Reply to: Cheese. Or Le Fromage?

[TimberWolf]

I think British cheddar takes some beating. Strong cheddar. It's great even after it's gone rock hard in the fridge.

One food item I thought the Germans did better than us was bread. As kids we used to get freshly baked "Brötchen" (bread rolls) from the local bakery and they were too good to want waste time buttering etc. Jeez they were good. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. In the UK, bread rind is barely edible (HTFDTDT?) whereas with those it was the best part. Bread in the UK seems to be mostly carp, though no doubt decent UK bakeries exist.

[Mich the Tester]

There are fabulous cheeses available in every country in Europe if you’re prepared to seek out a good supplier who knows his local farmers. Britain is no exception, and has perhaps led the way in returning to the value of locally produced foods from small scale farmers.

Immediately I can think of wonderful cheeses all over Europe, like; German Muenster, Dutch Old Amsterdam, Italian Pecorino and Parmiggiano Reggiano, French Camembert, Spanish Manchego, English Stilton and my favourite, Lancashire cheese, Irish Cheddar, Belgian Passendale etc.

It’s not the country making cheese that counts; it’s how the cheese is made and the attitude to food of the people making it.

[Lockhouse]

I find that the real distinction between cheese in England and cheese in France, is that the French know how to serve it. Too often one requests the cheese course in this country and the cheese is served too cold so that it's flavour has not been allowed to develop. In France cheese is more correctly served at room temperature and has been allowed to ripen.

Regarding taste; the cheese of both countries has much merit. The French hard cheeses are not as good as the English ones, but there's no real English equivalent to really ripe French medium soft cheese or French fromage de chevre AC.

Just my 2p worth - but I've eaten a lot of cheese.

[Pogle]

Blue Stilton is the best cheese on the planet. Gorgonzola, Rocheforte can't hold a candle to it.

WHS -YUMMY

[NotAllThere]

Blue Stilton is the best cheese on the planet. Gorgonzola, Rocheforte can't hold a candle to it.

[Ruprect]

You mean there's a lot of restaurants in London. It's not quite the same as having a national cuisine.

Nope, there is a national culture of food now, and the number of popular cookery programs on TV is proof of that. People expect high quality and value for money, and are prepared to cook it themselves too. French cuisine hasn't changed in 50 years.

[Spacecadet]

You mean there's a lot of restaurants in London. It's not quite the same as having a national cuisine.

You need to go outside of London - seems to me that its the Gastro pubs which are really keeping the English cuisine alive.

[ace00]

food

English cuisine is more varied, cosmopolitan, modern, tasty and healthy than the french now; french cuisine in general has failed to move with the times.

You mean there's a lot of restaurants in London. It's not quite the same as having a national cuisine.

[Ruprect]

I prefer softer cheeses, but agree with you on English cheese being as good (if not better) than the French stuff

food

English cuisine is more varied, cosmopolitan, modern, tasty and healthy than the french now; french cuisine in general has failed to move with the times.

[expat]

The French, being a farming people, make lots of cheese and eat it young. So they have no need to press it.

The British, and indeed the Dutch, are a seafaring and trading people, so they press their cheese, which makes it last longer (sometimes they, especially the Dutch, also seal it in wax for the same reason).

The form follows the function, you might say.

[ace00]

It seems no poll is needed.
Case closed.
Britain - cheesemeisters supreme.

[Spacecadet]

I prefer softer cheeses, but agree with you on English cheese being as good (if not better) than the French stuff

[Purple Dalek]

Yum.... Brie

Yum, deep fried Brie.

[cailin maith]

Yum.... Brie

[Pondlife]

Do you mean the triangles in foil or the slices in plastic?




Agree with you BTW.