When I was growing up we lived on the Kent coast, just 22 miles from France and occasional shopping hops across the Channel were quite commonplace and that's where I first met " La Vache Qui Rit" - a saucy looking red cow sporting a come hither smile and wearing earrings inscribed on a box containing little, individually wrapped soft cheese triangles. I remember it pleased me that, even with limited schoolgirl French, I could understand that it meant "The Cow Who Laughs".

HISTORY & PEDIGREE!

I don't remember these being generally available on this side of the Channel at that time although apparently its manufacturer, the Bel group, opened a UK subsidiary in 1929. Maybe it was because Dairylea cheese triangles, the closest equivalent, had cornered the market or maybe this island race was a touch more xenophobic at that time with some suspicion and a slight distrust of all things foreign! You think I jest? Well despite the fact that I Channel hopped on a regular basis, making me quite a little jet setter in those days before foreign holidays were the norm, until I was 15 and visited Venice, I always thought that proper spaghetti came in a tin with bright orange sauce! I digress! Since then the product has become widely available here where it came to be known by a better translation than my own as "The Laughing Cow".

For the purposes of this review I researched a little about the Bel Group and make no apology for rehashing the details here because it's quite interesting. The Laughing Cow cheese comes from the same stable (or should I say, byre?) as Baby Bel cheeses, Cheesy Dippers, Leerdammer and Port Salut - at least those are the four other products listed on their UK website but a wider selection is available elsewhere. The Bel Group goes back to 1865 when Jules and Leon Bel started the company in Orgelet in France. Nothing much is written about their history until 1921 when "La Vache Qui Rie" was registered as a trademark in France. The image was created by cartoonist Benjamin Rabier. He was in the same army unit as Leon Bel in World War One, and drew the face on the unit's vehicles. She was probably one of the first brand images of this type, has travelled widely and had her name translated into many languages.

Apparently the aim of the company was to create an entirely new culture of cheese consumption creating cheeses to be eaten at non traditional times. To do this they reinvented traditional production methods as with Babybel and, in some cases developed processes from scratch as with "The Laughing Cow". In addition they introduced pre-portioned and mini cheeses. So runs the official version but I am not sure they actually are responsible for the creation of any of the other cheeses they supply today. Port Salut was apparently invented by a group of trappist monks in 1816 in the Loire valley and Bel only acquired the rights to manufacture this in the 1950's whilst Leerdammer was originally manufactured by a Dutch Company acquired by Bel in 2002. In fact their time line shows that they have taken over a number of small companies in several countries in the last 30 years and their official French website lists its latest acquisition as Boursin. Reading between the lines it seems that today the company is more intent on acquisition than innovation.

THE CHEESE SPREAD TRIANGLES

**Presentation**

Whatever the Bel Group agenda is today, The Laughing Cow is a true original, pre-dating its nearest rival, Dairylea, at least in triangular form, by some 30 years. They come in a circular cardboard carton, some 11cms diameter, with the familiar red Daisy character sporting her earrings (which are in fact replicas of the carton) prominently displayed on the lid. All the nutritional information is rather inconveniently displayed on the side wrapper which either has to be removed or split in order to get access to the cheese triangles within! I usually just rip this off but carefully preserved it this time round! Inside the cheeses sit snugly, each in its foil wrapping with another label featuring that cow, eight segments (140g total weight) sitting together to form the circle. I say eight but mine is actually the larger size containing sixteen (280g), arranged in two layers separated by a cardboard sheet. Each segment is easy to unwrap thanks to a discrete little red tag which when pulled tears the top triangle of foil clean away from the sides thereby revealing creamy little offering.

**Taste and Texture**

There are three types presently available in the UK - the original, the light and the extra light. I have tried the original and the light and for me the flavour and consistency vary very little. I have not tried the extra light; that's maybe a step too far. As it is my latest purchase this concentrates on the light version. Despite its 'lightness' it is really rich and creamy and genuinely does melt in the mouth. It has a positively flavoursome cheesy bite which is difficult to describe - not quite the delicacy of Brie nor the robustness of Cheddar but a stronger taste than Dairylea. There's no slightly bitter and unpleasant aftertaste which I do find with some cheeses and no cloying effect on the palate as experienced with some other cream cheeses. In fact it's so unlike other "breeds" some cheese gourmets may well dismiss it as a "pretender" but it has survived the test of time and now sells in over 90 countries so it must have appeal. I consider it a good introduction to cheese for the very young and a tasty treat for the not so young!

**Nutrition**

But is it good for us and do we care? It's a boring topic but one which must be addressed! The ingredients are simple - skimmed milk, cheeses, milk protein butter and salt with some E numbers which are all described as emulsifying salts but no artificial colours or preservatives. I am no nutritionist so I will be brief and talk in terms of recommended daily amounts. It is rich in calcium and one of the light triangles provides 10.5% of the adult RDA. Maybe the rest of the statistics are not so impressive. Again referring to the light version and percentage RDAs; protein comes in at 8% per triangle, carbohydrates 0.5% of which sugars yield 1.2%, fat at 4.8% of which saturates form 11.4% and salt equivalent at 8%. Maybe they are a little high in saturates and salt but not too horrific overall. Of course as with all cheese, Laughing Cow triangles are a source of vitamins A B and D but specific information on this is thin on the ground. Two other important points need to be noted. These cannot be guaranteed as suitable for vegetarians but can be eaten by pregnant (non vegetarian!) ladies as they are made from pasteurised milk and then treated at high temperature. Further nutritional information can be found on the Bel UK website and there is an interesting section entitled "Eat Well" which seems to give a very balanced view of the dos and don't of cheese consumption with special reference to children.

**Versatility**

Laughing Cow triangles are also extremely versatile. I must admit I often eat one on its own as a satisfying nibble. It spreads straight from the fridge in sandwiches, on toast or, our latest favourite, on crumpets. It can be use in salads, mixed into mashed potatoes or mashed into baked ones, stirred into soups or as a topper which melts into baked beans and vegetables such as cauliflower and spinach. The list is endless and the Bel UK website gives 22 such recipes ranging from Shepherds Pie and Pumpkin Soup to Winter Cous Cous and Smoked Salmon Canapes.


**Price and Recommendation**

I have to recommend Laughing Cow cheese spread which has become a constant on my shopping list. It's tasty, versatile and a good source of calcium. Most supermarkets stock it. The smaller size (140 g) costs around £1.08 and the big value pack, literally double the size, around £1.78. Dairylea and various super-market own brands are cheaper but I think The Cow has the taste and texture advantage and is well worth a few extra pennies.

EPILOGUE

As I noted above, a wider range of Laughing Cow products is available in other countries; I have even noticed a potted version on the French website which appears to feature a goats cheese! I do wish more lines would be introduced to our super-market shelves. Personally, I am waiting for a couple I have seen on the US site, the Light Garlic and Herbs and Light French Onion.

As to The Laughing Cow herself, she has become come quite an institution. She has featured prominently in pioneering advertising campaigns - some of which can be found on YouTube. In France you can buy all sorts of merchandise bearing her image such as T shirts, Toys, Mugs and Clocks! She even has her own Facebook Group!

What can I say in conclusion? Well it has to be, "Vive La Vache Qui Rit!"

WEBSITE ADDRESSES

The UK
http://www.thelaughingcow.co.uk/
The US
http://laughingcow.com/
France
http://www.lavachequirit.com/la-vache-rouge/fr/ac cueil.html
The Bel Group
http://www.bel-group.com/