Paris by Mouth: The big cheese is back!

Nibbling on the best of Paris

Bonjour! Bonjour!

As much as I love to cook, and as much as I love the languid rhythm of a meal with many courses, that’s how much I love a nibble dinner. Think an omelet or a breakfast sandwich. Think a big salad, or soup and bread. But if I had to pick my all-time best “sit down and nibble and pick and savor and enjoy” meal, it would be cheese. At the tippy top of my list would be French cheese. Over-the-tippy-top would be French cheese in France.

Our ritual on our first day in Paris always includes going to the Marché Saint-Germain and checking in with our favorite cheesemonger Twiggy (that’s her real name) at Fromagerie Sanders. On our most recent visit, before we even told Twiggy what we might want, she cut a hunk of aged Comté for Michael, found a soft, runny St-Marcellin for me, picked out a medium-firm goat cheese with a wink at Michael (she knew he wouldn’t touch it) and a smelly Époisses, saying it was for Michael, but knowing I’d dig in. We bought bread, opened wine, had a fe…