Gordon Walker wrote:
    >
    > Which cheese shops in Paris offer vacuum packing?! I'm heading there next
    > month and will plan on bringing some cheese home if I know where to go!
    >

The two I've used are at:

8 rue des Petits Carreaux, Paris 2e
and
86 rue Montorgueil, Paris 2e

that are a block apart on the same street, which changes names between
them.

The closest metro is Sentier, sortie Petits Carreaux, walk south less
than a block. Afterwards, I'd recommend continuing to walk the 5 blocks
on down to the Les Halles metro just east of St Eustache. The
storefronts on rue Montorgueil are 30-40% food/drink related, counting
all the shops, produce markets, cafés and restaurants, and pretty
interesting. The whole area is a pedestrian only zone, and quite lively
around 6 PM. Up until the early 70's it had a daily open air street
marché, sort of an offshoot of the Halles wholesale market, but that has
faded away / transformed into the strong food orientation the area has
today.

On the other hand, these are pretty typical, small fromageries. I
wouldn't be surprised if the vacuum packing service in many other ones.

Have a good trip-

David

I think it's commendable, Julie, but the current facts do not support your
concern about importing cheese. You may notice when you arrive in the USA
from Europe with your Customs Declaration that you first see someone from
Immigration. That's the person who looks at your passport and then looks at
the Customs Declaration. That person also scans and "codes" your Custom's
form and gives it back to you. Certain marks placed on the form mean you go
over to the Red Line when you try and exit. Cheese does not qualify for
extra marks. At the Red Line you are either asked to unpack, or your luggage
is sent through a low intensity x-ray that looks for vegetables and meat, or
you may just be questioned.

At some sites, Agriculture also has dogs smelling your luggage.

Now maybe, someday we may find out that imported cheese caused a problem but
until then, as long as it's legal, your personal concerns don't count.

BTW, you have a nice site.
--
John Vittoe
"Chance favors only the Prepared Mind."
Louis Pasteur, 1852
www.vittoe.com

On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 10:34:03 +0100, Jens Arne Maennig
wrote:

    >Gomez Adams wrote:
    >> I will be in France in March and I want to bring some unpasteurized
    >> French cheese back to the US.
    >Why not just order and have it send home?
    >http://www.cheese-online.com/
    >Jens
Pleez import lots ov infected cheese into Bush-land.
Min Agriculture rules are not meant for arrogant ignorant selfish
Ugly tourists.
Take it to farms, infect everythink, kill cows, destroy dairy indostry
It will save me a lot of work.
Osma

;-)

"John Vittoe" writes:

    > The pages mentioned below also state:
    > "Always DECLARE to the inspectors everything you have that could be
    > classified as an agricultural product. An inspector can then determine
    > whether that item is prohibited or is allowed entry."
    >
    > They also state: "Keep in mind that this list is not all inclusive, ..."
    >
    > Declare the cheese, it will get through.

Amusingly, I have brought cheese and other foodstuff back from France
several times. I always tell the customs person what I have, and get
waved through. My travelling companion of those trips doesn't seem to
get it -- every time she says "I don't have anything," and they
immediately write a big green "A" on her card and send her through the
line for inspection (she's always got stuff, too). I guess they can't
believe anyone would come back without some food (neither can I).

Allen
--
Allen Windhorn (507) 345-2782 FAX (507) 345-2805
Kato Engineering (Though I do not speak for Kato)
P.O. Box 8447, N. Mankato, MN 56002
[email protected]

"Juliana L Holm" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Emilia wrote:
    > > Well, assuming that the person declares the cheese then I would guess
    > > that the DA would know whether it was OK or not. So it is really up to
    > > the OP to decide whether he/she wants to take the risk of getting it
    > > confiscated or not, considering it is not on the list or either
    > > prohibited or allowed items.
    > Actually I agree, but one might assume, from the topic of this thread
    > ("Smuggling French cheese" as opposed to "Bringing back French Cheese")
    > that the original poster was NOT planning on declaring the cheese. That
    > is what I object to and consider selfish.
    > I likewise love to bring back stuff from Europe, my personal favorite is
    > German Wine. I always declare it, however.
    > (But that is a customs issue, not an Agriculture issue). I would never
try
    > to sneak in any forbidden produce.
    > Julie
    > --
    > Julie
    > **********
    > Check out my Traval Pages (non-commercial) at
    > http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

I understand the distinction which Julie is making but I think it
unrealistic in practice.

As I European, if I want to bring soft unpasteurised cheese into the USA
(and I don't) I would declare it on the Customs form. It matters not to me,
nor do I really understand, and it is Angels dancing on the head of a pin,
who has jurisdiction over this cheese. I declare it and someone at the entry
control point says "yes" or "no". I brought chocolates in last year and the
US Customs literature cast doubt on their acceptability. So I declared them.
No problem. And no, I don't in any way support a poster who asks how to
"smuggle" items into any Country.

