Six days in springtime Paris. Starts tomorrow.
A Wedding!
My dear nephew and godson Gabriel is getting married today!I wish Gabriel and bride Bellinda lots and lots of shared happiness.
Photo du Jour - Grapes
Tiny little grapes.
Amazing that in less than six months they'll have been picked and crushed.
Photo du Jour - Fields of Gold
Slowly but surely the vineyards here in the Minervois are being ripped up and planted with olive trees, fields of asparagus and even hay.
Restaurant Review From Italy
This was a friend's recent dining experience during their travels in Italy. They asked that I post their review so if anyone is heading to Pescara, they will have a wonderful place to eat.
I am happy to oblige!
Magnifico! Modern restaurants try to be a little different, and a lot memorable - Enozioni Wine Bar in Pescara, on the Abruzzo coast of Italy achieves both, and beautifully. The food is exceptional – the beef with onion confit on crushed romano is a delicate delight; the truffled wild mushroom pasta rustic and rich; the duck in Sicilian citrus unusual but splendid; but the triumph is the maialano – tiny ribs of suckling pig in a green peppercorn sauce. The wine list is as long as one might expect in a wine bar, but a lot higher in quality and range; but you needn’t bother. The patron, Gabriele, will provide a different wine for each course; a native of Pescara, he has worked in smart restaurants in Italy and Provence (but is proudest of his own Abruzzo produce). He serves wines that are intelligently suited, and generously poured. Two people can dine in magnificence for around €100, and they should – don’t go near Pescara without visiting
Enozioni!
9 Piazza Dei Martiri Pennesi
65123 Pescara Italy
39 08 54 22 01 74
Comghéin Gleig
I am happy to oblige!
Magnifico! Modern restaurants try to be a little different, and a lot memorable - Enozioni Wine Bar in Pescara, on the Abruzzo coast of Italy achieves both, and beautifully. The food is exceptional – the beef with onion confit on crushed romano is a delicate delight; the truffled wild mushroom pasta rustic and rich; the duck in Sicilian citrus unusual but splendid; but the triumph is the maialano – tiny ribs of suckling pig in a green peppercorn sauce. The wine list is as long as one might expect in a wine bar, but a lot higher in quality and range; but you needn’t bother. The patron, Gabriele, will provide a different wine for each course; a native of Pescara, he has worked in smart restaurants in Italy and Provence (but is proudest of his own Abruzzo produce). He serves wines that are intelligently suited, and generously poured. Two people can dine in magnificence for around €100, and they should – don’t go near Pescara without visiting
Enozioni!
9 Piazza Dei Martiri Pennesi
65123 Pescara Italy
39 08 54 22 01 74
Comghéin Gleig
Recycling in Paris
Organising trash collection in big cities is a complex task, and it is even more complicated when the effort of recylcing is made. 
One with a white top and a hole for glass (see picture) ... yes, the French drink wine which comes in glass bottles, plus yogurts, petits pots, preserves, and more. They are collected twice weekly.
Another trash can has a yellow top; this one is for boxes, cardboard, paper, newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles, small electric appliances, cans ... Collection is made twice a week as well.
The one with a green top is for the rest! These are collected everyday. They come in two sizes,
We have three different trash cans in our Parisian buildings. 
One with a white top and a hole for glass (see picture) ... yes, the French drink wine which comes in glass bottles, plus yogurts, petits pots, preserves, and more. They are collected twice weekly.Another trash can has a yellow top; this one is for boxes, cardboard, paper, newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles, small electric appliances, cans ... Collection is made twice a week as well.
The one with a green top is for the rest! These are collected everyday. They come in two sizes,
small and large, according to the size of the building and the size of the trash compartiment.
To respect our dreams, the 432 trucks in charge of trash collection circulate in the city only after 6 am and 60% of them use natural gas as fuel.
That's our daily contribution to recylcing at home, but there's more to it!
