INTRODUCTION - France 2014 - page 59

Some restaurants will offer a cheese platter, from which you select a few different kinds.
Agoodplatterhasatleastfourcheeses:ahardcheese(suchasEmmentaler—a.k.a.“Swiss
cheese”), a flowery cheese (Brie or Camembert), a blue or Roquefort cheese, and a goat
cheese.
ThosemostcommonlyservedareBriedeMeaux(mildandcreamy,fromjustoutside
Paris), Camembert (semi-creamy and pungent, from Normandy), chèvre (goat cheese with
a sharp taste, usually from the Loire), and Roquefort (strong and blue-veined, from south-
central France).
Ifyou'dliketosampleseveraltypesofcheesefromthecheeseplate,say: “Unassor-
timent, s'il vous plaît” (uhnah-sor-tee-mahn, see vooplay). Ifyouserve yourself from the
cheeseplate,observeFrenchetiquetteandkeeptheshapeofthecheese.It'sbesttopolitely
shave off a slice from the side or cut small wedges.
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If you've run out of wine, consider ordering more. A glass of good red wine comple-
ments your cheese course in a heavenly way.
Dessert (Le Dessert)
Ifyouorderespresso,itwillalwayscomeafterdessert.Tohavecoffeewithdessert,askfor
“café avec le dessert” (kah-fay ah-vehk luh day-sayr). See the list of coffee terms earlier
in this chapter.
Here are the types of treats you'll see:
Baba au rhum (bah-bah oh room): Pound cake drenched in rum, and served with
whipped cream.
Café gourmand (kah-feh goor-mahn): An assortment of small desserts selected by
the restaurant—a great way to sample several desserts and learn your favorite.
Crème brûlée (krehm broo-lay): A rich, creamy, dense, caramelized custard.
Crème caramel (krehm kah-rah-mehl): Flan in a caramel sauce.
Fondant au chocolat (fohn-dahnt oh shoh-koh-lah): A molten chocolate cake with a
runny (not totally cooked) center. Also known as moelleux (meh-leh) au chocolat .