Les Nouveaux Fromagers cheese subscription box review February 2014

Subscription boxes are hugely popular and a lot of fun — who doesn’t like a mystery package in the mail each month? I recently discovered the French cheese subscription box Les Nouveaux Fromagers and decided to buy a box to satisfy my curiosity. My first box arrived last week.

Read on for my review of my first cheese subscription box!

I wrote about Les Nouveaux Fromagers, a Paris-based cheese subscription box company, last month after reading about them on the web and was intrigued enough to sign up for a box. At 24.90 € (US$34), which includes shipping to my door, each monthly box contains four cheese varieties complete with a tasting guide explaining what is what. I enjoy French cheeses, but since I didn’t grow up with them, I guess you can say my palate is picky. Luckily my other half eats pretty much anything so I knew nothing would go to waste. 😉

The February 2014 cheese subscription box contained:

1. Fourme de Montbrison – Lait cru de vache – Fromagerie des Hautes Chaumes. This was my favorite cheese in our box and was strong but not too strong. Tastes excellent on a baguette.

2. Tomme d’Aydius – Lait cru de chèvre – Ferme de Bignau. This was my second favorite cheese and wasn’t too strong at all.

3. Tomme du Lomont à l’ail des ours – Lait cru de vache – Ferme des Coquelicots. I liked this cheese but in small quantities. Although I’m a fan of garlic, I didn’t love how it tasted in cheese. Tom ate most of this one.

4. Raclette bio – Lait cru de vache – Ferme de Bellevue. Raclette cheese is usually melted in a fancy fondue-type of warmer but we melted the cheese over the stove instead. The smell can be a little off-putting if it’s not something you’re used to.

Pros

• Delivered on time and exactly as described. About 800 grams of four cheese varieties.
• Arrived in an insulated package with a gel pack to keep everything cool.
• Variety ensured we’d try cheeses we’ve never had before.
• Makes a great cheese platter for guests, no need to stop at the fromagerie if you’re short on time.
• Awesome gift idea for that cheese lover in your life.

Cons

• Variety. If you are picky about your cheeses, you might not like everything in the box leaving cheese to go to waste.
• Not cheap. While a cheese subscription box isn’t the most expensive thing in the world, nearly 25 € for 800 grams of cheese isn’t a bargain.
• The little booklet explaining each cheese would look more high end in color.

Final thoughts on Les Nouveaux Fromagers cheese subscription box

This is for you if you’re a die-hard cheese fan and truly love just about every cheese. The novelty of it alone (cheese… in the mail?) is worth the monthly expenditure, so if you have a few extra euros to throw their way, why the heck not? On the other hand, if you’re picky about your cheeses or are looking to save money, this might not be the best subscription box for you.

 

 

Disclosure: I paid for the cheese with my own money and wasn’t perked in any way.