Quiz answers

1. Affiné indicates a mature cheese. The affineur, being a specialist in this maturing process, is important to any great cheese.

2. Appellation Nationale d'Origine Contrôlée. This organisation specifies the origin, area of production and method of making the cheeses controlled by this body.

3. The mould is used to blue Roquefort and other blue cheeses. It is found in the Caves de Cambalou. Another blueing agent is glaucum.

4. (a) Au foin indicates that the cheese has been matured on straw. Clayette is a straw or reed used for draining cheeses.

5. Used for Cendré, this is the coating of cheese with ash. Commercially, a powdered mixture of salt and charcoal is used.

6. Probably the most famous French cheese story. The comment was made by General de Gaulle at a meeting with Winston Churchill.

7. In the late 1700s the popular Camembert cheeses were only 5cm in diameter and very wet and thick, compared with Brie.

8. Produced in Bonneville-sur-Iton and made in small drums, without a crust. It is Boursin.

9. The name Port Salut was sold in 1959 by the Monks Entrammes to a dairy, when anti-monastic laws prevented production. Now produced in huge quantities in the Alsace Lorraine area.

10. The crust is normally washed in a salt and water mixture, but spirits, wine and beer are also used.

11. They are surface moulds found on Saint-Nectaire cheeses. Mimosa is yellow, auranticum is bright red and taches rouges are red patches. Mucor aspergillus is a black mould which is unwanted and is removed.

12. A bowl of this cheese, which has a liquid consistency, is traditionally handed to the bride on the doorstep of her new home by her mother-in-law.

13. Chävres is goats' cheese, brebis is ewes' milk cheese, fromage de vaches uses cows' milk and lait de mélange is a mixed milk product, at least 25% being goats' milk.

14. Special stations were opened, Gares Fromagäres. The first being at Bar-le-Duc, west of Nancy.

15. A la feuille indicates a leaf-wrapped cheese.