You see in the streets large container like the once in the picture, for glass as well. That is because a lot of very old buildings (like the one where I love) have no room for three trash cans and cannot comply with the town regulations. Therefore, we have a bag where we keep the bottles and glass jars, and when it is full, we go an to one of the many large containers to recycle glass.
Other way to recycle include:
> Many supermarkets have special containers for batteries, lamps, and Brita filters.
> Chemists must take medicine that has not been used.
> Optical shops accept old glasses that an organisations recylces and send to low income countries.
> Shops that sell appliances must accept the old washer or TV set when you buy a new one ...
To get rid of toxic chemicals (paint, acid, etc.) you can call a telephone number and set an appointment for them to come collect. This is a free service.
You can call a different number to dispose of furniture that you no longer need. If the furniture is in good condition, you can also choose to call an association that will redistribute to people with low income. Same for clothes.
The Paris city hall also encourages the inhabitants to take a recyclable bag when they do their shopping, to buy items with as little package as possible, to use "refills", to avoid using disposable wipes, to use batteries that can be recharged, and to drink tap water.
Click on the test on the right to know what your carbon print is! (test is in French)
Tout un programme!!
To respect our dreams, the 432 trucks in charge of trash collection circulate in the city only after 6 am and 60% of them use natural gas as fuel.
That's our daily contribution to recylcing at home, but there's more to it!
You see in the streets large container like the once in the picture, for glass as well. That is because a lot of very old buildings (like the one where I love) have no room for three trash cans and cannot comply with the town regulations. Therefore, we have a bag where we keep the bottles and glass jars, and when it is full, we go an to one of the many large containers to recycle glass.
Other way to recycle include:
> Many supermarkets have special containers for batteries, lamps, and Brita filters.
> Chemists must take medicine that has not been used.
> Optical shops accept old glasses that an organisations recylces and send to low income countries.
> Shops that sell appliances must accept the old washer or TV set when you buy a new one ...
To get rid of toxic chemicals (paint, acid, etc.) you can call a telephone number and set an appointment for them to come collect. This is a free service.
You can call a different number to dispose of furniture that you no longer need. If the furniture is in good condition, you can also choose to call an association that will redistribute to people with low income. Same for clothes.
The Paris city hall also encourages the inhabitants to take a recyclable bag when they do their shopping, to buy items with as little package as possible, to use "refills", to avoid using disposable wipes, to use batteries that can be recharged, and to drink tap water.
Click on the test on the right to know what your carbon print is! (test is in French)
Tout un programme!!
La Fête du Fromage - Tomme de Chèvre
Every so often I come across a cheese that I think I've already tasted, when actually it is a completely different cheese, from a completely different region, but with the same name. It can get confusing, I tell you! I've learned to keep a little notebook of the cheeses I've tasted, so I can keep from getting them mixed up.
Since I'm on a mission to taste every cheese produced in France, if there are two or even three that share a name yet come from different areas, then they must be different cheeses. It all goes back to that term terroir, which I believe applies to cheese as well as wine.
A tomme style goat cheese produced in the Alps or in the Pyrénées, like the Tomme de Chèvre I tasted three years ago, cannot be the same as a Tomme de Chèvre from the Corrèze, like this one.
The goats graze on different grasses and flowers, the climate is different, the water is different, thus each cheese will have unique characteristics.
This Tomme de Chèvre is one of those perfect, luscious cheeses that I could happily nibble on day after day.
It has a well balanced flavor that is rich, slightly sweet, grassy and nutty and a bit tangy. Its texture is silky smooth, creamy and very dense, and there is no evidence of goatiness, so no need to be wary if you're not a fan of goat cheese.
Chardonnay or a red such as Touraine would pair well with this chèvre.
Spicy Peanut Butter Roasted Chicken
Me. Honey, I picked up a chicken at the market today and was thinking of roasting it with some Indian spices. Does that sound OK?
