Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/648009
6 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t 6 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t CLEVER TRAVELER A Cheese Lover's Tour L ucky for me, I did not grow up on processed cheese products. e orange squares wrapped in cellophane were a curiosity to my eight- year-old self, only to be had as an aer school snack in the homes of friends. Still, I was not a cheese connoisseur until aer my college years. I had spent time in France both school - ing and working, and I marveled at how the French celebrate cheese. From the elaborate "chariots de fromages" (cheese carts) in grand restaurants to the village "affineurs" (mer - chants that age the cheeses to perfection), I was completely enamored. I tasted as much fine cheese as I could. I visited farms and dairies and creameries and read everything I could about the cra of making great cheese. Much like wine, I especially enjoyed the stories about the cheese producers and their animals, learning about the traditions and innovations that defined their cheeses. I still appreciate the French approach to cheese: Never put it in the refrigerator; enjoy it aer the main course (it is far too rich and expan - sive to have before a meal); and choose no more than three or four cheeses—any more will obscure the palate.