Say Cheese!

We are indeed in the land of cheese. There are almost as many French cheeses as there are days in the year, leading Charles de Gaulle to once say, "How can you be expected to govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?" Turns out that cheeses have seasons just like produce, however, so not all are available at any one time.

But I'm pretty sure that de Gaulle's count did not include one delicacy that appears to be available in every corner store (although most assuredly not in any respectable fromagerie): burger cheese. Okay, so it's tempered with emmental, the blandest typical cheese around, but this works just fine in place of your Kraft singles. It's even wrapped by the slice. My kids assure me that it makes a most excellent American-style grilled cheese, not to be confused with a croque monsieur which sports most of its cheese on the outside. Too bad there's no real cheddar to be found.