Fleur Verte Chevre- "Summer" Cheese Parties with Ryan Reynolds

As I write this, I'm sitting outside a café in Mill Valley, a small Marin Valley town. It's adorable. The town square is complete with red bricks, redwood trees, a mountainous backdrop, and independent clothing shops and bookstores that are just dying to be cast in a romantic comedy starring Ryan Reynolds. I can see it now. Reynolds will of course be shirtless.

He'll walk into the café I'm sitting in for his late afternoon jo. I don't actually live in Mill Valley, but I just happen to be at the coffee shop on this day because I'm writing before meeting my family in the area for dinner. For whatever reason (I'm guessing because the lotion he rubs on his chest is slippery and throws him off balance), Reynolds runs into me, knocks over my table, and accidentally breaks my laptop. I'll be upset for a few minutes, sure, because the computer is important to me and now I can't use it, but amends will be made once he invites me to the barbecue party that he's hosting on his tree house's deck in the redwood park just two blocks from here. He's single. I'll go, bring cheese, and then we'll get married.

But wait, something's not right.

It's a barbeque and it's summer time, so I tell him that I'll bring Fleur Verte to his par-tay. But we live in the Bay Area. And as I overheard Gordon Edgar recently say, our summer doesn't hit until September. So, as you can see, I'm in a tough spot. Will Reynolds notice that I'm bringing a summer cheese to a "spring" weather party? Will the tomatoes or watermelon I was hoping to have with the cheese be ripe enough to pair perfectly? Will Reynolds overlook my seasonal faux pas? And worse, if he doesn't even notice, puts his shirt back on and is having a bad hair day, will he still be up to my standards?

Note to self- discuss with screenwriter whether scenario can be moved to September.

So this cheese may not yet qualify for my bay area friends as a "summer" cheese, because, you know, we had a cloud clover thicker and fluffier than a cotton ball this past weekend, but, it'll do. Imagine with me. For non-bay area people, get ready for a summer party in a chevre.

Fleur Verte is one of my favorite cheeses for the warm weather. Covered with dried tarragon and red peppercorns, it's one that I love slipping on a plate for a spring or summer cheese class, and one that brightens up a cheese board like red and yellow cherry tomatoes do a summer pasta salad.

If it's a really warm day, I don't want heavy cheeses. I want my dairy as light and refreshing as the season's produce. Like a Reynolds rom-com (not counting the dramatic part where I yell at him for breaking my laptop and almost ruin our future relationship). Especially if they're being served at the start of the meal. Essentially a chevre that's been covered in herbs, Fleur Verte keeps it light.

Even better, Fleur Verte comes with summer seasoning. That's right. That tarragon? That's summer (or spring) flavor right there. Imagine Fleur Verte crumbled over green beans or a quinoa salad, maybe with with a little chopped garlic, some tomatoes, and olive oil. And that's it. You don't need anything else. Except maybe a rosé.

Have any herb covered cheeses made by local producers near you that you adore? I've been loving Harley Farm's selections. What do you eat in summer? Or September?

Lastly - My book has a Facebook page! And the profile photo? A shot of my book cover! Publishes November 6th, but you can like my little ol page whenever you want!