Photo du Jour

Waiting for the fish to bite on the Canal du Midi. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Le Saint-Christophe

Heavily perfumed with the scent of woody herbs and goat-filled barnyards, Le Saint-Christophe is not for the faint of heart!

This is a bold cheese.

It looks innocent enough - a nice, soft white rind wrapped around a creamy, melting interior - mais attention, looks can be deceiving! One taste and your senses are hit with a blast of tantalizing, spicy and seductive flavors.
I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.

If you love assertive, intensely flavored goat's cheese, this is one that you must try.


Le Saint-Christophe is an unpasteurized goat's milk cheese, produced and matured on a farm near the small town of St-Christophe Vallon, in the Aveyron.

A glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre would be a good match to this cheese's robust flavors.

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Photo du Jour - Green Almonds

Fuzzy, pale, fruity tasting green almonds make a brief appearance at the end of April. In just a few weeks their short season will be over. The outer shell will harden and the tender, ivory colored seed will wrinkle and mature. Pin It

Zucchini and Ham Risotto Gratin

The shiny, sunny days of spring have been quite the capricious flirt this year.

A day of sun here, four days of rain there. A half a day of sun here, two days of rain there. With the exception of one little day, the last week has been downright dreary and I heard that it has been nicer in Copenhagen than in the south of France! To whom do I send my customer complaint card?

Ok, ok, enough moaning about the weather. On to the food!

These dark and drizzly days call for a bit of spring comfort food.
This risotto is topped with thick slices of golden, melted Brie that ooze down into the rice as they heat up, making a wonderfully rich and creamy dish. Just the thing to satisfy us as we huddle next to the heater and wait for some sun. We hope we won't be waiting for much longer.

photos of risotto never seem to do it justice


Zucchini, Ham and Brie Risotto Gratin
serves 4
Inspired by this recipe.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  
• 2-3 slices thick ham, chopped into small squares
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 3½ cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 6 ounces Brie*
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the zucchini and sautée for 10-12 minutes until it just starts to turn golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan, lower the heat and add the ham, onion and garlic.
4. Cook on low heat for about 6-8 minutes or until softened and lightly golden.
5. Add the rice and stir the grains for about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the wine and stir until it is absorbed into the rice, then pour in about one third of the hot stock and increase the heat to medium.
7. Cook, stirring frequently, until the stock is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, in two batches. This should take about 20 minutes, and the rice should be tender.
8. Preheat the broiler.
9. Remove the rice from the heat, gently fold in the zucchini and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Put the mixture into a big, earthenware gratin dish.
11. Slice the Brie and lay it on top of the rice.
12. Put the dish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until the Brie is golden and bubbling.
13. Serve at once.

*Don't go all out and spend a lot of money on unpasteurized Brie de Melun or Brie de Meaux for this dish. The cheese's flavor really mellows during cooking.


Another delicious springtime dish is this Baked Asparagus Risotto recipe that I perfected last year.

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Rainy Sunday Reading

I can finally put my old Rick Bayless cookbook to use.

Love this idea!

Started making my own yogurt two weeks ago. This article couldn't have been published at a better time.

Overflowing with creativity.

Simple and delicious party nibbles.

Haven't had cheese delivered right to my door yet. (other than when friends come for a visit and bring a basket full) Thinking seriously about trying them out.


Today's rainy view over the vineyards.

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Photo du Jour - La Glycine

Icy purple wisteria creeping up a stone house. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Pass the Butter and the Fleur de Sel

Crispy radishes served with sweet, creamy butter and crunchy fleur de sel.
A simple springtime pleasure in France. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Smiling

Spring green leaves and clear blue skies.
These brilliant colors are making me smile today. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Le Razégou

About an hour drive northeast of the Minervois, nestled in the spectacular, rugged Haut-Languedoc, is one of the most picturesque villages in the region. Roquebrun has been nicknamed le Petit Nice as it sits smack dab in the middle of a balmy micro climate where citrus trees, cacti and various types of succulents proliferate.


In the rugged Mediterranean scrub land surrounding Roquebrun is a small farm where Le Razégou, un petit fromage de chèvre, is produced.
The aroma left no doubt that this was a goat's cheese, and it was obvious that it was a very fresh goat's cheese. Look at how it was oozing when I unwrapped it.

Le Razégou's flavor is very gentle and even though the aroma is heady, the flavor definitely isn't overly "goaty." What struck me the most when I tasted it is how delicate a cheese this is, and how its supple texture literally melts in your mouth.
Delicious!


We tasted it with Confit de Figues aux Noix (Fig and Walnut Jam), a special jam that Betty brought us, which is made to enjoy with fromages de chèvre. It was perfect!

