The (famous) Laughing Cow French cheese!

France is well-known for its cheese repertoire of over 400 different kinds of cheese, but there is one known by a large percentage of the French, reportedly 87%.  According to the “Direct Matin,” in 1921, a cheesemaker named Léon Bel mixed comté, emmental, and cheddar cheese to create his now-famous masterpiece; however, it’s the symbol he chose that is now recognized in around 120 countries. Apparently, he was inspired by an emblem that appeared on German vehicles, from his ex-military days, to create his signature laughing cow.

I recently went into a very small grocery shop, which had a limited selection, and yes, “La vache qui rit” was on the shelf, along with its sandwich variety — and oui, eating cheese makes me smile, too!