However, cheese is also seasonal, with different varieties being more common – as well as fresher – as the year progresses.
Online cheesemonger La Boite du Fromager provides a monthly recap of which cheeses are in season, which we have looked at in previous months including October.
Below, we look at its top picks for November.
As the final month of autumn, November continues to be dominated by raw cow's milk cheese (also popular in October), after cows spent the spring and summer grazing on pastures.
Raclette
The first recommended cheese is the mighty raclette.
Raclette is mostly associated with the dish of the same name, which sees the cheese melted and liberally poured over potatoes, bread, charcuterie, and vegetables, depending on personal preference.
It can also be eaten outside of the dish, although it is rarely used as a cheese for sandwiches or in a cheese course.
Originating from Switzerland’s Valais canton, raclette is a raw cow’s milk cheese, and benefits from an AOP status, which it first gained in 2003.
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However, many variations and imitations are produced, including in France.
It is also common to find raclette cheese imbued with spices such as pepper or cumin.
There are regular debates on the exact specifications of raclette season and when it begins, but everyone agrees that November is a good month for the dish.
The cheese has had enough time to mature (between three to six months), and the evenings are cold enough to warrant a hearty, comforting dish.
Raclette is often produced as a six-kilogram wheel, but when bought for use in a raclette machine, is sold in smaller square slices.
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Laguiole
Less common, Laguiole is another raw cow’s milk cheese, produced in communes in the Aubrac area of France.
The cheese is produced in a significantly lower quantity than others of this type, with only around 700 to 750 tonnes being produced each year.
However this limitation allows for controls on the production to be strictly maintained.
The taste, often nutty, is produced as the land benefits from a combination of hilly, basalt-heavy pastures but an oceanic climate.
Herbs including burnet, thyme, and fennel are consumed by the cows, contributing to the taste.
It is not always possible to purchase Laguiole cheese at a supermarket due to its smaller production, but you are likely to be able to find it at a cheesemonger.
Another cow’s milk cheese, Maroilles from the north of France is stronger than the previous entrants on this list, and is known for its pungent scent.
La Boite du Fromager calls it “the finest of the strong cheeses,” however, and unlike some equally smelly cousins, it is popular across France, with well over 2,000 tonnes being made annually between 13 producers.
The cheese has been around for over 1,000 years with some claiming it was created as early as the 7th century by local monks.
It became popular as a favourite cheese among various French kings, including François I.
Both pasteurised and raw milk versions of the cheese exist.
The custom is less popular than in its heyday, but some residents of the north are still said to do so, most commonly with Maroilles because of its high fat content.
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Banon
The last recommendation is Banon, a cheese from the south-east of France.
Similar to the other cheeses in this list it is unpasteurised, however it is produced from goat’s milk.
The cheese is wrapped in chestnut leaves and raffia, which helps provide a distinct taste. Similar to Maroilles it is quite pungent.
The cheese is only ripened for around two weeks, but this is enough to provide it with its strong taste and aroma.
A local speciality known as fromage fort du Mont Ventoux sees a Banon cheese placed in an earthenware pot and seasoned with salt, pepper, vinegar, and alcohol (an eau-de-vie), providing a particularly strong taste.