Him. How about making a Peanut Butter Roast Chicken? You could pack some peanut butter and chiles under the skin and roast it that way.
Hmmm...
why not?
I love the flavor combination of chicken and peanut butter and often make an amazing, spicy chicken stew from Ghana called Nketia Fla. So a roasted chicken with peanut butter and spices sounded absolutely perfect!
I just had to come up with the right mixture to spread over the chicken. I fiddled around with a few ingredients and made a spicy paste that browned up nicely and kept the chicken moist and succulent.
a note: When I made this, I mixed up the peanut butter paste to taste, not with measuring spoons, so the measurements are approximate. Also, different brands of peanut butter have different textures.
Spicy Peanut Butter Roasted Chicken
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - or more if you like it hotter (you could also use chopped, fresh chili pepper)
3 green onions
1 whole (3-4 pound) chicken
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves garlic
a handful of cilantro
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Mix together the soy sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, cayenne pepper and one of the green onions, minced. Make sure the mixture is a sticky paste, add more peanut butter if necessary. The paste should be a nice balance of sweet, salty and spicy.
Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and spread half of the paste between the skin and the meat. Rub the rest of the paste all over the chicken.
Cut the remaining two green onions into 2 inch pieces, peel and chop the ginger and mince the garlic. Stuff these three ingredients with the cilantro into the chicken cavity.
Roast the chicken breast side down in a roasting pan for about 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and flip the chicken breast side up. Baste with any juices that have accumulated in the pan.
Roast for another 30-40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160-165 degrees and the juices runs clear. If they are tinged with red, roast for another 5 minutes and check again.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, tented with foil.
Carve and serve.
Him. How about making a Peanut Butter Roast Chicken? You could pack some peanut butter and chiles under the skin and roast it that way.
Hmmm...
why not?
I love the flavor combination of chicken and peanut butter and often make an amazing, spicy chicken stew from Ghana called Nketia Fla. So a roasted chicken with peanut butter and spices sounded absolutely perfect!
I just had to come up with the right mixture to spread over the chicken. I fiddled around with a few ingredients and made a spicy paste that browned up nicely and kept the chicken moist and succulent.
a note: When I made this, I mixed up the peanut butter paste to taste, not with measuring spoons, so the measurements are approximate. Also, different brands of peanut butter have different textures.
Spicy Peanut Butter Roasted Chicken
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - or more if you like it hotter (you could also use chopped, fresh chili pepper)
3 green onions
1 whole (3-4 pound) chicken
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves garlic
a handful of cilantro
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Mix together the soy sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, cayenne pepper and one of the green onions, minced. Make sure the mixture is a sticky paste, add more peanut butter if necessary. The paste should be a nice balance of sweet, salty and spicy.
Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and spread half of the paste between the skin and the meat. Rub the rest of the paste all over the chicken.
Cut the remaining two green onions into 2 inch pieces, peel and chop the ginger and mince the garlic. Stuff these three ingredients with the cilantro into the chicken cavity.
Roast the chicken breast side down in a roasting pan for about 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and flip the chicken breast side up. Baste with any juices that have accumulated in the pan.
Roast for another 30-40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160-165 degrees and the juices runs clear. If they are tinged with red, roast for another 5 minutes and check again.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, tented with foil.
Carve and serve.
Photo du Jour
Last week when I opened up the carton of eggs that I bought from the organic vendor at the market, this feather was curled around one of the eggs.
His eggs make the most perfect Mousse au Chocolat.
The yolks are a rich, golden yellow and the whites whip up to frothy and light as air.
This is the best recipe for Mousse au Chocolat that I've made in ages!
La Maison du Chocolat's Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse
1/4 cup heavy cream
7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (preferably Lindt Excellence 70% or Valhrona guanaja 70%) broken into pieces (see Note)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In the top of a double boiler set over, but not touching, boiling water, heat the cream just until warm, about 1 minute. Add the chocolate pieces, and stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the butter and stir to melt and combine. Remove from the heat. One by one, whisk in the egg yolks. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and set it aside to cool.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk. Whisk at low speed until the whites are frothy. Gradually increase the speed to high. Slowly add the sugar, cocoa, sea salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk at high speed until stiff but not dry.
