Emily in France 🇫🇷 Come Taste Cheese with Me in Paris!
A new recurring event designed for expats
Most of the cheese tastings I host in Paris are for visitors, people who rarely encounter the sheer variety of cheese you’ll find for sale at any corner fromagerie. My goal, with these tastings, is to introduce people to the world of French cheese, hopefully spotlighting new-to-them options that are emblematic of the French cheesescape.
But for full-time Parisians, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve launched a brand-new event series just for you. Friends, meet Savor Paris’ cheese discoveries.
These monthly tastings are perfect for all cheese lovers, from newbies who have been avoiding the fromagerie in favor of the relative simplicity of Monoprix’s cheese aisle to bona fide cheese lovers looking for a new discovery in the country known for having nearly 2,000 cheeses.
We hosted our first event at the end of May, introducing a group of seasoned locals to the wide range of French cheeses. From the comfort of a local covered market, we embarked on a discovery of the five cheese families, focusing on rarer gems sourced from one of my favorite cheesemongers, all paired with a glass of spectacular grower Champagne.
This month, we're thrilled to be doing it again with a tasting focused on the wonderful world of goat cheese.
Many assume that all goat cheeses take the form of the soft, creamy chèvres that adorn many a goat cheese salad. But in reality, the world of goat cheese is varied. Producers all over the hexagon transform this rich, grassy milk into soft, creamy chèvres and crumbly, pressed tommes. Cheeses may boast aromas ranging from mild and herbaceous to imposing and caprine. And since these cheeses are currently in season, I’m particularly excited to share them with you!
This tasting will be taking place on Wednesday 25 June at 6pm and is priced at 60 euros per person. That includes a 1 1/2-hour guided tasting of five French cheeses served in portions copious enough to stand in for dinner, all rounded out with the perfect glass of wine to pair.
Book now via the Events page or by filling out the form here! I can't wait to share the delicious world of French goat cheese with you.
Cheese of the Week
This gorgeous, surprising goat’s milk blue from Ferme de la Tremblaye was present on the platter I served at our inaugural tasting. Made just outside of Paris, this cheese has a lovely creamy texture and a balanced acidity afforded by its ashed rind. The blue character is present but relatively mild, making it a surefire crowdpleaser.
To discover more of my favorite cheeses, be sure to follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and tune into the Terroir Podcast, where Caroline Conner and I delve into France's cheese, wine, and more one region at a time.
What I’m Eating
Cloche has departed from its divey past to offer an array of upscale brasserie-inspired dishes in a small, dimly-lit dining room scattered with chairs of the exact Art Déco green that so inspired Hector Guimard’s emblematic métro entrances. On the menu, expect creative plays on French classics like beef bourguignon reimagined as a Wellington or an astoundingly good steak-frites in a sauce twisted with Japanese touches. More on the blog.
Where I’m Going
1. To Chez Ibo, to taste what's meant to be one of Paris' best kébabs.
2. To the Musée d'Orsay, to check out a temporary exhibit on street posters.
3. To London, to celebrate the christening of my godson – and my 38th birthday!
What I’m Doing
TERRE/MER is a ceramics and culinary retreat I co-host in the Mediterranean seaside town of la Ciotat. This long weekend is governed by creativity and terroir, encompassing a 10-hour ceramics workshop, three locally-sourced meals a day (prepared with love by yours truly), hands-on cooking workshops, a cheese tasting (bien sûr), and more.
We'll be welcoming our next small group September 4-7. Book your spot now!
What I'm Writing
1. Chances are you already know of Linda Eglin Mayer, even if you’ve never met her: She’s the owner of Buvette, a Pigalle destination for French fare with a touch of West Village flair. And Mayer herself is just as international. After moving to Paris from New Jersey by way of New York in 1992, she spends most of her time in the heart of Pigalle, home to both her restaurant and her favorite places to dine in Paris. For Bonjour Paris.
2. In the endless search for perfect skin, women around the world are becoming more conscious of collagen intake. Collagen supplement sales surpassed $1.8 billion in 20221, and they show no sign of stopping. But according to experts, most Americans still aren’t getting the amount they need. For Organic Authority.
