Roquefort Returns - A Love Letter to a Stinky Cheese

by Max Shrem, Posted May 21st 2009 @ 3:00PM

Good news for Roquefort lovers!

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that increased tariffs on Roquefort have been dropped. The news comes as a relief to the many gourmands and cheese enthusiasts who were bracing for what could have been a frightening, extended period bereft of the luscious, pungent fromage bleu.

The tariffs that were initially going to be imposed on Roquefort were a retaliatory move in reaction to the European Union's ban on hormone-treated beef. But after a provisional agreement, officials from the EU and the United States decided to drop both measures. So, while the U.S. removed threats of tariffs on Roquefort, the EU has gotten rid of bans on imported beef from the U.S.

See how chefs are reacting after the jump.

Jean Francois Meteigner, chef and owner of La Cachette restaurant in Los Angeles., makes light of the tariff drop. "Roquefort is not irreplaceable," Meteigner admits. "California produces some great blue cheeses."

In short, if the tariffs were never dropped, he'd simply replace Roquefort with local California cheeses and British Stilton. In fact, he says, he's planning to focus on local California cheeses in his new bistro, which is slated to open in August.

Perhaps the increasing number of American blue cheeses, such as Tilston Point, makes the economic impact of such a tariff a bit less troublesome. Nevertheless, the news means that lovers of rich, stinky blue cheese from France won't have to pay the expected $100 per pound that heavily tariffed, imported Roquefort was expected to cost.

Now, they only have to pay a seemingly moderate $32.99 per pound. It's not local and certainly not bon marché, but Roquefort -- especially paired with a drizzle of honey or a fruit compote -- will always have a special spot in our cheese loving stomachs!

[Via WSJ]

Filed Under: Newspapers, On the Blogs, Food News, Ingredients
Tags: cheese, france, french cheese, FrenchCheese, roquefort, roquefortcheese, tariff, tariffs, wall street journal, WallStreetJournal