JohnT

JohnT wrote:
    > As I European, if I want to bring soft unpasteurised cheese into the USA
    > (and I don't) I would declare it on the Customs form. It matters not to me,
    > nor do I really understand, and it is Angels dancing on the head of a pin,
    > who has jurisdiction over this cheese.

Ah, but that's because you don't subscribe to the government's lively and
informative Cheese Highlights newsletter.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnarchive/day1/md%5Fda851.txt

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Allen Windhorn wrote:

    > "
    > Amusingly, I have brought cheese and other foodstuff back from France
    > several times. I always tell the customs person what I have, and get
    > waved through. My travelling companion of those trips doesn't seem to
    > get it -- every time she says "I don't have anything," and they
    > immediately write a big green "A" on her card and send her through the
    > line for inspection (she's always got stuff, too). I guess they can't
    > believe anyone would come back without some food (neither can I).

When we came back from Europe in a May 2001 during the foot and mouth problem
we know that we could not bring any meat or dairy. A person we met in the
hotel insisted that we take some of the lavender honey from the breakfast
buffet. Despite my protests, my wife declared it when we arrived at Toronto.
We got sent to secondary inspection. The guy at secondary asked about the food
products and my wife dutifully whipped out the two little 1 oz jars of honey.
He asked why we had been sent there. I said that it was just the honey "But
that comes from bees" he said. What could I say? He correctly guessed that
the person who sent us to secondary was one of the summer students.

Ken Blake wrote:
    >
    >
    > "Smuggling" was the OP's word, not mine--see the subject line of
    > this thread. I don't know what quantities he wants to bring in,
    > but he chose to use the word, so he obviously knows that what he
    > wants to do is wrong and illegal.
    >
    > --
    > Ken Blake
    > Please reply to the newsgroup

Who else WOULD I reply to? (You don't sound like anyone I'd want to
know personally.) If you had not been so eagerly literal-minded and
READ the post before you replied to it, you WOULD know "what quantities"
he wants to bring in. You might then have concluded, as most of us did,
that he used the word to get our attention and to prompt replies from
people who actually know something about "importing" items that might be
restricted.

"Gomez Adams" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I will be in France in March and I want to bring some unpasteurized
    > French cheese back to the US. I would normally try to put it in my
    > luggage, however, I have heard that the new scanning equipment will
    > think that it might be an explosive. Would it be better to try to put
    > it in a carry-on? Anyone had any experiences with cheese and the
    > airlines?

I bring unpasteurized cheese from Europe every time I fly from there.
Typical flight is LHR to ORD. Make absolutely sure you declare "food" on
the entry form
http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/trave...ation_form.xml
by checking off #11a - food. Occasionally I will get singled out and
sidelined to the agricultural inspection folks who ask me what it is,
inspect closely, and wish me bon apatite. If you look at
http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/faqs.xml under "Q: Why did
U.S. Customs Take My Food" you will see that "... all cured cheeses are
generally admissible". Again, I have never had a problem. Even when the
beagles detect the cheese I am allowed to proceed. And I always take it in
carry-on double-triple Ziploc bag wrapped because it gets pretty ripe in 8 -
10 hours. Hope this helps.

--
Rich
[email protected]
www.headachedrugs.com

"mookie89" wrote in
news:[email protected]:


    > I always take it in carry-on double-triple Ziploc bag wrapped because
    > it gets pretty ripe in 8 - 10 hours. Hope this helps.
    >

Especially if you keep it double & triple ziplock wrapped. Cheese is best
kept wrapped in paper. Probably not the best way to carry it on a plane
but closing it in a plastic bag makes it worse.

le Fri, 31 Jan 2003 15:09:03 +0100, dans l'article , Barbara Vaughan a dit ...=20

    >> >> Not much difference between 'pasteurised' (or '-ized'), and
    >> >> 'pasteuris=E9'.

    >> > Aha! But if it doesn't say "pasteurise' ", how are they to know that
    >> > one of the other words doesn't mean "pasteurized"?

    >> Um ... erm ...
    >>=20
    >> What ?

    > He was planning on bringing back an unpasteurized cheese, which I don't
    > think would have the cognate word on its label to help the customs
    > officials decipher the French.

Ah. I see. As you were, then ... :-)

--=20
Desmond Coughlan=20
desmond @ zeouane.org
http: // www . zeouane . org

Go to the Rue Cler area in the 7th. Wonderful markets and they pack cheese.
gedlin


