Burgundian lifestyle: from dream to fort
What started as an idea grew into a unique enterprise. In 2001, René founded Burgundian Lifestyle. In the years that followed, a store, a wholesale business, and even the acquisition of the famous Caulils Delicatessen in Amsterdam followed. But the crowning achievement of his work is undoubtedly the Cheese Fort Amsterdam: located in Fort Zuidwijkermeer in Assendelft, with nine aging rooms where cheeses develop their full flavor under ideal conditions.
Today, René and his team supply more than 300 hospitality businesses in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany – and he is committed to knowledge transfer through his own SVH-certified cheese training.
The top 10 French cheeses by René Koelman
Especially for Eat2Gather, René selected his favorite French cheeses. A list full of character, tradition, and refinement – ideal as inspiration for your next cheese board, tasting, or dinner.
Goat cheeses
1. Sainte Maure de Touraine: Goat cheese from the Loire, with a straw for firmness, an ash layer for wrinkles, and a taste of walnut and fresh acidity.
2. Mothais á la Feuille: Old goat cheese from South Poitou, aged on a plane leaf, with a creamy texture and a spicy flavor that becomes stronger with aging.
Creamy cheeses
3. Brie de Meaux AOC: This French brie has a subtle, earthy flavor and creamy texture, known as “the King of Cheeses”.
4. Ecume de Wimereux: Creamy, raw cow's milk cheese from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, with a fresh acidity and a buttery taste due to the addition of cream.
Hard cheeses
5. Comté Fort Zuidwijkermeer: A fruity Comté with nutty notes, aged 18 months in the Jura and 6 months in a meat cellar at Fort Zuidwijkermeer.
6. Brebis Napoleon artisanal: Sheep cheese from the Pyrenees, with a rich flavor after 10 months of aging in the natural cellars of Baraillan.
Washed rind cheeses
7. Le P’tit Gros Lorrain Munster: A large, lightly washed cheese from Lorraine, with a melting structure and a flavor perfect for salad or incorporating into a dish.
8. Epoisses fermier: Strong-smelling, washed rind cheese from Epoisses, with a salty, metallic taste and a creamy structure due to aging in marc.
Blue-veined cheeses
9. Bleu de Règalis: A creamy blue-veined cheese from the Pyrenees, made from sheep's milk and aged in paraffin, with a subtly spicy flavor.
10. Bleu de Gex: Mountain cheese from the Haute-Jura with a floral flavor, aged with air channels for the development of blue mold, ideal with dry rosé or Jura wines.
Tasting, discovering, and experiencing
With such a list in hand, it's hard to choose. Fortunately, you don't have to travel to France to taste these cheeses. During our French cheese tasting and workshop at Eat2Gather, we introduce you to cheeses like these – and tell you the stories behind them.
Do you want to experience what truly makes cheese special? Discover our culinary activities with French flair. Vive la France starts right here!
