La Fête du Fromage - A Filetta

All of the Corsican cheeses I've tasted have been real characters. 
Brocciu was soft and seductive, smelly U Bel Fiuritu almost ran us out of the kitchen and I fell head over heels for herby, prickly Brin d'Amour.
 
A Filetta is another Corsican cheese with personality to spare.

I love the way its edible, slightly crunchy, salty rind embraces a soft and supple pâte that tastes of earth, mushrooms and herbs.  Though decorated with a fern leaf (a Filetta means "the fern" in the Corsican language), I didn't detect any fern or leaf-like flavor.  It is a dense, meaty, substantial cheese, but the flavor isn't as strong as I thought it would be.  This was a young cheese so the flavor was very mild.
I've heard of much older, much stronger versions!

A Filetta is an artisanal, unpasteurized fromage de brebis produced in the town of Isolaccio in northern Corsica.  Affinage takes 4-6 weeks and there is also a goat's milk version produced from January until late July. 

A glass of Minervois red paired nicely with the earthy quality of this cheese.  A glass of Muscat sec would also be good.

Sunday Links

Haven't posted any Sunday Links for a while...here are a few that have piqued my interest in the past few weeks.


Just heard this song. It is officially The Season.
And this version of an old favorite brought a huge smile to my face this week.

If I make a batch of this today it will just be ready in time for Christmas.

Simply lovely.

Soothing shades of gray. And brilliant shades of orange.

The recipe states that it makes a great side dish. I beg to differ! Add a green salad and a glass of white wine, and this makes a delicious meal.


If you have a favorite new recipe, website, blog - please share it with me.
Bon dimanche!

Gratin Dauphinois

What: Gratin Dauphinois. A layered potato and cheese gratin, infused with a little bit of garlic and nutmeg and baked until golden and bubbly. A classic French dish.

Why: Exquisite flavor and rich, creamy texture. Simple and honest. Requires only a few ingredients. Because everyone needs to indulge in comfort food like this once and a while.

Equipment: A sharp knife or mandoline*. A ceramic gratin dish. An oven.

How: Gather your ingredients. You may have them in your kitchen already.

• 1 garlic clove
• 2 pounds starchy potatoes
  
• 1 cup grated Swiss Gruyère (or Emmental if you must - but Gruyère is richer)
• ½ cup heavy cream (or 1 cup of heavy cream if you don't have crème fraîche)
• ½ cup crème fraîche (or 1 cup crème fraîche if you don't have heavy cream)
• pinch of nutmeg
  
• fine sea salt
  

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rub the bottom of the gratin dish with the garlic clove, then thinly slice it.
Peel the potatoes and thinly slice them with either a knife or a mandoline.
Layer half the potato slices on the bottom of the gratin dish. Scatter the sliced garlic over the potatoes then sprinkle on half the cheese, the crème fraîche (or ½ cup of heavy cream) and some salt.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients and top with a tiny grating of nutmeg.
Bake for an hour. The gratin will be crisp and golden on top, soft and creamy in the middle.


* My inexpensive, plastic mandoline is about 12 years old and still going strong.

Heirloom tomatoes in a tart (3)

What's today's special? Since there were plenty of ripe red tomatoes in my basket, I cooked the red mullet in a tomato robe, and also made some tomato sauce that I stored in the fridge for later use (can also be frozen). Later in the week I prepared a Heirloom Tomato Tart with a garden salad.
You need:
2 cups of home made tomato sauce (see recipe below)
2 shallots
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used 50% French Emmental and 50% Comte cheese)

10 slices of Canadian Bacon

Tarte dough (see recipe below)
Line your pie pan with (preferably) home made tart dough (see recipe below)

Home Made Dough:

2 cups flour, add 1 tsp of sea salt and mix well
1 stick of butter

You can use a blender or mix the softened butter with the flour until you can make a ball. Let rest at least one hour, roll down with a pastry roll, line the pie, make a few holes using a fork here and there.
If you're in a hurry, you can use ready made dough - though it will be done with shortening and not with butter plus other "stuff".

Tomato Sauce:

3 lb ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 bouquet garni (a bay leave, a branch of thyme, a branch of parsley)

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil a few seconds each tomato, rinse them through cold water, peel them. Then dice them.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the chopped onion. Let cook until translucid but not brown. Add the diced tomatoes. Season to taste. Add the bouquet garni. Let cook over medium to low heat over 20 minutes. You will have a more than delicious tomato sauce that you can use to make this tart, or with fresh pasta, rice, etc.

Steps to make the tart:

Heat the oven at 375 F. Heat the oil in a small pan, add the slices shallots and let cook until golden brown. Place the cooked shallots on the pie shell. Add the tomato sauce. Cover with the 10 thin slices of Canadian bacon. Topple with grated cheese. Bake in the oven 20 minutes or until the crust is cooked; serve with a salad.
This tomato tart is also a tasty appetizer which can be served in individual ramekins.

