Fromage Null

Today - I am taking on one of the French cheeses. Not an easy task, and perhaps a foolhardy one, but enough is enough; too much criticism of Cheddar, with no fingers being pointed at a very very dull 'French' fromage.

The French (including my wife of course) are very protective of their food - we all know this, and usually their pride is well based and totally justified. They are certainly the best processors, presenters, and general constructors of food. However sometimes their self-satisfied smugness can have (swiss cheese type) holes in it. The one case i speak of is 'fromage rapé' ...

Fromage Rapé, which can be bought in any Geant, Carrefour, Casino, etc. is generally the term applied to grated Emmental cheese. The French use this product in the same way that we Brits will use a cheese grater and some cheddar; they use is for croque monsieurs, for gratin vegetables, for pizza, for pasta, for anything where basically a cheese (easy-melting) topping is required.

BUT!:
1. It's a very average cheese! The taste is very un-cheesy, reminiscent of gluey petrol or very very mild cheddar
2. It is a SWISS cheese - the very thought of the French using a Swiss cheese every day>!?! The cheese originally comes from the Canton of Bern.
3. It doesn't grill very well, although it melts well enough in delicious Fondue!
4. It's not meant for pizza - that's MOZZARELLA (it's ... Italian.... like the pizza itself!)
5. It's not meant for pasta - that's Parmesan (it's also... Italian... like pasta!)

I think if the French used cheddar instead (before moving onto Stilton, Wensleydale, etc.), they would find it a lot more useful and tasty, with better melting qualities.

Come on Frenchies - throw down this plastic, tasteless cheese!! Pick up a great grilling cheese and use it. Emmental has it's uses, but it's about as tasty as Australian 'Mild Coon' cheese... There - I said it. x Ed Venture