunks. Smaller bits melt more quickly and blend together with other ingredients more readily. It's also good to know that when cheese is shredded or grated, its volume increases because of the air.

Thanks to the ingredients available here, I've become quite good at cooking French cuisine. It is only a bit of an overgeneralization to say that one can make any dish French by adding butter, fresh cream and cheese. This is like magic to me.

The best way to savor cheese is on its own, of course. If you have a chance to come to France, enjoy all the different kinds of cheese to your heart's content. I bet it will inspire an interest in this wonderful food in you too.

Shukan ST: March 3, 2000

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