500 Kinds of Cheese

The best cheese store in Avignon is La Maison du Fromage in Les Halles. The shop's owner, Nathalie Francoz, has been selling cheese for thirty years. There are more than 300 varieties of cheese on sale, among them almost 100 kinds of goat cheese from Provence and the Cevennes, some of which are exclusive in the region to Nathalie. Try the Banon, a goat cheese wrapped in a chestnut leaf, whose tannin gives a special taste to the cheese. La Maison makes its own sort of pureed cheese, a delicious spread for toast, with fresh goat cheese, roquefort, and old marc.  Another speciality is a Corsican brocciu passu, a sheep's cheese with wild herbs and garlic, available from mid November. Unusual blue cheeses include a Bleu de Gex and a Tomme de Montbrison from the Loire. One of my favorite cheeses is the creamy St. Marcellin of Renée Richard, made from cow's  milk. Nathalie's cheeses are made with raw milk, warmed milk or pasteurized milk. I like raw milk cheeses the best for they have more taste. And now for a recipe - what could be more French, and easier, than a cheese souffle!

Melt 3 soup spoons (tablespoons) of butter, stir in 3 soup spoons (tablespoons) of flour and whisk slowly over low heat. Add just under 250 cl (1 cup) of milk and whisk until the mixture thickens into a thick sauce. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and whisk in 3 egg yolks, one at a time, then put back on a low heat and whisk well. Then add 5 soup spoons of grated Parmesan and 3 soup spoons of grated comté. Stir well. At this point you can add a soup spoon of strong Dijon mustard or a pinch of cayenne. Whisk 4 egg whites until stiff.  Stir into the milk and cheese mixture. Pour into a buttered and floured straight sided 18cm (7 inch) souffle dish (if you wish you can sprinkle some grated parmesan over the top) and bake in a preheated 180° (350°) oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the souffle has risen and set. Do NOT open the oven door until the souffle is done.