| France is certainly in the forefront of | | | | placing a bowl of chutney next to your cheese |
| cheese manufacturing, with over 500 varieties | | | | platter for guests to serve themselves. |
| of cheeses that are made in this region | | | | French Cheese and Wine It is hard to think |
| alone! While many of these cheeses are of the | | | | about the delicious French cheeses without |
| soft variety, French cheeses can actually be | | | | considering which wine is the best pairing. |
| a healthy alternative to some of the cheese | | | | Wine and cheese go together like peanut |
| favorites that are frequently served in the | | | | butter and jelly, but the question always |
| United States. French cheeses are lower in | | | | becomes which wine is the right choice? Red |
| fat while packing in the flavor because of | | | | wines are often the clear choice with French |
| the higher water content in soft cheeses that | | | | cheeses, but there are many white selections |
| actually keeps the fat count at a reasonable | | | | that will work equally well. The best rule of |
| level. These delicious varieties of cheese | | | | thumb to keep in mind is to avoid a wine that |
| can be a great choice for everyday, by using | | | | is too light to mix with the pungent aromas |
| them in pasta dishes and sprinkled into | | | | and flavors of the cheeses that you will be |
| salads. They also work well for entertaining, | | | | serving. It is also a good idea to limit the |
| on platters offering a variety of cheeses | | | | number of choices in cheeses that you place |
| with crackers and crusty breads for | | | | on your platter to ensure that the ones you |
| spreading. French Cheese and Other Foods | | | | select will work best with your wine |
| French cheeses make a nice complement to a | | | | selection. Stronger cheese flavors will |
| number of different types of food, including | | | | require a more full-bodied wine, such as a |
| breads, fruits and honey. Soft cheeses like | | | | Cabernet Sauvignon or a Shiraz. On the other |
| the popular brie taste delicious when paired | | | | hand, softer cheeses can be quite nice with a |
| with fruits like blackberries or figs. Blue | | | | lighter and fruitier wine like Beaujolais. |
| cheeses work well with a number of fruits, as | | | | When in doubt about the right wine to serve |
| well as a variety of nuts for maximum flavor | | | | with your French cheese platters, ask someone |
| and variety. Try a salad sprinkled with blue | | | | at your local liquor mart for advice. Many of |
| cheese and chopped walnuts for a delicious | | | | these stores will offer wine experts that |
| topping. Semi-hard French cheeses are | | | | will answer all of your questions. |
| delightfully paired with fruits like | | | | |
| pineapple, kiwi and cherries. Chutneys are | | | | Ann Marier has written many articles on |
| another nice complement to many of the | | | | health issues and useful house and garden |
| cheeses today, and you can make your own or | | | | Topics. |
| buy them in a variety of gourmet shops. Try | | | | |