It also paired beautifully with the local red, which has hints of the same garrigue herbs and grasses that are grazed on by the goats in Roquebrun.

Local cheese and local wine. An impeccable match.

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Photo du Jour - French Door

The most amazing stone walkway in front of a beautiful, pale blue door. Pin It

Homemade Pizza Recipe

Pizza is an extremely popular meal in our house.
Mon mari was born and raised in New York City so he has a great love for pizza (and for Chinese food, but that's another story). No pizzeria within a 4000 mile radius of our village meets his high standards, thus I've taken it upon myself to become an expert pizza maker. And I have to admit, I love it!

Pizza is fun. It is versatile. And it allows for endless creativity.

What is your favorite combination of ingredients? Make some pizza dough and use your imagination. It is the perfect blank canvas.

Got a can of plum tomatoes and some leftover cheese? Throw it on.
Maybe you have a bit of pesto, half a container of crème fraîche, a zucchini and an onion...a great combination.
How about some fresh sausage, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes...those make delicious toppings too.

Yesterday I used up a link of smoked sausage, a yellow onion, a ball of fresh mozzarella and half a brick of feta cheese that I scattered over homemade pizza sauce. It was fabulous!


The Dough recipe that I use comes from the New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neill. It never fails to come out crispy and perfect.

Evelyne Slomon's Perfect Pizza Pie

• 1 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees) water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 3 to 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Pour the water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir gently with a fork until the yeast dissolves and the liquid turns a light beige in color.
2. Add 1 cup of the flour and the salt; mix well. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add a second cup of flour. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and begin to form a soft, sticky mass.
3. Sprinkle some of the remaining cup of flour over a work surface and your hands. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead in the additional flour a bit at a time, until the dough no longer feels sticky. Push the heel of your hand down into it and hold it there for 10 seconds. If your hand comes up clean, the dough is done; if it sticks, a bit more kneading is necessary.
4. Lightly oil a 2-quart bowl with vegetable oil. Roll the ball of dough around in the bowl to coat it with the oil. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place, preferably in a gas oven with a pilot light. For electric ovens, set the thermostat at 200 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn the oven off, and place the bowl inside. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough, remove it from the bowl, and knead for about 1 minute. Set aside to rise a second time until doubled in size, 1 hour.
6. After the second rising, the dough is ready to be shaped, topped, and baked. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
7. Roll into two 18-inch pies or into four 10-inch individual pies. Add the toppings of choice now. Bake on clay baking tiles for even baking if possible (if not, use a baking sheet) until the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes for a large pie, 15 to 20 minutes for small pies.

Serves 2 pizza fanatics or 4 polite people.


The Sauce is my own creation.
Sautée 2-3 whole, fat cloves of garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan until light brown.
Crush up a large can of Italian plum tomatoes and add to the browned garlic. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Smash the softened garlic cloves against the side of the pan and mix it into the sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

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Photo du Jour - Crenelation

The interesting, crenelated roof line of the Cathédrale Saint-Just in Narbonne. Pin It

A Cheese Odyssey

Two years ago I impulsively decided to take on the whopping task of tasting each and every cheese produced in France. Today, April 18, is the two year anniversary of la Fête du Fromage.
I think that calls for a celebration!

Each and every cheese...just how many is that exactly? Apparently there is no definitive answer. Some say as few as 350 and other sources cite as many as 1000. The most common answer is that there are around 400-500 French cheeses.

In the last two years I have tasted about 130 of the 350-1000. That means I've got another 3 to 10 years of delicious French cheese tasting to look forward to. Here's to that!

A few highlights from the last 2 years:

Tomette des Corbières,
Langres
Le Napoléon Commingeois
Tomme de Maquis
la Taupinière
Cabretou
La Courounne Lochoise
Gaperon

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Photo du Jour - Crowded

Tuesday was a crowded market day full of étrangères. A sign of what's to come - soon it will be buzzing with the lively summer crowds. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Colorful Canal

A tranquil scene in le Somail, along the Canal du Midi. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - April Round Up

Presenting April's La Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event. I am very pleased to see some new faces along with some old friends here this month.


Attack of the Killer Zucchini (don't you just love that name!) contributor Sarah tasted Picolo, a triple-cream cow's milk cheese from the Andante dairy. It looks wonderfully rich and creamy, and how can you go wrong with a triple-cream cheese?

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Danielle of Savor Culture took some time away from settling into her new home and playing with her darling new puppy to taste Gabriel, a cow and goat milk cheese produced on Bittersweet Plantation in Gonzales, Louisiana. Next time I'm in New Orleans I plan on giving this one a try!

