20 Euros Worth of Cheese

We hurried over to Alice and Sonia’s wine shop, a place we have taken to call “The Cellar,” to meet with the professors. While the early 9AM Saturday lesson was met with grunts and yawns, it was quite important since the market is such a critical part of French culture especially in Cluny. Farmers, middlemen, and producers come from all over France with their specialty cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, baked treats, hot food, and even clothing. We saw overalls, something typical in a French chef’s attire due to their stain-proof nature! On our first day touring in Cluny, Dr. Healey mentioned that we would be very surprised to see how the empty lot would become a busy market place. While the weather was a bit gloomy, men and women hungry for goodies arrived carrying large wicker baskets.

   

First, we took a group tour around the market and commented on the different stands. The smell of fresh strawberries perfumed the entire fruit stands. We observed the manners at the market: the lines, communication between vender and customer, and the fan favorites. Along the way, we encountered two Dutch cheese makers from Holland! I really took a fancy to their green pesto cheese and red sundried tomato one. The colors were so remarkable! After the mini-tour, we were allowed to roam free in the market. I returned to the first cheese shop and purchased 20 euros worth of cheese…I received a quite a large amount of surprised faces and giggling from others on the line. The cheeses I purchased were Salers, Cantal fermier, and Beaufort. The word “fermier” means it is a raw milk cheese. The Salers supposedly tastes like cheddar and is named after the cow that produces the milk for the cheese. Hopefully, I fall in love with one of these cheeses enough to want to do my presentation on them!

Around 3 PM, we walked across the bridge to see the horse races. Admission was only 5 euros, but none of us were too invested in horses to pay, so we walked around the fenced off arena to glance at the horses instead. It was a rather relaxing day, spent taking naps, walking around Cluny, and getting to know one another.

Tip of the day: You cannot finish 20 Euros worth of cheese. Don’t do it.