Pié d'Angloys

Pié d'Angloys is said to be a very popular French cheese ... and I have to admit I like it. But only as a quick snack, not as an example of great French cheese - it is so creamy and spreadable it really is good just spread on a fresh baguette. But as cheeses go, the Pié d'Angloys widely available today probably offends most if not all cheese connoisseurs.

This cheese was originally made by Cistercian monks in the Burgundy region of France, and records date it back to as early as the 14th century. But sadly, people are more familiar with this cheese these days through its mass produced variety. And this is the story of many artisanal cheeses in France these days.

The Pié d'Angloys I bought, that most people buy nowadays, was in fact made in an industrial cheese Factory in the Loire region of France, the other end of the country from where it originates! France is loosing so many artisanal cheeses, because people now buy the bland and industrial cheeses available in the supermarkets. Camembert is a good example of this, the Camembert most people buy is mass produced and tastes very little like good, handmade Camembert.