A wheel of Comté in Paris' Rungis Market. Photo: Max Shrem

This summer, Slashfood blogger Max Shrem is apprenticing at renowned Paris cheese shop Fromagerie Trotté. For the next two months, in 'Le Cheese Course,' Max will share his impressions and opinions of French cheese à la francaise!

For many of us, tasting a cheese just involves swiping a cheese plane or knife against the surface (or the pâte) of a cheese and popping it into our mouths. In France, amongst fromagers (cheese mongers) and affineurs (cheese agers), a dedicated process involves not only tasting the cheese, but also touching it to feel its texture.

Faire la sonde is a cheese ritual in which a slender, curved instrument called a sonde à fromage is used to remove a small cylinder of cheese from a wheel. It's like performing surgery on a cheese to inspect the flavor development.

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.

One of the simplest French dishes is also among the most surefire crowd-pleasers -- the croque monsieur. At a holiday dinner last year a room erupted into moans of pleasure when these were served. All for a ham and cheese sandwich!

The name of this crisp and creamy treat derives from the French verb "croquer," which means "to crunch," and the word "monsieur," for "mister." Together they make "Mr. Crunch," which doesn't sound nearly as appetizing as en Francais, in which seems an elegant name worthy of its flavor and Proustian roots. (The meal first popped up in literature in Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time.")

Learn more about "Mr. Crunch" after the jump.

In a previous life as a non-blogging private citizen, I enjoyed many spirited e-mail exchanges concerning sightings of that wondrous denizen of the deep, the behemoth squid. How fervid our imaginations were in picturing this colossal beast contentedly lurking in the deepest waters or rousing surfaceward to feast upon plankton and (in our imaginations if not in reality) the occasional shipwreck survivor.

Just imagine my pleasure when, during a post-dinner walk this weekend, I encountered the Nemo Whisk. Yes, it is just what it sounds like: a kitchen whisk whose handle design is a squid. And that's appropriate: in lesser dimensions than behemoth, squid graces many a table -- dipped in cornmeal and deep fried, carved into sushi or sashimi, even wiggling as fondant across the top of a cake.

Like the best design, the idea informs the execution -- in this instance, an animal whose cylindrical body lends itself to the handle shape and function and whose eyes are routinely described as "the size of a dinner plate" can whip up your eggs before they land on that selfsame plate -- a task it handles just fine if without threat to your favorite balloon whisk.

The Nemo Whisk and numerous other delights are offered courtesy of Pylones, a French company whose schtick is creating whimsical daily-use items. Mais oui, they work in themes beyond "squid." If we're still talking about eggs, use a chicken timer to boil yours after using a hen bag to carry your shopping list and your money to the grocer's. Pepper your eggs using a pepper mill in themes from Pirate to Native American and then nestle them in coordinating egg cups. Perhaps you'd like an elephant funnel, a dachshund cake server, an Eiffel Tower grater or demitasse spoons crowned with fancy chocolates? Or, simply, Melamine dinnerware printed with a jumble of tempting candy, plump red strawberries, an anchovy pizza or (if you must) a nice healthy salad?

If you like Pylones, they have an easy to use Web site and free-standing stores in New York City. Their merchandise is available at numerous online merchants -- start here.

Comté is one of the most popular cheeses in France. And, there are many different kinds ranging from the industrial to the artisanal. Comté Marcel Petite is produced by some of the best affineurs in France. They have been perfecting the art of aging Comté since 1840. In 1934, Marcel Petite took over the operation and passed down his trade to his son François.

Comté is produced in the gorgeously lush green Jura region of France. In the '60s, Marcel Petite took over a 19th-century fortress - Fort Saint-Antoine - where he started to age wheels of his Comté. Marcel Petite revolutionized the aging process of this cheese by aging them for longer periods of time at lower temperatures.

At Fort Saint-Antoine, Claude, the head cheesemonger, leads a staff of five tasters, who spend each day sampling about 300 wheels of cheese to best determine how to proceed with each individual wheel. After tasting, they decide how much longer they're going to age each of these wheels. It's this process with painstaking attention to detail that makes Comté Marcel Petite some of the best in the world. For the largest selection sold in the U.S., head directly to Formaggio Kitchen.

We all know that French ads are a bit more saucy and racy, but does this hilariously absurd one push the limit? Fellow blog Urlesque cries out, "Someone should probably be arrested for making this commercial featuring French kids and push pops." I'm wondering whether or not this push pop candy still exists. While I remember it from my childhood, I cannot recall any of its ads, certainly nothing like this.

Apart from the perhaps unintentional suggestions of the kids' gestures, the ad seems to promote the candy as a way to break up fights. Instead of fighting back after being incited, the boy tells him not to push him, but to push a push pop instead. Can candy breakup fights? How do you make sense of this wacky ad?

