BIG NEWS FIRST: my maps were featured in Forbes last Thursday! Here is the link to see the article!
A big thanks to Rooksana Hossenally, the journalist who featured me. I had the pleasure of meeting her earlier this year, and our conversation was one of the most wholesome exchanges I had in 2023. Rooksana is behind the
full of interesting things happening in Paris and people you wanna know about.And now my fromage interview with Jennifer!
Late October, I was invited to a special dinner in Paris. Two women from Kentucky organized it, one of whom was my map client and a workshop participant, Dana McMahan of
. Always flamboyant and full of ideas, I was excited to see what she had organized this time. Another contributor to this project was James Beard-nominated chef Allison Settle. I wasn’t exactly sure what would happen during this evening or who would come, but I said yes to it because YOLO and food. I was excited and a bit skeptical because that's how I approach life en general.The little ground-floor apartment I walked into was filled with strangers as well as acquaintances. "Hello, hello! Oh, I follow you on Instagram. Oh, I follow you. I saw your work. I listened to your new podcast episode…" People mingled and quickly became friends. It was one of those nights when the space, people, and food mixed into something magical and unexpected, reminding me of the enthusiasm of the first years in a new city when everything— and I mean EVERYTHING— was enchanting.
Allison prepared a wonderful meal with a lot of fresh, seasonal food from Marché d’Aligre. A long wooden table was dotted with pretty flowers and friendly candles. We chatted, laughed, and overshared, and suddenly, the cheese arrived— and we all know how much I love cheese. Jennifer, whom I follow here, explained to us in which order we should eat the cheese. Because this is France, everyone; of course, there is a cheese order! I’ve already really enjoyed talking to Jennifer earlier in the evening. She was honest and calm, and she was an expert in cheese. I didn’t tell her about my cheese diary or about the low-fat Emmental that I buy while trying to eat less fat (forgive me, Jennifer), but I greatly appreciated what she was bringing to the world in her posts and workshops— CHEESE.
Have you ever talked to a cheese expert before? Me neither. So here is a little interview with Jennifer for the next post in the series.
Hi Jennifer, bonjour, and merci!
Tell us how you introduce yourself nowadays, who is Jennifer and where is she from?
My name is Jennifer, though a handful of friends who I met through my blog, Chez Loulou, call me Loulou, which always makes me smile.
I’m from Washington state and have lived in France for over 20 years. I have a degree in Art History and had a brief stint as a pastry chef. I love to cook, but learned very quickly that the intensity of restaurant life is not for me!
Shortly after we moved to France I started a food blog which eventually became a “life in France'' blog. It includes stories about day to day life in a rural village in the south and our time spent in Normandy (before we moved to Paris), the challenges of bureaucracy, and all the delicious food, cheese and wine that make life here so enjoyable.
How did you end up specializing in cheese? What did your path look like?
In 2007 I started a personal project to try to taste each and every French cheese, which has led to a life-long fascination with the subject. At the time I thought there were only 300/400, so I believed it would be an easy and fun challenge. I’ve since learned that there are between 1600-2000 cheeses in France! And many of them are made by a small farm or dairy that only produces enough to sell locally. One day I want to take a year-long road trip to discover all the cheeses I can’t find here in Paris.
What does a day in the life of a fromage expert look like?
I’m constantly reading about and researching cheese, and scouring Paris to discover new fromage.
What is your favourite French cheese and what is your favourite non-French cheese?
This is the hardest question! A few French favorites, because I can’t narrow it down to just one, are Chabichou du Poitou (a fudgy goat cheese), Saint-Félicien (a super creamy cow’s milk cheese) and Tomme au marc de raisin (a firm alpine cow’s milk cheese that is enrobed in crushed purple grapes). And here are 10 more. My favorite non-French cheese is Sardinian pecorino.
You can also listen to a podcast with Jennifer on newsletter here.
What is Jennifer's Paris today? What places and spaces shouldn't people miss?
I live in the 15ème, which is an arrondissement that most visitors don’t see. The rue du Commerce has a lovely, “village” feel and the local markets are excellent as they’re not catering to tourists.
I highly recommend that visitors head to a fromagerie and a boulangerie and assemble a picnic or an apéritif to have along the banks of the Seine or in a park, weather permitting of course. I love the Musée Marmottan Monet in le 16ème and the Promenade Plantée in le 12ème.
Where should we begin? What advice would you give to someone who wants to enhance their appreciation for cheese but may feel overwhelmed by the vast array of options?
Find a good source for cheese, either online or at a shop.
Look for cheeses that are made locally and/or by small farms and producers.
Challenge your palate by buying cheese that is outside your comfort zone.
Enjoy what is in season.
What feels challenging at the moment?
Getting my French cheese tasting business off the ground while dealing with my husband’s illness at the same time.
What are you excited about?
Working on my book and visiting the Salon de Fromage in February.
Quick Questions:
🛍️ Favorite place to get your cheese? Ok, it can be a couple!
Chez Alexandre for their excellent array of fromage and their super friendly staff, and Taka & Vermo for their modern and unique creations.
💗 Favorite anecdote about cheese?
“You have to be a romantic to invest yourself, your money, and your time in cheese.” – Anthony Bourdain
🍸 The most unusual cheese pairing?
A 24 month old Comté paired with a classic Manhattan cocktail. Delicious!
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I loved talking to you! 🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀
Jennifer Greco is a French cheese educator, culinary tour guide and food writer based in Paris. Since moving to France two decades ago, she has steadily been tasting her way through each and every cheese produced in France. To date, she has tasted almost 500 of the approximately 1600-2000 French cheeses.
She offers fun and educational French cheese and wine experiences in Paris both privately and with small tour companies, and enjoys guiding fellow food lovers on tastings throughout the city.
Have you seen my cheese art print? It took me a while to create, but my little conversation with Jennifer was a perfect occasion.
You can now get your signed and embossed Fromage art —with the certificate of authenticity—by clicking the button just below.
*all the photos are taken from Jennifer’s instagram if not stated differently.
I have taken two cheese experiences with Jennifer. Both superb:)) My plans for this year's experience have been delayed but I will connect with her again:))
Thanks so much for the mention, dear Sonja! Sorry, I've just seen it! :D Love your Substack and your work and I look forward to continuing to follow along (and have more coffees together, of course)!