@SofitelManila’s J’Adore Le Fromage: What I Learned from Cheese Master Gérard Poulard?

Maître Fromagier
Gérard Poulard

In celebration of Bastille Day (French National Day on July 14), Sofitel Philippines is featuring renowned Maître Fromagier Gérard Poulard, together with 100 premium and artisan cheeses (about P1M worth) from different high quality farms flown in from France.  

We attended the recently held media preview and it was quite interesting to learn about the French’s love for cheese. It was also good to learn how best to enjoy cheese from a French Cheese Master.

I would like to share with you my favorite cheeses from Gérard Poulard’s collection and my latest discoveries about cheese…

There are six types of cheeses:

• Soft (Camembert, Reblochon, Munster),
• Semi-soft, 
• Semi-hard (Gouda, Edam, Raclette),
• Stretched curd and fresh cheeses (Kesong Puti, Ricotta),
• Hard or cooked (Parmesan), and
• Blue veined (Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella).

Three types of milk are used in French cheese: goat’s, sheep’s, and cow’s milk — both pasteurized and unpasteurized.

 

Ossau Iraty Basco­

It is from the milk of Basco-Béarnaises. The curd is kneaded, moulded, and pressed by hand. Type of cheese: full cream, uncooked pâte and has a natural yellow-orange coloured rind. 

The cheese from sheep is healthiest because it has less fat. The Ossau Iraty Basco is the most expensive cheese in the collection featured by Sofitel.

 

Coulommiers Suzerain AOP

Produced in Seine-et-Marne. It is a French artisan cheese made from unpasteurised cow’s milk. It is soft with a supple texture. Type of cheese: Semi-soft cheese.

Cheese from cow’s milk is the unhealthiest because it has the most fat.

 

Banon AOC

It is a soft unpasteurised cheese made from a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Granted AOC Status in 2003. It is aged for a minimum of two weeks. It has a strong, intense flavor, and slightly acidic.

French Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) or Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in English is an appellation regimen to designate cheese and the terroir where it originated from.

Similarly, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) or “Controlled Designation of Origin” is a French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for cheese.

 

Mothais Fermier Villageois

Produced in Poitou-Charentes. It is a French artisan cheese made from unpasteurised goat’s milk. It is presented on a chestnut tree leaf. It is soft and creamy. Type of cheese: goat cheese.

Cheese that originated from farmers and monks in the monasteries who wanted to preserve the milk they harvested in a time when refrigeration didn’t exist.

 

Cantal Salers Vieux Morin

It is made from raw cow’s milk and produced in Cantal, France. It is aged for several months. Type of cheese: semi-hard, soft interior. The flavor is reminiscent of cheddar — strong, tangy butter. 

One of the cheese master’s favorite cheeses is Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy.

 

Bouchon Sarment D’Amour

This unique cheese from a tiny producer in the Ardèche, Sarment d’Amour has the shape of a cork, with a vine shoot in the middle. Ideal as an aperitif, as well as at the end of the meal, this rich and creamy small cheese turns hard and robust after a few weeks of maturation.

Cheese is like Fashion, there is a summer and winter collection. Right now, goat cheese is in season so the collection is predominantly chèvre. 

 

Pont L’Éveque Suzerain LC AOC

It is made from cow’s milk and produced in the commne of Pont-l’Éveque. Type of cheese: soft. Has a creamy pale yellow pâte with a smooth and fine texture. It has a pungent aroma. 

The Cheese Master loves unpasteurized fermented cheese because the pasteurized ones are considered processed cheese.

 

Figou Fermier

It is made from goat’s milk and produced in the Limousin region of France. Type of cheese: cream cheese. It is fresh with a heart of sweet fig jam. 

Filipinos love this chèvre cheese with the sweetness of Fig. 🙂

 
You can eat cheese as an appetizer or pre-dessert course and is best paired with wine.