It's now common knowledge that a glass of red wine can lower the risks of heart disease. Last month, "60 Minutes" covered a story explaining that scientists have identified the substance in wine that protects the heart: resveratrol. Scientists are discovering that resveratrol, in high concentrations, can do a lot more than keep your heart healthy. It can significantly prolong your life.

How much longer can this "fountain of youth" pill extend life? Scientists predict as much as twenty years. Dr. Christoph Westphal states: "Our goal is to prevent and forestall many of the diseases that strike us as we reach 50, 60, and 70. All with one pill." The resveratrol pill works by slowing down genes that control the aging process.

According to our recent Valentine's Day post, you can already purchase resveratol in the form of a necklace. However, if you are now concluding that you can drink enough red wine to get the same benefits, think again. To get the same effects from just one pill, you would have to drink over 1000 glasses of red wine. Nevertheless, this discovery may explain why there is such a low incidence of heart disease in France, despite a high fat diet. So, until the pill becomes available, a glass of red wine with every meal can't hurt.

I grew up on Swiss Miss hot chocolate - cocoa powder and hot water, as simple as that. While living in Paris, I tried rich thick hot chocolates that made my Swiss Miss alternative seem overly watery and lacking in flavor and texture. So, when I returned to NY, I became intrigued by the many different ways to make this simple drink more exquisite. Mexican hot chocolate is probably my favorite.

If you're looking to spice up your hot chocolate, you don't necessarily have to add anything to the combination besides water, milk, and chocolate. Think about using different kinds of chocolates. For example, a Mexican hot chocolate is made from chocolate that has often been blended with sugar, vanilla and spices, like cinnamon. Taza Chocolate in Somerville, Massachusetts produces a particularly delicious Mexican chocolate that you can purchase online. It's amazing what cinnamon does for hot chocolate.

Of course, you can also create different hot chocolates by adding some rum and a variety of creams. Check out these 8 remarkable hot chocolate recipes below and let us know which ones are your favorite:

1. Mexican Hot Chocolate
2. Belgian Hot Chocolate
3. Hot Chocolate from The Barefoot Contessa
4. Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style
5. Hot Chocolate with Rum
6. Superrich Hot Chocolate with Coconut Cream
7. Hot Chocolate Passion
8. Martha Stewart's White Hot Chocolate

That's right! Buy it while you can still find it and afford it. A recent New York Times article explains that as of March 22, the government is raising the tariff on Roquefort from 100 to 300 percent. Yes, the tariff is already quite high. So, if you're already shocked by the markup on artisanal cheeses, you can stop blaming vendors and start getting frustrated with the federal import tariffs.

Cheesemongers from various stores, such as Murray's Cheese, stated that they will most likely stop selling Roquefort. The NY Times article states that we will still be able to find cheap "everyday" Roquefort from Fairway for $8.39 per pound. That's about how much it costs for high-end Roquefort in Paris. So, I think I'd rather abstain from the "everyday" kind. The "everyday" type is okay for sprinkling on salads, but the normal to fine ones, such as Roquefort Société and Roquefort Vieux Berger, have complex one-of-a-kind flavors and textures.

Roquefort isn't the only cheese with a tariff. Have you ever wondered why imported cheddars are so expensive? To protect American cheddars from foreign competition, there is a heavy tariff placed on British imported cheddars. This seems like another great reason to start buying local artisanal cheeses or to move to France.

I wrote yesterday about the high hopes for the American team at the Bocuse d'Or cooking competition in Lyon. Well, unfortunately the team, led by 28-year-old French Laundry sous-chef Timothy Hollingsworth, did not perform as well as expected, taking 6th place in the two-day competition. The Norwegian team took gold, the Swedes silver, and the French bronze.

The winning chef, 28-year-old Geir Skeie, will take home a golden statuete of Paul Bocuse in his chef's outfit along with 20,000 euros, or about $26,000.

For what it's worth, Hollingsworth menus look pretty darn good. Take a look:

Cod Menu:

Olive oil-poached loin of Norwegian cod enveloped in scallop mousse, preserved Meyer lemon and Sicilian pistachios with citrus mousseline and shrimp nage

Wild prawn and haas avocado tart

Fennel compote, chili peppers and yuzu gelee

Agrumato custard with shellfish bouillon

Toasted brioche, scallop tartare, Ruby Red grapefruit and candied orange zest

Yukon gold potato and bacon mille-feuille

Creme fraiche-enriched King Richard leeks, Hobbs bacon chip and Sacramento Delta Osetra caviar

Beef Menu:

Roasted Aberdeen Angus Beef Rib-Eye wrapped in Applewood smoked bacon with prune-enriched oxtail jus

Rosette of Scottish beef fillet

Perigord truffles, celeriac and oxtail-endive marmalade

Glazed beef cheeks a l'etouffee

French Laundry garden turnips and sweet carrots

Calotte bresaola fume a la minute

Granny Smith apples, Savoy cabbage and horseradish mousse

Truffled pommes dauphinoise

California chestnuts, pickled red onion and celery branch salad

Excitement is building over the performance of the American team at the biannual Bocuse d'Or cooking competition in Lyon, France, sometimes called the Olympics of Cooking. French teams have won six out of the past 11 contests, Norwegian teams three, and Swedish and Luxembourgian teams one each. The Americans have never won.

