Ah l'amour! Do you have butterflies in the stomach when your see him/her? Do you love his/her smell? Are you looking forward to spending some time with him/her at the end of the day over a glass of wine?
Yes, me too, this is exactly how I feel about goat cheese. It's the longest love story of my life.
When I was in primary school I went on many school trips to visit the dairy farms where the delicious 'Crottin de Chavignol' (small cylindrical goat cheese) is made near Sancerre. That's when I fell in love with this cheese.
Then later the love kept growing when in secondary school I made myself 'crottin chaud': a piece of melted 'Crottin de Chavignol' on top of warm crusty French bread. For me it was the most divine naughty snack on a cold winter's Sunday.
After college it became more complicated. I had to share my love; I started a triangular love story between me, goat cheese and wine. It didn't end well... We had to end this unhealthy relationship when I moved to Ireland.
Years later however, I was introduced to Durrus, Colleeney, Gubbeen and Corleggy to name but a few. I fell in love with them and forgot quickly about 'Crottin de Chavignol'.
I sometimes see him (Cheese is masculine in French) in Dublin on a shelf of a foodie shop or behind the display of a cheese counter. He tries to seduce me but I don't think he'll ever be the same as in my memory.
You can never forget your first love though and Cupid hit me again this year in Fallon and Byrne, just when I wasn't expecting. I just had to buy a French 'Crottin a la rose' from the Loire Valley, a goat cheese coated with rose petals as it was too sexy for me to resist. I also gave in to the temptation of a heart-shaped French Goat cheese 'Le Coeur de Chevre' from Quercy that looks so 'va va voom'. Last but not least, the delicious Irish cheese, St Tola goat cheese which has been coated with chocolate by French chocolatier Benoit Lorge was just waiting for me to pick it up at the cheese counter.
I know it's cheesy right... but it's Valentine's Day, I had to talk about love.
Happy (Cheesy) Valentine's Day! Joyeuse St Valentin!
Warning: Don't (French) kiss after you eat goat cheese.
PS: Ah Mr. FFID I love you more than cheese of course! I might even share them with you tonight mon amour, don't be jealous!
*Cheeses on the picture bought at Fallon and Byrne
Who said Dublin isn't as romantic as Paris? Have a look at the pics I took in Dublin today.
