How To Serve A Traditional French Cheese Course And Impress Your Company
France is largely to thank for the advent of the fine dining scene, and the French cheese course is surely emblematic of this detail-oriented gourmand dogma. No comment on the fact that Julia Child, the French chef herself, refused to use the word "gourmand," but we digress. France has the artisanal cheese game on lock, and it isn't just national, it's regional. Every region in France boasts unique cheesemaking techniques, traditions, specialties, and often their own AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) or AOPs (Appellation d'Origine Protégée). In short, French cheese is kind of a big deal. There's a reason why it deserves its own course.
This physically minimal, experientially maximal course is all about savoring. Small portions of individually separated, high-quality cheeses are eaten slowly and appreciated, each crafted flavor note discovered and celebrated on the palate. In many ways, this sensory course is more comparable to attending a wine tasting than munching on a salumi (not salami) spread.
Despite its inherent fanciness, serving a French cheese course to dinner party guests at home requires minimal effort. Literally just acquire and then slice the cheese. That's it. Hosting a traditional French cheese course delivers an impressive payoff for little prep work on the front end — not to mention, it makes a great excuse for patronizing your local cheesemonger. Let's dive into all the stinky, funky, runny, craggy glory.
The French cheese course comes after the entree and before dessert
First things first, the French cheese course is a far cry from a French-themed charcuterie board, which features cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and spreads on a common board. Instead, this fromage-forward course is one step in a long, structured, sit-down meal with multiple courses. In French culinary tradition, the cheese comes after the entree course and before dessert — never, ever as an appetizer. Sometimes, a cheese course will be served in lieu of a dessert course altogether. Although, as Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 18th-century French politician and author of the seminal "Physiologie du goût" aka "The Physiology of Taste", once famously quipped, "Dessert without cheese is like a beauty with only one eye," (via Goodreads). So, the efficacy of the cheese course to wear more than one hat is somewhat debated, and anyway, the whole point of this unique course it to let French cheese shine as the jewel it is.
By serving the cheese between the main course and dessert, diners' palates have already been stoked by the entree, facilitating greater appreciation for the complex cheeses without overshadowing the main course to come. On the social side, in France, the cheese course is also considered a hospitable way to encourage relaxation and a longer stay at the table, lingering to enjoy more wine and conversation after the main course has ended.
French cheese courses are paired with a glass of wine and maybe some bread, nothing else
Forget towering charcuterie board assemblage. In the minimal French cheese course, the star of the show is customarily accompanied by a glass of wine and a few slices of baguette, but never crackers and usually nothing else. Those baguette slices function as vehicles for creamy, spreadable cheeses like brie. Pertaining to the wine, a strong, sweet port is commonly selected to counterbalance the rich, salty cheese, or a sweet, crisp Riesling for bright complement. If the cheese course doesn't come with a specialized wine pairing, it's just as common to enjoy the cheese with the remainder of whatever wine was already on the table during the entree course.
Since this occasion is all about appreciating unique flavors, the cheeses are not served stacked on a communal centerpiece board, as with charcuterie spreads. In a French cheese course, each diner gets their own personal plate arranged with a few slices of high-quality cheese. If not spread on baguette, like soft cheeses, each slice of hard cheese should be eaten with a knife and fork in small bites. If the cheese course is to be followed by a dessert course, then the fromage and bread might be accompanied by a lightly-dressed green salad, like arugula in vinaigrette. In such cases, a smear of honey, preserves, or a few pieces of fresh fruit might also be served pre-dessert, but this isn't a universal practice.
Select three to five cheeses in a variety of textures and flavors
A French cheese course always includes a soft and a hard cheese, but beyond this basic foundation, the specific offerings vary greatly. Three to five cheeses is the customary amount, but the total should always come out to an odd number. More than presentation or panache, the French cheese course functions to celebrate variety, showcasing the country's wide-ranging, diverse kaleidoscope of fromage. For fascinating contrast, the course centers around a mixture of textures. Hard cheese(s) might include Basque Ossau Iraty, tangy Tommes de Savoie, nutty Gruyere, or sweet, accessible mimolette. For the soft cheese, diners might select a mild chèvre, a bolder, ash-rinded Selles-Sur-Cher, or creamy, oozy Camembert. Beyond firmness, another variation-oriented theme might be to serve a course with a cow's milk cheese (hard Alpine unique Comté cheese), a sheep's milk cheese (rippled blue French roquefort, which differs from roquefort), and a goat's milk cheese (soft-ripened herbed goat cheese).
In French restaurants, chefs might pre-select the exact cheeses to be served, and other times, guests may be permitted to choose from a selection of cheeses wheeled tableside on a cart. In the latter scenario, the chosen cheeses are sliced and portioned by the server immediately before eating. Whether dining out or hosting a proper cheese course at home, the cheeses should be sliced fresh, never in advance, to prevent dryness.
The cheeses should be sliced and placed on individual serving plates, or else carved and self-served from central wedges
Per proper etiquette (and maximum enjoyment), the cheeses should be tasted in an intensifying order of mildest to strongest. When dining in a French restaurant, it's customary for the chef or server to portion each diner's plate with a few slices of cheese or, especially when holding a cheese course at home, the host might choose to serve à volonté (at will), with generous wedges placed on a wooden board in the center of the table. Each guest can slice off as much of each cheese as they'd like (just make sure to use a different knife for each type of cheese). To enhance the visual presentation, it's a nice touch to plate each cheese with a small handwritten placard of information about its name, milk type, and origin.
A proper French cheese course is a fun, flavorful way to elevate a Francophile dinner party. Serve it after an entree of duck confit and a rustic French potato side dish. Alternatively, if you're hosting a standalone French cheese course party (sans entree and appetizer courses), then opt for seven to nine different types of cheeses with portion sizes of 1 ½ to three ounces of each type of cheese per guest. Either way, the cheeses should always be served at room temperature — take them out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before your guests arrive to warm up.