3. From the archives: From hiding their best bottles to providing secret intel to Allied forces, French winemakers played an essential role in the French Resistance, which helped pave the way for D-Day. For the BBC.
Friends of Emily in France
I’m surrounded by some pretty exceptional entrepreneurs, writers, and tastemakers, and I think you should know about them too! From now on, each week, I’ll be profiling one person I think you should be aware of.
Escape to the heart of the Loire Valley this December for an exclusive cultural visit to Chinon hosted by Jamie Schler, food writer, and cultural enthusiast. I adore Jamie’s Substack, which offers research-driven deep-dives into a medley of French foods and drinks. With this excursion, she’s put together a fabulous program blending history, architecture, food and wine to create a unique, 4 day/5-night retreat in the heart of the Loire Valley.
With her deep love for French cuisine and the region’s rich history, Jamie will welcome you to the Hotel Diderot, then guide you through a festive experience, including visits to 3 majestic châteaux beautifully decorated for Christmas. Enjoy meals at Jamie’s favorite local restaurants and experience a private wine tasting at a renowned domain. A carefully curated selection of activities will immerse you in the holiday charm of the Loire Valley, blending culture, gastronomy, and seasonal magic. Space is limited—reserve your spot today!
FAQs
With the goal of bringing you the content you crave, I'm soliciting your help. What questions can I answer for you? Drop them into the newsletter chat, and I’ll answer as many as I can!
This question comes from Substack user TDub14.
This coming December, I will be in France with my fromage bleu-obsessed daughter. (She's 13.) We will spend 3-4 days each in the Loire, Paris, and Alsace (staying in Strasbourg). I would be grateful if you could offer any surprise ideas for opportunities to encounter blue cheese in particular, but if not blue cheese, she's a fan of other types. I will have a car in the Loire, and I am not opposed to getting a car while in Alsace. Merci beaucoup!
This is not the first time a parent has reached out about coordinating something specially for a cheese-loving adolescent – and I certainly hope it won't be the last!
Blue cheeses can be found all over the hexagon, though you will find them more frequently in the Massif Central, Jura, and Aveyron than in Alsace and the Loire. That’s because these techniques grew up in central France, in the Auvergne, where Penicillium roqueforti spores proliferate in natural aging cellars. While thanks to cheesemongers, you’ll still find delicacies from other regions in the Loire and Alsace, I recommend seeking out these regions’ specialties and saving your blue cheese discovery for Paris.
The Loire is known for its goat cheese, including five AOP chèvres. Seek out a farm open to visitors via the Bienvenue à la ferme network, and explore the cheesemaking facilities (and meet the goats!) In Alsace, I heartily recommend staying at one of the region's farm-inns high in the mountains, like Rothenbrunnen, where you can taste the stinky Munster that shares the name of the valley and village below.
The very idea of a cheesemonger specialized in regional cheeses was born in Paris, which means that you’ll find all manner of blue cheeses from around the country – and even the world. In particular, I’d recommend seeking out Roquefort, France’s oldest AOP cheese. The one made by Carles is the only truly artisanal Roquefort left. To that, I’d add Ferme de la Tremblaye’s Bleu de Chèvre above, the incredible Fourme d’Ambert from ager Laurent Dubois, and Bleu de Termignon, France’s rarest cheese, which you can find at Quatrehomme.
Discover these and many more by booking a cheese tasting with me, which I can curate to your tastes! Whether you want to focus exclusively on bleu or chèvre or want the widest variety of French fromages you can find, I’m your (cheese) girl.
What I'm Reading
1. I’m a sucker for sibling narratives, even ones as dark as Brother and Sister Enter the Forest. While the title seems to set the story up as a fairy tale, in truth, it’s a story of a family reeling from a devastating event. The atypical structure invites the reader to discover the story piecemeal and out of order, and as a result, our allegiances shift as quickly as the pages fly. The ending is far from conclusive, and yet it's wholly satisfying. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a very long time.
2. This thought-provoking listicle on writing, which I read multiple times with great pleasure and which has inspired me to do far more – and far better – thinking. In Experimental History.
3. This eye-opening look at the business of burgers. In the New York Times.
A bientôt !