- Stir one third of the egg white mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture, and whisk until the two are thoroughly blended. (This will lighten the batter and make it easier to fold in the remaining egg white mixture.) With a large spatula, gently fold in the remaining white mixture. Do this slowly and patiently. Do not overmix, but be sure that the mixture is well blended and that no streaks of white remain.
- Pour the mousse into a large glass bowl, eight individual ramekins, or eight pot de crème cups. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Serve within a few hours.
Laura's Cheese Knife giveaway & Honest Scrap Award!
Today, November 11, is a public holiday in France. We commemorate the end of World War I. The armistice was signed in 1918 by the Allies and Germany. It is said that it was signed at 5 am in a railroad car parked in a French forest near the front lines.
This year, Chancellor Angela Merkel will come to Paris to attend a ceremony at the Arc du Triomphe, where the unknown soldier tomb is.
This year, Chancellor Angela Merkel will come to Paris to attend a ceremony at the Arc du Triomphe, where the unknown soldier tomb is.
Get ready for 10 truths
and participate in my November giveaway !!
and participate in my November giveaway !!
Fellow blogger Di loves gardening, among other things, and her blog is devoted mainly to gardens and photos and developments of her life. She has awarded me the Honest Scrap award!
- Rules of this award:
> Post 10 truths about oneself: done!
> Pass the award to 10 others (with their links): done!
> Include the link of the person who honored you with the award : done!
My Ten (Random) Truths !
1. I do not know how to dance and I am ashamed of it.
2. I hate going to the dentist and when I am sitting on the dentist chair I also hate the dentist!
3. When I say my height, I always add one centimeter!
4. I've never read Proust's "A la recherche du temps perdu" and pretend I know all about Proust's "madeleines".
5. I once served "fondants au chocolat" (chocolate cake) from a pastry shop and pretended I had baked them!
6. Doctor said I have to lose 8 lb - but I cannot get myself to work hard enough on this - and pretend everyday I am trying hard!
7. I never watch TV, I simply do not like it and do not enjoy it.
8. Inspired by Sonny who got the same award, I must say I am better at cooking than I am at baking.
9. I am petty busy during the week and sometimes I prepare two/three posts ahead of time (nos you know why sometimes I don't visit your blog)
10. I love blogging!
These ten fellow bloggers will have to tell us their ten truths too!
Allow me to introduce to you ten super blogs for you to visit:
1. Alice from Canberra, Australia, and her blog A Growing Delight
2. Dhanggit, from Aix-en-Provence, France, Dhanggit's Kitchen a blog where East and West collide.
3. Denise Clarke and her amazing Adventures of food and wine pairing
4. Pink Nest does not tell much about her in her blog, but it is delicious! Try Pinknest
5. Mardi? Is that her name? Her blog is about eat, live, travel, and write
6. RoyalTLady from Malaysia, who shares with us family tales, nice shots, delicious recipes, and more
7. Lindsey enjoys cooking and sharing what she has learned with my friends & family, and you are a friend so go and visit Tiny Skillet
8. If you believe that a home is more than a house, stop by Melissa's Sunbonnet Cottage
9. Betsy C. who has relocated from the US to Aveyron, France, and shares with her readers passions, great shots, feelings, and more, so visit La France Profonde for a ride into deep France and Frenchiness.
10. Jamie, a lovely blog of a mother' cooking abilities as they are trsnamitted to her children in Mom's cooking club
Congratulations to all!
And now...
Write a comment about this post and you may get this French cheese-knife! I bought it for you at La Vaissellerie, in Paris.
A name will be drawn on Friday November 13 at Noon Paris time among the fellow bloggers who will have left a comment here ! The French say that Friday 13 is an "unlucky" day, the lucky winner will prove them wrong.
