"Whether made with olives, poppy seeds or figs, every bread has its own personality that marries with a specific cheese," Poujauran explains. "The secret is to achieve a subtle blend of flavours and textures. For example, the full flavour of a Reblochon goes particularly well with the smoky taste of fougasse bread with bacon. Or a very creamy cheese like Saint-Marcellin is excellent on a crusty slice of toasted country bread."

Lamb's Lettuce and Cheese with Marie-Anne Cantin, cheesemaker

Why does Lamb's Lettuce go so well with cheese?
"Lamb's Lettuce is a gentle green: mild in flavour and soft in texture. It can accompany cheeses without altering their taste. A few pieces of fresh goat cheese in a Lamb's Lettuce salad that is not too vinegary is simple, but wonderful. Blue cheese, in particular Fourme d'Ambert, on a slice of good bread accompanied by a few bouquets of Lamb's Lettuce is a real delight. There are also the cooked curd cheeses: sprinkle a Lamb's Lettuce salad with some diced aged Mimolette and Comté cheese. The combination is tasty and visually attractive, which never hurts… we also eat with our eyes!"

Does the Lamb's Lettuce need to be dressed?
"The bread-Lamb's Lettuce-cheese trio is delicious however you eat it. Without dressing, the Lamb's Lettuce brings a touch of sweetness to the rustic character of cheeses, and imparts a fresh flavour to a simple slice of bread and cheese. If you prefer to dress the Lamb's Lettuce, use only a little vinegar so as not to overpower the cheese. With certain very mild cheeses like fresh goat cheese, a simple drizzle of olive oil would be enough."

The 18 best gourmet trios
"Trio" here refers to cheese, bread and Lamb's Lettuce!