 

Brie with Clarendelle Bordeaux rouge and Hebrard Bordeaux rouge

(Cheese and Wine pairing notes) Brie due to its soft texture is easy to eat and is thereby appreciated by most people. To create a balance with the light taste, moderately strong tannins of a Bordeaux rouge are the perfect match.  On the other hand, the roundness of the wine will match with the semi-soft texture of the cheese. 

Brie is best paired with full-bodied red wine.

 

Fourme D’Ambert with Côteaux du Layon (Loire Valley) 

(Cheese and Wine pairing notes) I always like to pair blue cheese with sweet wine — strong against salty. The concept of opposites is often used as a principle of pairing. Côteaux du Layon is not as sweet as a Sauterne, making it well-balanced with the not too strong taste of Fourme d’Ambert. 

Blue cheese is best paired with a semi-sweet wine during the pre-dessert course.

 

That’s it. Don’t miss this special cheese event at Sofitel this week! 🙂

 

About J’Adore Le Fromage at Sofitel Philippine Plaza, 9th to 13th July, 2014

How do I love cheese? Sofitel Philippine Plaza shows you 101 ways. 

In celebration of Sofitel’s French heritage culminating during Bastille Day, Sofitel Philippine Plaza has flown in over 100 premium and artisanal cheeses sourced from different high quality farms all over France, which is part of the magnifique collection of Maître Fromagier Gérard Poulard. 

At Spiral, guests during lunch and dinner can get the chance to try over 31 types of cheese per day, and over 101 during the whole promotion, as different types of cheese will be sampled daily. They will also get the chance to meet Maître Fromager Gérard Poulard and wine expert Pierre-Marie David in the evenings.

 

J’Adore Le Fromage — Over 101 Types of Cheese to try at Spiral’s L’Epicerie

Following a 6,897 mile voyage from France to the Philippine shores, and selected from the very best farms all over France, renowned fromagier or Cheese Master Gerard Poulard takes you on an epicurean journey. Sample over 101 types of special cheese, especially flown in from France, from 9th to 13th of July, lunch and dinner at Spiral’s L’Epicerie (cheese room). 

Spiral Lunch starts from Php 1,980 +++, Sunday Brunch starts from Php 3,332 +++ including champagne and French wine, Spiral Dinner starts from Php 2,345+++ Sunday to Thursday and Php 2,545+++ Friday and Saturday.

 

J’Adore Le Fromage — Private Wine and Cheese Tasting Classes at Spiral

For cheese lovers, Sofitel brings you a once-in-a-lifetime epicurean treat with wine and cheese tasting lessons from the masters – French Cheese Ambassador, Fromagier Gérard Poulard and Wine Specialist Monsieur Pierre-Marie David. Enjoy a private wine and cheese tasting in this exclusive engagement at Spiral’s L’Epicerie. The classes will be conducted from 10th – 13th July, 4:30pm to 5:30pm at L’Epicerie (Cheese Room), with a maximum of 8 participants per class.

Private Wine and Cheese Tasting Classes at Spiral is at P1,500 net per person.

 

J’Adore Le Fromage — Le BAR Wine and Cheese Buffet

Enjoy the exclusive privilege of sampling a selection of premium artisanal French cheese from the cheese collection of renowned fromagier Gérard Poulard and 15 featured wines from all over France from the collection of wine expert Pierre-Marie David in this special dining engagement.  

Get a 20% discount when you avail of Le BAR’s featured Wine and Cheese Buffet using your Visa card on Thursday, 10th July 2014, 7pm to 10pm. 

Le BAR Wine and Cheese Buffet is at Php 1,850 net for 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

For reservations and inquiries, please call (632) 832.6988 and (632) 551.5555 ext. 6988, or email fbreservations@sofitelmanila.com.

 

Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com 

Disclosure: The J’Adore Le Fromage media preview and the meet & greet with Maître Fromagier Gérard Poulard was courtesy of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.  

P.S. Don’t forget to indulge on the Truffled Honey when it’s available in the Cheese Room. 🙂