Saint-Félicien

Creamy, round, extra runny, and sold in a ceramic terracotta dish, this soft cheese originating from the French province of Dauphiné (no longer existent) now can be made anywhere, yet it is the departments of Drôme and Isère that bring a well-deserved glory to it. Matured between two and six weeks and made with pasteurised cow’s milk, it is a cheese that likes to be treated well — with care and respect and a good glass of Sancerre or Jura wines.

Yet, next to its biggest competitors — Brie or Camembert, terracotta-enclosed Saint-Félicien might be hard to notice. The miracle happens the moment you look the other way; as next to its cousin Saint-Marcellin, it will be looking right at you.

Once you notice it and are ready to serve (at the end of the meal preferably), let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes in hot weather and up to 15-20 minutes in the colder kitchen, and serve on a crusty baguette, as that is when all of those wonderful nutty and mushroomy aromas pop out, to please almost anyone.

PS. As defined by the French law, it is prohibited to add spices, seasonings, and artificial dyes.

Try this simple appetiser or ,even better, dessert.