I'm back in the U.S. after a 10 day trip to France (Paris and Nevers).
At the duty free shop in the airport, I bought 12 ounces of goat
cheese-- don't know exactly what sort, but it is soft, mild and
fragrant. The saleswoman in the shop assured me that this is one that
I'm supposed to trim the rind off of. I'd like to use it to try
recreating a dish I got in a restaurant in Paris. It looked wonderfully
simple as I was eating: potatoes sliced thin as in scalloped potatoes
baked with chevre and browned slightly on top. It was served as an
appetizer (entree on the menu). Though I'm happy to experiment, I'm
looking for advice (and realize y'all can't say anything definitive
without the name of the cheese and recipe I'm hoping to recreate).

What sort of potatoes should I use?

Should the potatoes be baked or boiled before being layered with the
cheese? I'm thinking that layering and baking for 40 minutes which
would be long enough to cook the potatoes would be too long for the cheese.

How do I get that perfect browned top?

Is it legal to bring cheese and sausage (we also bought sausage) into
the U.S.?

This has turned into a funny story since we got away with it, but I was
nervous for several moments there. I asked the saleswoman (she was
awfully good at sales) if it was O.K. to bring in the cheese. She
assured me that it was and then showed me the machinka for sealing
plastic bags which would get it past the customs sniffer dogs. She was
so smooth and convincing that I was on the plane with the cheese and
sausage before realizing the inherent contradiction in her statement.
If it is legal, why the need for the sealed package?

Then, sure enough, a customs official with the most delightful tail
wagging black lab (I love dogs) was walking around the baggage claim
area indicating to the dog to inspect the bags. I was standing there
with the cheese and sausage in my backpack smiling at the happy dog
while my heart was racing at the idea of being caught. (I'm normally
pretty law abiding and could just picture me stammering "Huh? Sausage?
How did THAT get in there?")

--Lia