"Gordon Walker" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Which cheese shops in Paris offer vacuum packing?! I'm heading there next
    > month and will plan on bringing some cheese home if I know where to go!
    > --
    > "DWP" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Gomez Adams wrote:
    > > >
    > > > I will be in France in March and I want to bring some unpasteurized
    > > > French cheese back to the US. I would normally try to put it in my
    > > > luggage, however, I have heard that the new scanning equipment will
    > > > think that it might be an explosive. Would it be better to try to put
    > > > it in a carry-on? Anyone had any experiences with cheese and the
    > > > airlines?
    > >
    > > I have brought back 5 or 6 pounds of cheese on at least 10 occassions
    > > from Paris to the US and never had any customs issues with it. On the US
    > > customs declaration where it asks if you are carrying any food, I always
    > > check YES and write in "cheese"; I'm no smuggler. No official has ever
    > > asked me anything about it. No dog has ever given me a second sniff (I
    > > hear they're looking for meat).
    > >
    > > Each of the two cheese shops I usually use offers vacuum packing
    > > (emballage sous vide), which I find worthwhile, since I carry it on in
    > > my hand luggage. Before this was available, the overhead compartment in
    > > the plane could end up smelling a little ripe after 7 hours.
    > >
    > > For soft cheeses like Camembert I ask for it "pas trop fait", not very
    > > ripe, as it will mature considerably during the time it's travelling
    > > unrefrigerated. All of it is unpasteurized.
    > >
    > > Sharing this little feast with friends upon return is always a treat for
    > > all, and worth the lugging around. Unfortunately, the bagettes don't
    > > travel as well...
    > >
    > >
    > > David

"Emilia" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "mookie89" wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    > > I always take it in carry-on double-triple Ziploc bag wrapped because
    > > it gets pretty ripe in 8 - 10 hours. Hope this helps.
    > >
    > Especially if you keep it double & triple ziplock wrapped. Cheese is best
    > kept wrapped in paper. Probably not the best way to carry it on a plane
    > but closing it in a plastic bag makes it worse.

Agreed, Emilia, but early in my cheese transportation endeavors, I was
rather forcefully told by a couple of passengers near me on the plane, plus
my own wife, that "Hey fella - you STINK!" So, rather than deal with that
because I am such a delicate flower, I purchase the cheese on my day of
departure, do the Ziploc thing whilst waiting for the flight at the airport,
fly home, then liberate it. All told, it's about 10 hours of cheese
captivity. In other words, I don't want to be rude to a planeload of people
much bigger than I! And because I really like staying married to my wife...
Sorry for my weak attempt at humour.

--
Rich
[email protected]
www.headachedrugs.com

Juliana L Holm wrote:
    >
    > Emilia wrote:
    > >>
    > >> This is not a customs issue, it is a Department of Agriculture issue.
    > >> And unless you got caught, which is unlikely but possible, you would
    > >> not have any problem.
    >
    > > AFIK there are Dept. of Agriculture personnel at customs. Is this no
    > > longer so?
    >
    > Yes, but not nearly as many as there are of customs. DA does not have nearly
    > the manpower. After all it is no longer a security issue here.
    > And it seems to be focused on keeping fruit out of the Caribbean, which I
    > guess is their biggest risk. But that does not mean that we need
    > to ignore possibility of European pests.
    >
    > They depend largely on people to follow the rules.
    >
    > This summer I went on vacation for a week to Southern North Carolina. While
    > there, my husband and I visited Great smokey Mountain National part. I did a
    > trip report on it on my web site:
    >
    > http://www.dragonsholm.org/ncar2002.htm
    >
    > One thing we saw, and you can see, and it is about a third of the way down
    > the page, was the devastation that the balsam woolly adelgid has wreaked.
    > This is a european pest that has killed over 80% of the fir trees at the highest
    > elevations of the park. We're spending, as taxpayers, millions to try to
    > fight this pest. And it came in because someone decided they wanted to
    > import something from Europe (and I don't know what it was) that they should
    > not, and they introduced this pest.
    >
    > There are lots of situations where imported pests have taken over and destroyed
    > our native species. Is it really worth the risk to bring a hunk of cheese that
    > is forbidden back? I don't think so, and I think that people who know this
    > risk and go ahead and bring forbidden agricultural products in are terribly
    > selfish.
    >
    > Just MHO, but a strong one.
    >
    > Julie

The ones I've read about mainly hitched rides on cargo vessels, IIRC -
often in the packaging of the cargo (incl. wooden crates).

"mookie89" wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > "Emilia" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> "mookie89" wrote in
    >> news:[email protected]:
    >> > I always take it in carry-on double-triple Ziploc bag wrapped
    >> > because it gets pretty ripe in 8 - 10 hours. Hope this helps.
    >> >
    >> Especially if you keep it double & triple ziplock wrapped. Cheese is
    >> best kept wrapped in paper. Probably not the best way to carry it on
    >> a plane but closing it in a plastic bag makes it worse.
    >
    > Agreed, Emilia, but early in my cheese transportation endeavors, I was
    > rather forcefully told by a couple of passengers near me on the plane,
    > plus my own wife, that "Hey fella - you STINK!" So, rather than deal
    > with that because I am such a delicate flower, I purchase the cheese
    > on my day of departure, do the Ziploc thing whilst waiting for the
    > flight at the airport, fly home, then liberate it. All told, it's
    > about 10 hours of cheese captivity. In other words, I don't want to
    > be rude to a planeload of people much bigger than I! And because I
    > really like staying married to my wife... Sorry for my weak attempt at
    > humour.


And we thank you!