If you’ve ever been overwhelmed at the cheese counter at Marché (mar-SHAY: French for market) by the myriad of foreign names, you just may be missing out on some of our formaggi preferiti (fro-MAHJ-ee pref-ahr-EE-tee: Italian for favorite cheeses). Here’s a rudimentary guide to pronouncing those tongue-twisting treasures.
AFFIDÉLICE: aw-fah-day-LEASE. (Chablis-washed little bundle of funk.)
BLEU D’AUVERGNE: bluh-doe-VAIRN. (A worthy, classic blue from central France.)
CHEVRE: SHEV-reh. (French for goat and goat milk cheeses.)
COMTÉ: cone-TAY. (France’s renowned gruyere.)
CROTTIN: crow-TAH. (Little buttons of Loire Valley chevre.)
DÉLICE DE BOURGOGNE: day-LEASE-duh-boor-GOYNE. (Always delicious triple crème indulgence.)
EMMENTHALLER: EM-awn-TALL-er. (The authentic Swiss Swiss.)
ÉPOISSES: Ay-PWOSS. (The gooey king of washed-rind funk.)
FLEUR DE MAQUIS: FLUR-doo-MAH-KEY. (Herb encrusted sheep cheese from Sardinia.)
GRUYÈRE: grew-YAIR. (The definitive Swiss and French Alpine classic.)
IBORES: ee-BOOR-ehz. (Paprika rubbed Spanish goat cheese.)
IDIAZABAL: ee-dee-ah-ZAH-ball. (Smokey Basque shepherds’ cheese.)
L’ETIVAZ ALPAGE: lah-TEE-vahs awl-PAHJ. (Intense, rich gruyere from Switzerland.)
MAHON: mah-HONE. (A cows milk Spanish crowd pleaser.)
MAJORERO: mah-hah-RAIR-oh. (A goat milk treasure from the Canary Islands.)
MANCHEGO: mon-CHAY-goh. (The venerable sheep cheese from La Mancha.)
OSSAU IRATY: OH-soh-ear-ah-TEE. (Lovely, rich, Basque sheep cheese.)
PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO: par-mee-JA-noh reh-JAH-noh. (The quintessential, name-protected, Italian
classic.)
TALEGGIO: tah-LEDGE-oh. (Creamy, beefy goodness from northern Italy.)
TRUGOLE: TRU-goh-lay. (Asiago-like artisan goodness.)
VALENCAY: VAL-awn-SAY. (Distinctive chevre pyramids from Loire, France.)