You’re standing at the deli counter. The light is aggressive, the line behind you is growing, and you’re staring down a beautiful, ash-ripened log of goat cheese. You want it. You need it for that beet salad you promised to bring to the dinner party. But then, the panic hits. How do you pronounce chevre cheese without sounding like you’re trying too hard or, worse, failing miserably?
Most people panic and go with "shev-ray." It sounds fancy, right? It has that French flair. Except, it’s wrong.
If you say "shev-ray," you’re basically telling the cheesemonger you’d like some "goat-rayed." Not a great look. The word chèvre literally just means "goat" in French. In the world of fromage, it’s shorthand for fromage de chèvre. Getting it right isn't just about snobbery; it’s about respect for a culinary tradition that dates back to the 8th century when Saracens brought goats to the Loire Valley.
The One Syllable Secret
Let's get straight to the point. How do you pronounce chevre cheese correctly?
It is basically one syllable. Say "shev." Now, add a tiny, soft "ruh" at the end, but almost don't say it. It’s a ghost sound. In linguistics, we call this a schwa. You aren't saying "shev-ruh" like you're naming a new indie band. You're saying shev-r.
Think of the word "shove," but with an "eh" sound like in "shell." Shev. If you listen to a native speaker from the Poitou-Charentes region—the heart of French goat cheese production—the "re" at the end is whispered. It’s a breath. A flick of the tongue against the roof of the mouth that disappears before it even becomes a vowel. Honestly, if you just say "shev," you’re already 90% closer to the truth than the "shev-ray" crowd.
Why We Get It So Wrong
English speakers love to add "ay" sounds to French words. We see an 'e' at the end of a word and our brains automatically go to attaché or café. But chèvre doesn't have an accent aigu (the little line pointing up: é) on that final letter. Without that accent, the 'e' is silent or "mute."
It’s the same reason people mispronounce Creuset (the cookware) or Moët (the champagne). We over-frenchify things.
The first 'e' in chèvre has a grave accent (è). This tells you to open your mouth wider. It’s "eh," not "ay." If you want to get technical, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) spells it out as /ʃɛvʁ/. That /ʁ/ at the end is that classic French guttural 'r' that sounds a bit like you're clearing your throat, but very gently.
It’s More Than Just a Name
Chèvre isn't just one thing. When you ask how do you pronounce chevre cheese, you’re opening a door to a massive world of textures.
Fresh chèvre is what most of us know. It’s tangy. It’s spreadable. It’s that bright white log in the plastic wrap. But go deeper. There is Selles-sur-Cher, which is coated in wood ash to help the rind develop. There is Crottin de Chavignol, which starts small and fudgy but can be aged until it’s hard enough to break a window.
Real experts like Steven Jenkins, author of the Cheese Primer, will tell you that the age of the goat cheese changes the "vibe" of the pronunciation. A young, wet cheese feels like a soft "shev." An aged, funky, dry crottin demands a slightly sharper delivery.
Goat milk has different fats than cow milk. Capric, caprylic, and caproic acids. These are what give the cheese that "goaty" punch. Some people find it "barnyardy." I find it electric.
Common Mistakes at the Grocery Store
Don't do the "Ch" sound like "Chair." It’s a "Sh" sound.
- Wrong: Chev-ray
- Wrong: Cheever
- Wrong: Shay-vray
- Right: Shev(r)
I once watched a guy at a high-end grocer in Manhattan ask for "goat-chav-ray." The clerk didn't even blink, which is a testament to the patience of retail workers, but you could see the soul leave her eyes for a second.
The funny thing is, even in France, regional accents can slightly tweak the sound. In the south, you might hear a more pronounced "ruh" at the end. In Paris, it’s clipped and fast. But nowhere—absolutely nowhere—is it "shev-ray."
The Etiquette of the Cheese Board
Now that you can say it, you have to treat it right.
Never serve chèvre cold. Please.
Take it out of the fridge at least an hour before you eat it. If it’s a fresh log, let it get creamy. If it’s an aged Valencay (the pyramid-shaped one with the flat top), letting it come to room temperature allows the complex flavors of the mold and the grass to actually hit your palate. Cold mutes fat. Fat is flavor.
When you’re slicing a round chèvre, treat it like a cake. Cut wedges. Don't just hack off the nose (the tip). That’s considered a "cheese crime" in France because the center is the tastiest part, and everyone deserves a bit of it.
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Why the Ash?
You’ll see a lot of chèvre with a grey, dusty rind. That’s vegetable ash. Historically, it was used to protect the surface of the cheese and neutralize the pH so the good molds could grow. Today, it’s mostly aesthetic and traditional, but it adds a subtle mineral note that balances the acidity of the goat milk.
Actionable Next Steps for the Aspiring Fromager
Knowing how do you pronounce chevre cheese is just the entry point. To truly master this category, you need to taste the spectrum.
First, go to a real cheesemonger, not just the dairy aisle of a massive supermarket. Ask for a "fresh chèvre" and an "aged chèvre." Compare them. The fresh one will be citrusy and bright. The aged one might taste like mushrooms, nuts, or even hay.
Second, practice the "ghost r." Say the word "shove." Now say it with an "eh" sound. Shev. Now, just as you finish, blow a tiny bit of air out. That’s your "re."
Third, pair it properly. Chèvre loves acidity. A Sauvignon Blanc from the Sancerre region is the classic pairing because the wine’s high acidity cuts through the mouth-coating fat of the goat cheese. If you’re not a drinker, try it with a tart green apple or a dollop of fig jam.
Stop overthinking the French. Be confident. If you walk up to a counter and say "I'll take a log of shev," you'll sound like you know exactly what you're doing. The "ray" is for people who haven't done their homework. You have.
Go buy the cheese. Eat it on a baguette. Don't look back.