Taste Test: Our Top Cheeses for Summer

Calling all turophiles! Whether you prefer your cheese strong and pongy or fruity and creamy, Paxton & Whitfield caters to everyone’s taste. We’ve done the dirty work and sampled their summer cheeseboard – so read on for our round-up of the season’s must-try fromages français…

Bûchette
You can’t go wrong with Tarn’s traditional log-shaped Bûchette. This refined goat’s-milk cheese offers a satisfyingly creamy bite and tangy taste, owing to the goats’ rich and diverse diet. Enjoy it served with fruits and honey, broken up in a salad or paired with figs. It’s also a welcome addition to any well-rounded cheeseboard and washes down nicely with dry whites from the region.

Fleur du maquis
Named after Corsica’s regional flower, Fleur du maquis is a mouth-watering artisan cheese made from the milk of Lacaune ewes. This intriguing little number is wrapped in a coat of aromatic herbs such as thyme, juniper berries and chillies, giving it an intense herby and spicy flavour (yes, that busy rind is edible). Experts at Paxton & Whitfield pair this unique cheese with a fine Chinon, a real corker! It’s a feast for the senses.

Fleur du maquis. Credit: Wikimedia commons/ Thesupermat

Maroilles
Produced in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, this exquisite cow’s-milk cheese – famously referred to as vieux paunt (‘old stinker’) – makes a strong first impression, and we’re not just talking about the nostril assault. It’s visually striking too, thanks to its distinctive red rind, and when sinking your teeth into its soft, oily body you’ll be met with a punchy and vaguely sweet burst of flavour. Reportedly invented by a monk in the 10th century, Maroilles is held in high esteem across the north of France (and our office).

Fourme d’Ambert
A very popular blue cheese from Auvergne, Fourme d’Ambert (also known simply as ‘Ambert’) is a veteran in the world of fromages, dating back to the Roman era. With a creamy white interior and dark blue veins spreading to the heart, it boasts a lovely smooth texture and slightly tangy, buttery flavour. We recommend enjoying this cheese with a glass of Monbazillac.