In the contest, chefs from 24 different countries race to prepare 12 portions of an elaborate meat and a fish dish in five and a half hours, each team working in tiny cubicles before a live, flag-waving audience. Each chef gets one apprentice, who must be 22 or younger. The winner is determined by the quality and presentation of the food.

This year's American team is led by Timothy Hollingsworth, the 28-year-old sous-chef at the French Laundry. He's been training up to 50 hours a week in a replica kitchen, with his own personal coach.

The venerable French chef Paul Bocuse, for whom the contest is named, says he hopes the American team will win this year. "We'd really like this competition to cross the Atlantic," he said.

Check out their progress at the official Bocuse d'Or website.

Some of my first memories of eating artisanal cheese come from the French family I lived with in Tours, France. Before ending the meal with a dessert, my host mother would serve one or two cheeses without any condiments. At first, it seemed strange eating the cheese plain with a fork, sometimes with bread and almost never with fruit or honey. But after a month, not pairing cheese became normal. When I returned to the U.S. after a year, I was surprised and intrigued by the American obsession with cheese pairings.

What is it about American food culture that tempts us to eat more than one food at a time? It's as though our insatiable desire distracts us from enjoying simplicity. While managing the cheese shop Formaggio Essex it became my job to pair cheeses with different crackers, honeys, jams, and much more.

I have to admit that I fell for the "American desire" to add more. After several months of tasting cheeses with different condiments, I quickly developed a talent for pairing. While I think pairing is an important skill, especially in cooking, I believe it's still important to return to a less elaborate cheese course. Often, the intensity of a cheese can only be appreciated when tasting the cheese plain.
Learn when to pair and when not to pair after the jump.

Ah, there's nothing like a stinky cheese melted over potatoes! The first time I went skiing in the French Alps, my friends kept raving about one of their favorite Savoie dishes – Tartiflette. It is a pie-like dish combining the cheese Reblochon and potatoes. While in France, I discovered several variations of cheese and potato combinations. Each varies depending on the way in which it is cooked and its type of cheese.

In the Auvergne region, they eat a dish called Aligot, a combination of the cheese Aligot or Salers and potatoes. While Aligot is usually cooked in a broiler, Tartiflette is baked. Tartiflette is made with onions and bacon as well as potatoes. Aligot contains no meat and is mostly cheese, heavy cream, milk, and potatoes and garlic. These are two of my favorite dishes that combine a funky cheese and a creamy hearty potato.

From the Savoie region of France, Reblochon is a soft raw cow's milk cheese with a funky aroma. Its rich taste and creamy texture make Tartiflette the perfect warm hearty dish to eat on a cold winter night, especially after a long day of skiing. The succulent texture of this tart slowly melts on your palate leaving a succession of complex flavors to savor several minutes after each bite. Recommendations on how to prepare Aligot and Tartiflette can be found after the jump.

With the exception of White Zinfandel, Merlot may be the most-maligned wine in a couple of decades. In the 2004 movie Sideways, Miles, the main character and Pinot Noir lover, repeatedly trashes Merlot as the Worst. Grape. Ever. Somehow the wave caught on, and Pinot Noir sales soared while Merlot staggered along.

Of course Miles was right, to a point. The U.S. was awash in mediocre Merlot, most of which didn't even come close to realizing the potential of the grape. (Now we have the same problem with Pinot Noir, but I digress.) Merlot does have its merits, and I ask you to give it--or rather, certain bottlings of it--a chance.

Compared to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot tends to be softer, less tannic, and fruitier. Its flavors range from cherry to black plum and a hint of herbaciousness. In Bordeaux, Merlot is one of the two main varietals (along with Cabernet Sauvignon) and on the Right Bank is the dominant varietal.

Read my Merlot recommendations after the jump.

Oh, how I wish I had taken a picture of my meal tonight. Unfortunately, the three of us were ravenous fiends who had no time to sit for a second and appreciate the food on our plates. What did we eat? A mystery soup (my friend refuses to tell me what was in it), a salad, and the rich, fatty, and delicious croque monsieur -- otherwise known as French ham and grilled cheese topped with bechamel and more cheese.

I have made a lot of things for these guys over the years -- bisques, fajitas, fish and chips, sauteed tofu, stuffed mushroom caps... -- but nothing has ever gotten the praise that a couple plates of croque monsieur have. I'm talking moans of surprise with almost every bite, as if it was an ongoing, neverending shock of quiver-inducing flavor. The vegetarian got the sandwich sans meat, while the rest of us had prosciutto slipped inside, instead of ham.

I think it's my new holiday favorite. We always get set on big productions of food for the holiday, but why go to all that effort when you can get the same, or an even better, response from a simple, saucy ham and cheese?