Not white as snow, like fair Helen,
Nor moist, like tearful Magdalen,
Not like Argus, full of eyes,
But heavy, like a bull of prize.
Well resisting thumb pressed in,
And let it have a scaly skin.
Eyeless and tearless, in colour not white.
Scaly, resisting and weighing not light.
(from The Goodman of Paris/Le Ménagier de Paris. trans. Eileen Power. London: Routledge & Sons, 1928.)
If you're interested in the translation, I have the middle French lying around too (c. 1393).
I don't think the Goodman was very fond of Swiss or soft goat's cheese. Ah well. His loss. Anyways, I doubt there was too much of a cheese export market in late fourteenth century France. Refridgeration units were somewhat lacking.