Photo du Jour

A cascade of wisteria. That icy-blue color is amazing!

La Fête du Fromage - Round Up

A giant thank you to everyone who participated in the first ever La Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event!
The number of submissions was a pleasant surprise and I'm thrilled to learn that there are so many of you out there who enjoy cheese as much as I do.

Merci beaucoup!


First we have a lovely looking piece of unpasteurized cow's milk, artisan cheese called Bourrée, tasted by Danielle at Savor Culture. Danielle sent me an email last summer suggesting a Fête du Fromage blogging event, an idea I had been mulling over for about a year, so I have her to thank for giving me that final push to organize the event. Thank you again Danielle!

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A gooey, oozing, gorgeous looking grilled cheese sandwich was made by Judith at Shortcut to Mushrooms. As a student on a budget (something I can definitely relate to) she opted to taste some Sargento Sharp Cheddar that was kinder to her wallet than imported cheese. That sandwich looks amazing!
Judith's entry was accidentally left out of the original round-up...my most sincere apologies Judith!

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Tracy at TracyFood, tasted an old favorite of mine; Myzithra. A generous grating of this crumbly, salty Greek cheese was stirred in with her recipe for Pasta With Browned Butter and Sage, creating a spectacular looking meal.

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Another Greek cheese, Anthotyro, comes to La Fête from Ivy at Kopiaste in Athens. The meaning of Anthotyro in Greek is “blossom cheese,” named for the way the curds blossom. It is often compared to ricotta, thus it was a perfect addition to her recipe for Lasagna With Ground Turkey, Vegetables and Anthotyro.

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Pumpkin from From My Swiss Window writes about one of Switzerland's great cheeses, Appenzeller. She has grown to love this cheese since moving to Switzerland, especially the aged variety, which she describes as strong smelling and full of character. This looks irresistible!

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Lore from Culinarty made a beautiful, crunchy Kohlrabi and Celery Salad with Brie. The contrast of the crisp, earthy vegetables and the soft, creamy Brie looks amazing! I love the unique combination of flavors and textures.

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Luscious, white clouds of Burrata were tasted by Natalie from Spaced Out Ramblings. Burrata is a light, creamy cheese from Puglia, in southern Italy. Natalie likes to spread it on toasted bread or mix it with warm, cooked potatoes or prosciutto. I might have to take a special trip to Italy just to try this lovely looking cheese.

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Shaula and Neil from Milometer tasted Vermont Cheddar on their way through Vermont in a Vermont Cheddar Ale Soup. These two have left their home and are working and writing from the road in their Mini Cooper. Looks like they're having a delicious adventure!

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Brunost, also called Gjetost, is a Norwegian brown cheese made from the whey of cow and goat's milk. Jude at Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté tasted a block of this unique caramel-tasting, concentrated cheese that I have to admit, looks like anything but cheese!

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Finally, Camille in Paris, of Croque Camille, tasted a tempting piece of Fourme D'Ambert with some hearty looking bread and wine from Fitou. Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses and Camille describes its flavor as mild, creamy and earthy.

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Oh, wait, I guess I should add to the Fête!

One of the most bewitching cheeses I tasted during my year and a half of tasting French cheese was Gaperon. This creamy, buttery cheese is spiked with cracked peppercorns and local, pink garlic, creating a complex and unique flavor.

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I would like to make La Fête du Fromage a monthly event to encourage as much cheese tasting as possible. There is such a huge world of cheese out there to discover and there are many, many small farmers and artisan cheesemakers who produce amazing cheese and could use our support.

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

Let's make October's Fête a great event!

La Fête du Fromage - Le Petit Fiancé des Pyrénées

Voilà Le Petit Fiancé des Pyrénées. Another fabulous, yet very different, fromage de chèvre.


This pressed, natural rind, unpasteurized fermier goat's cheese is nothing like a fresh, crumbly-centered Loire Valley chèvre. Instead, le Petit Fiancé des Pyrénées reminds me of a young Reblochon, somewhat like le Chevrotin des Aravis, only softer and more delicate.

It is produced in the Ariège department in the Pyrénées (as you probably already guessed). It is rich with yeast, nuts and salty flavors. The pâte gently oozes when you cut into it, promising a wonderful cheese. It did not disappoint!

"Enjoy it now," the Fromager said. "Do not refrigerate it and do not let it mature, it is ready to eat this week."

Let it mature???
As I gently placed it into my bag, noting its dense, supple texture through the wax paper, I couldn't wait to get home, tear off a hunk of baguette and slice off a wedge. Not a chance that I was letting this one sit around any longer than necessary.

Le Petit Fiancé des Pyrénées' hefty price tag was worth every luscious mouthful. It didn't take us long to polish it off and how I wish I had bought two instead of just one so we could have savored it all week.
I didn't, and in only two days it was gone.

I need to get some more. Soon.


Light red wines, such as a Mâcon from Burgundy, will compliment this cheese perfectly.