French News

 "The Gastronomic Meal of the French" is part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, and cheese is an important part of French food culture.

At the end of Term 1, the Year 10-12 French classes all participated in a "French cheese workshop", as part of their language and culture studies. Students were able to taste several different French cheeses, and learnt to describe their smell, taste and texture in French, as well as learning about the correct ways to cut different cheeses.

By Madam Wakeman 

Atelier fromage

For our first unit in Year 10 French, we have been exploring the theme of food, culminating in a cheese tasting during the final week of term. Cheese is a staple of French cuisine, with hundreds of varieties produced across the country, each with its own rich history and regional significance. 

During the tasting, we sampled three types of cheese, including Roquefort, Comté, and d'Affinois, served with crackers and slices of baguette. 

To begin, four of us participated in a blind tasting, where I was given Roquefort, a well-known blue cheese recognised for its creamy texture and distinctive blue-green mold; while it is certainly an acquired taste, I initially found it quite disgusting! 

Afterwards, the whole class had the opportunity to try each cheese and practice describing their flavours and textures in French. 

Overall, it was a memorable experience shared across both classes, and we are very grateful for Madame Sayward, Madame Hau and Madame Wakeman for organising it!

By Hashini Bagathsingh, Year 10