It has been a long time since we had a full-blown cheese platter for dinner. Last Saturday it happened again, and this is what we did: seafood for the first course (What is a whelk?) and cheese with salad for the second course. It does not get better than this, does it?
This time we did a bit of experimenting and did not stick exclusively to French cheese. 
Clockwise from the top right:
- Boutton de Culotte (France): Goat milk cheese from Bourgogne. Semi-hard. Best when it is even harder. Lovely, balanced, medium strong taste.
- Salers (France): Cow milk cheese from the center part of France (Auvergne). The region is also known for volcanoes and Cantal cheese. One of my favorite cheeses of France.
- Bethmale (France): Soft cow milk cheese from Midi-Pyrénées near the Pyrenees mountains. My husband’s favorite cheese. Strong cow taste and smell! Also exists made from goat milk.
- Shropshire Blue (UK): I wanted to find Stilton, but fromagerie didn’t have it. So we had Shropshire Blue (cow milk), which is considered a cross between Stilton and Cheshire. Strong and soft at the same time, but perfect for blue cheese lovers.
- Pecorino with Black Peppers (Italy): Semi hard cheese from Tuscany. Pungent. I loved the black peppers. Also loved the texture. Perfect in salads (I put cubes of it today in my chicken, tomato, avocado and artichoke salad. Yummy).
As there are hundreds of cheeses in France (some say 500 different types), I guess I will be posting many cheese platter photos!
PS What is your favorite French cheese?
pearlspotting 
Saint Nectaire is pretty delicious! It’s another gem from Auvergne!
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Agree! St Nectaire is usually one of the cheeses we include in the platter but wanted to do something slightly different this time.
What would be your second and third cheese choices?
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Roquefort and…… I’m not sure, there are just too many to choose from! Probably a soft goat’s cheese!
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I love Mont d’Or too but had A LOT during Xmas holidays 😉
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Goat cheese with figs for me!
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Any particular goat cheese?
Figs go well with many types of cheese!
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I like Corsican Goat Cheese with less than 40% of fat if I can choose! I cannot tell a particular producer or brand so far.. As I keep tasting new products every time.
I love Beaufort cheese as well 😀
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A good choice 🙂
I was just talking to someone today about Corsican food and wine. Great diversity!! Excellent cheese. Excellent wine.
PS I got married in Corsica 😉
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Wow L’île de beauté! In the north part I hope 🙂
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Of course the north 🙂
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Livarot white cheese. Tasted 3 weeks ago Levasseur Grand Livarot with Chateau d’Arche sweet white wine
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Livarot from Normandy: an excellent choice!! I like it too. With Sauternes! A nice one. Did you like the combination?
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Yes, more than same wine with Runeberg’s tarte. Posted pairing experiments as Wine review.
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Oh it was that wine? I did not make the connection but do remember you pairing wine with Rubeberg’s tarte.
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Tomme de Savoie is my favourite french cheese but my all time favourite is Tete de Moine from just over the border in the Swiss Romande. Delicious!
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