Paris to Cuba
A few weeks ago I got an email with a simple request; would I be willing to review a new CD?
Hmm...sounded interesting.
I kept reading.
"Blending hints of Pink Martini and Buena Vista Social Club, the percussion section laps as a wave on an empty beach. It is easy for the listener to get lost in the guitar solos, mysterious accordion and nostalgic, sweeping strings. This is not your typical jazz or world record."
They had me at Pink Martini.
Then it got better.
"The album is the embodiment of summer; music that immediately calls to mind a sunset on the Seine.
Mario Grigorov, the project’s creator, found his inspiration for the record through the Parisian mood and architecture he admires so much during his time spent in Paris, as well as the traditional and classical French music he has always loved.
Nearly all tracks on the album are instrumental, with the exception of three songs that feature stunning vocals by Melissa Newman that are reminiscent of Madeleine Peyroux."
OK. Pink Martini, Buena Vista Social Club and Madeleine Peyroux? I could hardly contain my excitement! With that combination I knew I would be smitten.
Paris to Cuba, by Mario Grigorov, is deliciously smooth and sultry.
Sunset on the Seine? Most definitely. I also picture a laid back beach bar with the rhythm of the waves breaking in the background. Or sitting in a stylish, urban cocktail lounge with friends, toasting each other with caipirinhas or mojitos.
The majority of the songs are instrumental, with three of the ten tracks featuring the silky, soothing voice of Melissa Newman, described as "a cross between Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline".
Paris to Cuba is a brilliant, soulful collection of music. I love it. And I think you will too.
Hmm...sounded interesting.
I kept reading.
"Blending hints of Pink Martini and Buena Vista Social Club, the percussion section laps as a wave on an empty beach. It is easy for the listener to get lost in the guitar solos, mysterious accordion and nostalgic, sweeping strings. This is not your typical jazz or world record."
They had me at Pink Martini.
Then it got better.
"The album is the embodiment of summer; music that immediately calls to mind a sunset on the Seine.
Mario Grigorov, the project’s creator, found his inspiration for the record through the Parisian mood and architecture he admires so much during his time spent in Paris, as well as the traditional and classical French music he has always loved.
Nearly all tracks on the album are instrumental, with the exception of three songs that feature stunning vocals by Melissa Newman that are reminiscent of Madeleine Peyroux."
OK. Pink Martini, Buena Vista Social Club and Madeleine Peyroux? I could hardly contain my excitement! With that combination I knew I would be smitten.
Paris to Cuba, by Mario Grigorov, is deliciously smooth and sultry.
Sunset on the Seine? Most definitely. I also picture a laid back beach bar with the rhythm of the waves breaking in the background. Or sitting in a stylish, urban cocktail lounge with friends, toasting each other with caipirinhas or mojitos.
The majority of the songs are instrumental, with three of the ten tracks featuring the silky, soothing voice of Melissa Newman, described as "a cross between Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline".
Paris to Cuba is a brilliant, soulful collection of music. I love it. And I think you will too.
Season's Eatings
There is a woman in Texas who can read my mind.
When I decided to take part in Season's Eatings, a worldwide foodie gift exchange organized by Katie at Thyme for Cooking, I never dreamed that the gift I would receive would be a box of the very thing that I had been craving for weeks.
While thumbing through some old magazines sometime in early December I re-read the recipe for Lowcountry Breakfast Shrimp served with Creamy Grits in Gourmet magazine's Southern Cooking edition from January 2008. It got my mouth watering and took my frustration at being grits deprived to an all time high.
Grits in the south of France? Forget it.
Unless some amazing person almost halfway across the globe reads your mind.
Tanna, of My Kitchen in Half Cups, is that person.
