Terroir and Typicity

The majority of my time today was spent in the classroom. Classes started off with French and then continued with lectures concerning quality labeling and intercropping. One of the professors spoke about typicity, a word I had never heard of until today. Sticking to basics, typicity is how similar a product is to the original/standard. It is typically used when comparing regional foods like certain types of cheeses, champagne, or wines. To demonstrate this concept, our professor brought in his French Coca-cola collection. Each region of France has its own off brand of the cola that is labled by the region's name with a unique taste. For example, Anjou Cola uses chamomile as an ingredient.

Along with the colas, the professor brought in two different camembert cheeses- one unpasteurized with TSG and PDO status(legal framework under EU law to protect the name of traditional food products) and the other, a standard pasteurized brand. The standard brand was extremely salty and lacked flavor while the unpasteurized camembert was immensely pungent and flavorful. 

For dinner, after aperitifs of charcuterie, wine, and nuts, our host mom prepared a quiche lorraine. It was a delicious quiche packed full of creme, ham, and cheese. It was paired with a watercress, apple, and beet salad which was followed by a cheese plate and fruit salad for dessert. Dinner conversation included a discussion on French humor which was very valuable to hear.