While France has many reasons to be admired, at the culture office it’s their inspirational love for cheese that’s really most impressive. Their respect for the stuff is so great, it once drove Charles de Gaulle to aptly say, “How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?”  One of those varieties is chèvre, the soft and creamy French goat cheese that’s now nearly ubiquitous stateside. 

Its grassy flavor adds the perfect tang to—well, just about anything. We like it on potato and kale pizza, in lemon cookie sandwiches, and even in fruit-packed breakfast smoothies for an extra punch of protein. But cheese expert, author, and It’s Not You, It’s Brie blogger Kirstin Jackson prefers the traditional french preparation: chèvre chaud. 

Translating literally to “hot goat,” Jackson makes our stomachs growl with her explanation of the simple French dish.

Served in about 3,001 different ways by waiters who all mastered the art of flirtatious mocking, chèvre chaud was essentially this: a thick (it’s gotta be thick, thick, thick) slice of goat cheese warmed over a toasted crostini, served with some sort of vegetables and other goodness. The vegetables almost always included lettuce and grated carrots, and often included green beans, tomatoes, potatoes.

And here’s the best part: Chèvre is so clean and simple, it’s a great starting point for curd nerds who want to make their own fresh cheese. Or even easier, spice up store-bought chèvre with your own custom flavor blends. So how will you make chèvre chaud your own? 

Photo Credit: Photo of chèvre chaud with asparagus and carrots by Kirstin Jackson

Alicia Hahn

Alicia Hahn excels at eating and enjoys writing, crosswords, and cooking (preferably with cheese). Originally from San Francisco, she moved to Boston for school and fell in love with the city (despite an annual campaign against winter). Her favorite place to be is the farmers’ market, where she finds weird and exciting ingredients to make or break her next meal.