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A batch of garlic-infused Fromage Fort was whipped up by Becke, the Columbus Foodie. This recipe is perfect for all those uneaten corners and bits of cheese sitting in your refrigerator. Just blitz them up in your food processor with some white wine, garlic, salt and pepper, and you've got yourself a delicious cheese spread that is perfect for eating with crackers or slathering on a baguette. Yum!

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My contribution to La Fête is something new; Tomme d'Estaing. This is another one of the Aveyron cheeses that Betty brought for me to try last weekend. It is a soft and buttery unpasteurized cow's milk cheese produced near the picturesque village of Estaing. The rich mushroom and nutty flavors paired perfectly with our local, Minervois red wine. If you ever find yourself in the Aveyron, this cheese is a real treat!

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Thanks for participating everyone! Hope to see you again next month for some more cheese tasting festivities.


If you would like to join in the 8th Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event in May, please have your entries to me by May 13. I'll post the round-up on May 15.

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 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

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Photo du Jour - les Artichauts

Locally grown, plump artichauts at the market yesterday. Steamed and dipped in melted butter...the flavor is rich and lush and spring! Pin It

Who Am I?

No, my name isn't really Loulou.

(obviously there are a few of you who already know this...)

When I started this blog I wanted to remain anonymous for several reasons, but as each year passes those reasons become less and less important. So I've decided to dispense with all of this cloak-and-dagger business.

But before I tell you, there are the questions: Why Loulou? Why Chez Loulou?
I get asked this a lot.
First, Loulou is a name that I've always loved. Growing up I liked my first name, but always wanted something more unique, something with more flair.
Then, when we moved to France, my husband and I decided to take "French" names/alter egos as a joke between us, and it just kind of grew from there.
I am Loulou and he is Bruno. (Not to worry though, we still use our real names in our day to day lives. I don't go around introducing myself as Loulou or anything. I'm not that weird.)
And when I decided to start a blog back in January of 2006, I chose the name Chez Loulou on a whim. Simple as that.


Oh yeah, my real name. Hi, I'm Jennifer Greco.
Nice to meet you. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Topiary

Topiary in the vast courtyard of the Abbaye de Fontfroide. Pin It

Sunday Reading

Never learned to appreciate Oreos, but these just might cure me of that.

You may have already read about the Deep Fried Poached Egg in Gourmet magazine. Since I am totally out of the loop living way out here in the country, you can imagine my delight when I read this.
Drool!

Beautiful. Inspirational. Enchanting.

I admit that I was kind of freaking out when it looked like the ganache wasn't going to set up. The cake needed to be decorated before we left for party and I only had an hour left.
Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. It set up just fine and this will now (and probably forever) be the only chocolate ganache frosting recipe I will ever use. It is perfection.

Love their beekeeping tales. Actually, I'm enjoying reading all about their adventures.

Wishing I was as talented as she is. Pin It

Photo du Jour - A Beautiful View

Colorful spring garden with a view over the vineyards and the Étang de Bages.

See the little café table? There were two chairs to sit and admire the view. What an idyllic place to relax with a glass of wine. Pin It

Reminder

The lost cheese notebook has been found!

Which reminds me, the monthly Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event is set for April 15. Only a few days left to get your cheeses tasted and your links sent to me for the round-up.

The 13th is the deadline for entries.

• 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.

Merci!


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Photo du Jour - Minerve

The variegated canyon walls surrounding the village of Minerve. Pin It

A Greek Feast in the South of France

After several months of holidays, milestone birthdays, travel, and life in general getting in the way, the World Food Group finally got together to cook another meal. This time we decided to explore the aromatic and feta-filled cuisine of Greece.

Recipe research began immediately, and what better website when looking for Greek recipes than Peter Minakis' Kalofagas. His mouthwatering photos and recipes make me want to hop on a plane to a tiny sun-drenched island dotted with quaint whitewashed houses with blue shutters faster than you can say Mamma Mia.*

Instead I enjoyed a fabulous Hellenic feast cooked with good friends in the south of France. I really can't complain!



My contribution was an oregano and cinnamon perfumed, Bechamel and tomato sauce laced, stuffed eggplant dish called Melitzanes Papoutsakia.

As Peter says, 'These stuffed eggplants are translated from Greek to mean “little shoes” as that’s what the finished product looks like. In Greek: μελιτζάνες παπουτσάκια (pronounced meh-leed-ZAH-nes pah-poot SAHK-yah)'
As the eight of us who ate the entire dish say, 'Absolutely delicious!'