Her much appreciated gift included not only a box of the coveted Grits, but other impossible-to-find-in-this-rural-corner-of-the-world ingredients: Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon, Ground Ancho Chile Pepper, Ground Red Chipotle and a spice mix for chicken and fish called Northwoods Seasoning that smells heavenly.
Definitely one of the best presents I received this year!
My Mexican spices are now sorted for another year and the cinnamon will keep us in cookies and Apple Crunch for months to come.
As soon as I get my hands on some decent shrimp I'm making that Breakfast Shrimp dish. Until then, Cheesy Grits will be on the menu sometime this week.
A huge thank you to Tanna for her generosity and to Katie for organizing a great event.
When I decided to take part in Season's Eatings, a worldwide foodie gift exchange organized by Katie at Thyme for Cooking, I never dreamed that the gift I would receive would be a box of the very thing that I had been craving for weeks.
While thumbing through some old magazines sometime in early December I re-read the recipe for Lowcountry Breakfast Shrimp served with Creamy Grits in Gourmet magazine's Southern Cooking edition from January 2008. It got my mouth watering and took my frustration at being grits deprived to an all time high.
Grits in the south of France? Forget it.
Unless some amazing person almost halfway across the globe reads your mind.
Tanna, of My Kitchen in Half Cups, is that person.
Her much appreciated gift included not only a box of the coveted Grits, but other impossible-to-find-in-this-rural-corner-of-the-world ingredients: Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon, Ground Ancho Chile Pepper, Ground Red Chipotle and a spice mix for chicken and fish called Northwoods Seasoning that smells heavenly.
Definitely one of the best presents I received this year!
My Mexican spices are now sorted for another year and the cinnamon will keep us in cookies and Apple Crunch for months to come.
As soon as I get my hands on some decent shrimp I'm making that Breakfast Shrimp dish. Until then, Cheesy Grits will be on the menu sometime this week.
A huge thank you to Tanna for her generosity and to Katie for organizing a great event.
La Fête du Fromage - Round Up # 2
The second Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event was another great success. Thanks to all of you who joined in my little world-wide cheese tasting party!
Judith from A Shortcut to Mushrooms went all out this month, tasting not just one, but two amazing looking, fruit infused cheeses, a White Stilton with Blueberries and a Wensleydale with Cranberries. She thought they were both lovely, but preferred the sweet, mild flavor and smooth texture of the Stilton over the sharper, crumblier Wensleydale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A recipe for Buttery Cheese Crackers made from Brânză de Burduf, a Romanian cheese that Lore at Culinarty describes as tangy, soft and slightly grainy, is her entry this month. Savory, buttery cheese crackers made from soft, salty cheese...sounds absolutely perfect!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danielle at Savor Culture offers us Charmoix, a raw cow's milk cheese produced at the Coopératif Fermière de Mean in Belgium. She describes it as a "quiet cheese, with a mild flavor that expresses lemon zest, salted butter, and chalky stone." Danielle recommends tasting the Charmoix with slices of ripe Bartlett pear and peasant bread, with a glass of lambic beer or sparkling wine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The King of Italian cheeses, Parmegiano Reggiano, is Nathalie of Spaced Out Ramblings' cheese selection this month. This cheese has many, many impostors, therefore she advises to look for the words Parmegiano Reggiano burned into its crust as the sign of authenticity. Natalie tasted chunks of Parmegiano with some pear and sprinkled with a few drops of aged Balsamic Vinegar. I'm swooning over the thought of this combination!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Camille at Croque-Camille cooks up a unique twist on the classic French dish, Tartiflette, with some Doré de l’Abbaye cheese, sautéed winter squash, bacon, leeks and little buckwheat pasta squares. The resulting dish looks amazing! I've invited myself to dinner the next time I'm in Paris.
