Cool in Corsica. Photos by Daisy - Age 8
Flying children. Photos by Dan age - 50
Cut the Cheese
While in Corsica, which is technically a part of France, I was gently but firmly taught: There is a right way to cut the cheese. When cheese was served (which was whenever we went to the pool. Every day. Or when we had lunch, which was everyday. Or when we had dinner, which was every day. or whenever snacks were served, whcih was every day. I would eat the cheese. The cheese was fantastic. Whenever i would take my serving of cheese i would often take the part of the cheese i liked best. With some cheeses that was the harder part close to the rind. With others it was the heart, leaving the rind. Often i would leave the rind since it was my least favorite part. Within 24 hours I was pulled aside. The discussion began so seriously I thought I must have had forgotten to shower or maybe I was still wearing my bunny slippers.
How to the cut the cheese is highly dependent on the shape of the cheese. If it’s a round wheel, then you slice the cheese in small triangles; if it is a wedge of cheese, it’s always slivered from the crust to the tip, usually in line with the angle the cheese itself was cut at. This way, one avoids leaving their fellow diners or hosts with an unappetising bit of rind at the end of the meal.
Although the rind of soft cheese, such as camembert and brie, is edible, the rind of firm cheese, such as gruyere, cheddar, jarlsberg, and romano, is generally not, and the hard covering is removed with a knife and a fork.
Correct dining etiquette for the eating cheese depends on two things: the formality of the occasion and the texture of the cheese.
Table manners for eating cheese at a formal dinner. At a formal dinner, a cheese tray is passed with the salad or fruit course, along with toasted crackers.
How to the cut the cheese is highly dependent on the shape of the cheese. If it’s a round wheel, then you slice the cheese in small triangles; if it is a wedge of cheese, it’s always slivered from the crust to the tip, usually in line with the angle the cheese itself was cut at. This way, one avoids leaving their fellow diners or hosts with an unappetising bit of rind at the end of the meal.
Although the rind of soft cheese, such as camembert and brie, is edible, the rind of firm cheese, such as gruyere, cheddar, jarlsberg, and romano, is generally not, and the hard covering is removed with a knife and a fork.
Correct dining etiquette for the eating cheese depends on two things: the formality of the occasion and the texture of the cheese.
Table manners for eating cheese at a formal dinner. At a formal dinner, a cheese tray is passed with the salad or fruit course, along with toasted crackers.
- Table manners for soft cheese. Soft cheese is cut from a cheese tray, placed on a plate, spread on a cracker with a utensil, and brought to the mouth with fingers.
- Table manners for firm cheese. The cheese is sliced, transferred to the plate, speared, and eaten with a fork. Or firm cheese is placed on a cracker and carried to the mouth with the fingers.