Fromage Blanc

I've started work so apologies for not posting in a while and also that my last few posts were in Japanese! I started this blog mainly to reflect on the journey that I started since I left my last job and Japan, but as time passed I started to write for my family; especially since my little cousins started reading them. But few have asked what I write in English so I'll try to write in both as much as possible :) 

As you all know, I was in France this past summer living with a host family. My host mother was excellent with food and I have many new understanding of the French cuisine and traditions. One of the best things I was introduced to was fromage blanc. It literally translates to: white cheese. When my host mom first proposed I should eat this every morning for breakfast with some granola, I thought "wow French people must really love cheese!" But in fact it's a creamy textured yogurt like product. I always tell people it tastes exactly like yogurt and just a bit less thicker than Greek yogurt. It's called "cheese" it goes through the same process of cheese which is fermentation of milk but it's not ripened, hence it retains the yogurt-like texture.

I love it because it's very thick in texture but not as much as the Greek ones, and it keeps you really full. Plus, it's less calories than low-fat yogurt. Since there's not flavor added to it you can also add jam (my host mom makes the best jams) or you can make savory dip sauces out of it. I probably ate this almost every day during the duration of my homestay and I was completely hooked!

Seeing that it was quite ubiquitous in France (you can find it in any supermarket), I thought it won't be a problem at all in Suisse-Romande where we pretty much share a lot of the food culture. But to my surprise, I couldn't find it. I must've walked through the aisles of many supermarkets for half an hour! Finally I realized that in Switzerland it's called quark or séré. Seems like there are some technical differences in how it's made but tastes exactly the same. The problem is that of course being Switzerland, it's extremely expensive. This is why I buy big tubs of 1kg fromage blanc in France where it merely costs 1.5 Euros! Total win :) I do not think it's very easy to find outside of Western Europe but I definitely recommend you try it if you get a chance!