Oh yeah...the cheese....she describes it as having a mild, stinky-cheese flavor and great for melting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The final cheese is a creamy, sexy Burrata, tasted by Lauren at I'll Eat You. This fresh Italian cheese is made when "fresh mozzarella is stretched over a mixture of mozzarella curd and cream, so that when it is cut open, a luxurious, creamy, oozy center is revealed." Lauren describes the flavor as fresh and clean. I'm anxious to try Burrata. It looks wonderful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My addition to the event is Brie de Melun which I tasted last August. This rich, strong, French cheese from northern France is absolutely fantastic! It has a gorgeous combination of flavors that include mushroom, hazelnuts, salty and fruity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thus wraps up October's Fête du Fromage.
I look forward to seeing what will be tasted in November!
The 15th of every month will be the official day for La Fête du Fromage. Please have your entries to me by the end of the 13th.
Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your chosen cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?
Judith from A Shortcut to Mushrooms went all out this month, tasting not just one, but two amazing looking, fruit infused cheeses, a White Stilton with Blueberries and a Wensleydale with Cranberries. She thought they were both lovely, but preferred the sweet, mild flavor and smooth texture of the Stilton over the sharper, crumblier Wensleydale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A recipe for Buttery Cheese Crackers made from Brânză de Burduf, a Romanian cheese that Lore at Culinarty describes as tangy, soft and slightly grainy, is her entry this month. Savory, buttery cheese crackers made from soft, salty cheese...sounds absolutely perfect!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danielle at Savor Culture offers us Charmoix, a raw cow's milk cheese produced at the Coopératif Fermière de Mean in Belgium. She describes it as a "quiet cheese, with a mild flavor that expresses lemon zest, salted butter, and chalky stone." Danielle recommends tasting the Charmoix with slices of ripe Bartlett pear and peasant bread, with a glass of lambic beer or sparkling wine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The King of Italian cheeses, Parmegiano Reggiano, is Nathalie of Spaced Out Ramblings' cheese selection this month. This cheese has many, many impostors, therefore she advises to look for the words Parmegiano Reggiano burned into its crust as the sign of authenticity. Natalie tasted chunks of Parmegiano with some pear and sprinkled with a few drops of aged Balsamic Vinegar. I'm swooning over the thought of this combination!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Camille at Croque-Camille cooks up a unique twist on the classic French dish, Tartiflette, with some Doré de l’Abbaye cheese, sautéed winter squash, bacon, leeks and little buckwheat pasta squares. The resulting dish looks amazing! I've invited myself to dinner the next time I'm in Paris.
Oh yeah...the cheese....she describes it as having a mild, stinky-cheese flavor and great for melting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The final cheese is a creamy, sexy Burrata, tasted by Lauren at I'll Eat You. This fresh Italian cheese is made when "fresh mozzarella is stretched over a mixture of mozzarella curd and cream, so that when it is cut open, a luxurious, creamy, oozy center is revealed." Lauren describes the flavor as fresh and clean. I'm anxious to try Burrata. It looks wonderful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My addition to the event is Brie de Melun which I tasted last August. This rich, strong, French cheese from northern France is absolutely fantastic! It has a gorgeous combination of flavors that include mushroom, hazelnuts, salty and fruity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thus wraps up October's Fête du Fromage.
I look forward to seeing what will be tasted in November!
The 15th of every month will be the official day for La Fête du Fromage. Please have your entries to me by the end of the 13th.
Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your chosen cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?
- Photos are wonderful, but not necessary
- Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
- Posts should be written specifically for La Fête du Fromage and not entered in any other food blog event
- Please send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com with the words Fête du Fromage in the subject line
La cathedral de Bayeux, Normandy (2)
More pictures taken with my Nokia cell phone ... I apologize for the quality!
While in Bayeux, we also visited the beautiful Norman-Romanesque Cathedral, seat of the Bishop of Bayeux. If you read my last post you'll be interested in knowing that this was the original home of the Tapestry, it was displayed in this Cathedral once a year for all to see - and understand the recent events. 
We paid Euros 66,45 for a very good dinner for two, including a bottle of Julienas AOC wine.
Bookings 02 31 21 52 10.