Melitzanes Papoutsakia

6-8 small to medium eggplants, halved
1lb of extra lean ground beef
4 tbsp of olive oil
2 large onions, diced
3 bay leaves
6 cloves of minced garlic
1 can of plum tomatoes, pureed (or Pomodoro)
1/2 cup white wine
salt, pepper
1 tsp dried basil
3 tsp dried oregano
3 Tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 recipe for Bechamel Sauce
1 cup grated Kefalotiri cheese

1. Wash and dry the eggplants, trim off the stems and cut in half, lengthwise. With a small spoon, scoop out the meat without breaking the skins (start at the centre with the seeds and then work carefully around. Discard the seeds and reserve the pulp. Drizzle the eggplant halves with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Place in a preheated 400F oven(middle rack) for 30-40 minutes or until firm. Reserve.
2. Start making your filling. In a heavy sauce pan, saute your onions, garlic, bay leaves, some salt for about 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Now add your eggplant pulp and saute for another 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and and saute until browned. Add your wine, tomato sauce, oregano, parsley, dried basil and simmer until thick. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. In about 30-45 minutes you should have a thick sauce. Stir in your cinnamon and set aside.
3. Make your Bechamel Sauce and reserve .
4. You should have your eggplant halves in a roasting pan. Sprinkle some cheese on the bottoms, then spoon in the meat sauce into each cavity. Now spoon the bechamel sauce over the meat sauce and top with grated cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 375F oven for approx. 30 minutes. The tops should be a nice golden-brown.

*Exactly how did a song with an Italian name, written by a couple of Swedish guys, end up as a play set on a Greek island?


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Photo du Jour - la France

Potted red geraniums in a shuttered window - an ubiquitous image of France. And a charming one. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Le Petit Campredon

One of the perks of blogging is getting to know other bloggers.

Usually this is limited to contact via your respective blogs, but sometimes you're lucky enough to meet them in person. And, if you're even luckier, they come for a visit offering a generous gift basket full of wine, honey, jam and six different cheeses from their region of France.
Now, how did she know that this would be the perfect gift?

Le Petit Campredon is one of the six delicious cheeses that Betty brought down from the Aveyron for us to taste.


Produced in the village of Golinhac, Le Petit Campredon is an unpasteurized half goat's milk, half cow's milk fromage fermier.

This is a lovely little cheese that has a creamy texture with a chalky middle.
It is citrusy, delicate and mild tasting, yet gives off a heady barnyard aroma that doesn't do its soft, tangy flavor any favors. As I've already learned, never be dissuaded by a cheese's strong perfume. It is often concealing something delicious!

Enjoy with a glass of Coteaux du Languedoc.

Thanks again Betty! Pin It

Photo du Jour

Fishing boats on the Étang de Bages. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Fountain

A very stern faced fountain at the Abbaye de Fontfroide. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Bel Air

A classic American Chevrolet Bel Air. Not something you see very often in the south of France! Pin It

Photo du Jour - Old Gate

The entrance to an old wine domaine. Pin It

How I Got My 10 Year Carte de Résident

As fellow Americans who have been living in France for about as many years as I have, Walt, Ken, David and Sam were all very excited when I announced that I had received my 10 year Carte de Résident. Sure, they were happy for me, but they were more excited at the prospect of being able to apply for one themselves!

The big question: how in the heck did I get this coveted Carte?
Here's the story, in a nutshell.

1. 2002 - Decide to move to France
2. Spend 6 months gathering the appropriate paperwork and getting translations for the Long Stay Visa
3. 2003 - Arrive in France with said Visa in hand and apply for a Carte de Séjour within 8 days of landing. This will require a medical visit that is arranged for you by the powers that be, and all of the same documents as the Long Stay Visa, only this time they will need to be translated by an Official Translator at an astronomical price for each page
   
4. 2004 - Receive first Carte de Séjour
   
5. Spend endless hours of your life over the next five years gathering, photocopying, sorting, translating and begging for paperwork to reapply for each consecutive Carte de Séjour. The process gets more difficult and confusing every year
6. 2008 - Decide that the Carte de Séjour process just isn't torture enough and apply for French Citizenship
7. Receive a phone call from the newest fonctionnaire at the sous-préfecture in Béziers who tells you to come in for a meeting
   
8. Meet the woman who will prove to be your personal savior and best friend at the sous-préfecture. (if you don't have one of these, find one!) She will single-handedly get her co-workers asses into gear when dealing with your paperwork
   
9. Receive a document stating that you are to appear at the Bureau des Étrangers in Béziers. No idea why
10. Go to the Bureau des Étrangers at the break of dawn and find out after waiting in the December cold for a hour that you're being interviewed for your 10 Year Carte de Résident
11. Go home and drink a celebratory glass of Champagne
12. 2009- Receive your 10 Year Carte de Résident
    

So there you are.
It only took six years, seven if you count the Long Stay Visa process. The time seems to have passed by in a flash.
And it was definitely worth the wait!

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