While in Bayeux, we also visited the beautiful Norman-Romanesque Cathedral, seat of the Bishop of Bayeux. If you read my last post you'll be interested in knowing that this was the original home of the Tapestry, it was displayed in this Cathedral once a year for all to see - and understand the recent events. The site of the Cathedral is very ancient, it was once occupied by Roman sanctuaries. The present cathedral was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England. It was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take the oath, the breaking of which lead to the Norman conquest of England. (Wikipedia).
In the evening, after having nourished our spirit, we had dinner at Restaurant Le Pommier at 38-40 rue des cuisiniers, a restuarant serving a modern interpretation of Normandy dishes. The owners use local produce and everything is fresh and delicious; the restaurant decoration very plesant indeed.
We opted for the "Discovery Menu", and had a
fish terrine with seaweed cream,
marinated chicken kebabs with a red bell pepper coulis, and the
Trilogy of Creme brulee !
Miam!
The lovely backyard was empty because it was pretty cool that evening in July, but one can imagine how delightful it must be when it is warmer - if ever!
The lovely backyard was empty because it was pretty cool that evening in July, but one can imagine how delightful it must be when it is warmer - if ever!Bookings 02 31 21 52 10.
Charentais melon jam, a must while they are in season!
Las summer I made a lot of different jams. They are stored on top of one of my kitchen cabinets: apricot, charente melon, raspberry, blueberry, plum, strawberry ...
Buy 4 medium Charente melons, ripe and sweet (they have to be heavy). Cut them in two, remove the seeds, and peel them.
Cut them in pieces, not too small, weigh them, and put them in a large salad bowl, or a pan.
Add 60% of the melon weight in sugar. Chose if you want to enhance teh flavor with lemon rind or ginger ... or your own idea! 
Cut thin slices of lemon rind. Be careful with the fertilizers, your lemon needs to be organic! About 3 or 4 Tbsp.
If you use candied ginger, cut it also in thin slices. I have done both and love them! 
Add your ingredient to the melon and sugar. Stir well. Let them macerate a few hours.
When ready, drain the pulp and put it in a smaller bowl. Put the juice and sugar (by now they are well mixed) in a large pan (cast iron, heavy stainless steel, or copper), and bring slowly to a boil. Let reduce 30 nminutes.
Buy 4 medium Charente melons, ripe and sweet (they have to be heavy). Cut them in two, remove the seeds, and peel them.Cut them in pieces, not too small, weigh them, and put them in a large salad bowl, or a pan.Add 60% of the melon weight in sugar. Chose if you want to enhance teh flavor with lemon rind or ginger ... or your own idea! Cut thin slices of lemon rind. Be careful with the fertilizers, your lemon needs to be organic! About 3 or 4 Tbsp. If you use candied ginger, cut it also in thin slices. I have done both and love them! Add your ingredient to the melon and sugar. Stir well. Let them macerate a few hours.When ready, drain the pulp and put it in a smaller bowl. Put the juice and sugar (by now they are well mixed) in a large pan (cast iron, heavy stainless steel, or copper), and bring slowly to a boil. Let reduce 30 nminutes.
Then add the pulp and cook 15 more minutes. Put in flasks as I indicated for the blueberry jam in a previous post.
If you like your jam thick to use it as a spread on a toasted baguette, you can add pectin at this point. Melon has no pectin (pectin is in the seeds, and fruit have more or less pectin, fruit like quince and apples have lots of pectin), your jam will be pretty liquid. But it will be perfect to mix with yogurt, to serve on top of a cottage cheese as an easy dessert, to eat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you like your jam thick to use it as a spread on a toasted baguette, you can add pectin at this point. Melon has no pectin (pectin is in the seeds, and fruit have more or less pectin, fruit like quince and apples have lots of pectin), your jam will be pretty liquid. But it will be perfect to mix with yogurt, to serve on top of a cottage cheese as an easy dessert, to eat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.Bon appetit!
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