La Fête du Fromage - Machecoulais

Machecoul, a small town in the watery, verdant Marais Poitevin region of the Loire-Atlantique, is home to the dairy farm of Pascal Beillevaire, Maître Fromager Affineur.

Machecoulais Cremeux is an original creation of Pascal Beillevaire's, named for his home town.

M. Beillevaire works with around 200 small farmers/producers who entrust the affinage of more than 400 varieties of young fermier cheeses in his three ripening caves; one for blue cheese in the Auvergne, one in the Savoie for mountain cheeses and one at his large dairy just a few kilometers from his family’s farm for the soft-ripened varieties.
The cheeses and other dairy products such as fresh milk, butter, cream, yogurt and crème fraîche are then sold at his chain of shops around France and at locations around Europe and in the U.S.


I purchased this little brick at one of his shops in Paris last week and we tasted it with some sweet muscat grapes from our village and rustic seed bread from la boulangerie Eric Kayser.

The unpasteurized cow's milk used to make Machecoulais is gently perfumed by the sweet grasses in the Loire. The floral, grassy flavor comes through along with earth and mushrooms. It was slightly sour and lactic, not too salty, and the texture was rich and creamy.
I thought it was absolutely perfect for smearing on a chunk of rustic bread.

Some white wine from the Loire, perhaps some Vouvray or Sancerre, would be a nice wine pairing with this cheese.


More articles about Pascal Beillevaire.
SF Gate
Formaggio Kitchen Pin It

Photo du Jour - A Lazy Afternoon

Our neighbor's dogs, perched on a wall, soaking up some sun. Pin It

Perfect Paris - Last Day

I woke up with a sinking feeling. My last day in Paris. How could the last three days have slipped by so quickly?
I had to leave in a mere 10 hours!

Glancing around the bed I realized that it was going to take some very creative packing to get all of the chocolate, bagels, cheese, shoes and clothing I had acquired in the last few days to fit into my bags. (The friends I was staying with are moving to Thailand in a month, so I was the beneficiary of a stack of slightly worn clothes and shoes that were looking for a new home.)

le petit, looking very fashionable for his day out

My friends are Asian food connoisseurs and know some great little places to eat and shop. The plan for the day was to head to the 19th where we would have giant bowls of Pho for lunch, then do some Asian food shopping at Paris Store, followed by a stroll down the Canal St. Martin.

The Pho was such a treat! I love this Vietnamese noodle and beef soup, spiced up with Sriracha sauce and plenty of basil and bean sprouts, and was happily slurping away until a feathery chunk of tripe floated to the top. Berk!
Tripe is not my favorite thing. Its texture totally turns my stomach. My roommate in college would torture me by eating giant bowls of menudo in front of me. *shudder*
But I digress....

Luckily there wasn't much Pho left in my bowl when the tripe rose up from the murky depths, so I was done eating anyway.
Really.
I was.

Paris Store is an Asian supermarché that is similar to Tang Frères, only the prices are much better. (So I'm told) The fresh egg noodles and Asian sauces were incredibly affordable and when I saw big bunches of cilantro for 26 centimes, I wanted to move into the neighborhood. We pay between 4 to 10 times that for cilantro!


A highly recommended activity on a sunny day in Paris: a leisurely stroll along the Canal St. Martin.

This was my first time in this part of Paris and I am smitten. It is so scenic and serene, with romantic, iron footbridges, little parks along the banks and perfect spots for a picnic.
I'm coming back here next time.


After a long Metro ride back to the apartment I schlepped back to the Gare de Lyon with my overstuffed bags and said au revoir to Paris.

Au Revoir. Literal translation - until the next time we see one other

Paris, you will see me again soon.

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Photo du Jour - Reflections

Reflected in the Canal St. Martin in Paris. Pin It

Photo du Jour

A quiet place. Pin It

Perfect Paris - Day 3

A good night's sleep helped to revive my aching feet.
Surprisingly only one blister had appeared on my left heel, and this was the first trip I've taken in ages when my lower back wasn't in agony from miles of walking.

Besides, little aches and pains weren't going to stop me from enjoying another gorgeous day.

After a quiet morning of coffee, pain au noix and checking email, I bandaged up my feet, put on my most comfortable shoes and we finally left the apartment.
We agreed that a picnic in the Square des Batignolles with Döner kebabs from my friend's favorite place in the quirky, vibrant Batignolles neighborhood would be an excellent way to kick off the afternoon.

We soaked up some sun in the park and hopped on a bus for a leisurely trip across town to check out the cheese shops on the rue Mouffetard, then on to the Butte aux Cailles neighborhood in the 13th to see Aimée's little jewel of a tea house, l'Oisive Thé, and to meet another blogger, Samantha, for tea.
It was great to connect with these two women and hear about their lives in Paris. (Aimée's delicious, moist, chocolaty, chocolate chips cookies were another reason to stay and hang out)


I spent the late afternoon on my own, window shopping in the Marais, passing some time in a café watching the world go by, and walking past Notre Dame with its dazzling new facade on the Île de la Cité to my destination; a tiny bookshop on a tiny street in the 5th to attend Heather Stimmler-Hall's launch party for her new book, Naughty Paris, a book that every woman living in Paris should own.
There was one familiar face in the crowd, who were all happily drinking wine and enjoying some nibbles outside on the cobblestone street, and a couple of familiar voices; Katia and Kyliemac!

By the time I left the party, I was absolutely exhausted.
My trip home on the very, very busy Metro took two changes and almost an hour of being packed in like a sardine. Not used to this crowded city life, I tell you!

Finally crashing on the couch and taking off my shoes was pure heaven.

Saint Séverin church Pin It

Photo du Jour - Autumn Leaves

The leaves are beginning to turn. I absolutely love this time of year. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Vélib

Vélib is a fabulous idea. It cuts down on traffic, the bikes are easily accessible and people were using them everywhere I looked.

I wanted to pay my €1 and hop on one and feel the wind on my face while I pedaled around Paris...but I just couldn't imagine riding a bicycle safely alongside the, how shall I put this...
rather erratic Parisian drivers.

Maybe next time.
Or maybe I'll just stick to walking. Pin It

Perfect Paris - Day 2

Day two dawned sunny and cold. Luckily I had packed a couple of sweaters and scarves.

We set out about 10:30 in search of another cheese shop that had been recommended by our friends at dinner the previous evening. It was another straw-filled, stinky little gem in the 17th arrondissement.
Pascal Beillevaire is a fromager/affineur based in the Loire with a chain of cheese shops around France. This branch is a welcoming little shop run by a black beret-wearing young man who is passionate about his cheeses. We sat and listened as he helped a woman create an extensive, sublime sounding cheese platter for her dinner party that evening (in what I can only imagine by how smartly she was dressed and accessorized, was a huge apartment in the "right" neighborhood).
He was patient with my questions and helped me choose two cheeses to taste; a goat's cheese from Brittany and one of their specialties, Machecoulais, an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese. (look for it next week at La Fête du Fromage)


Toward lunchtime my friend and I parted ways and I headed down to the 15th to meet David L. for lunch at a Korean resto. We hadn't seen each other since last autumn at Camp Cassoulet and I was curious to see if he'd survived the massive tide of Parisians returning from their holidays for la rentrée unscathed.
The task of ordering lunch was left up to David, as I'm a Korean food newbie. Lunch was great. Catching up was even better. And having a friend in Paris who will lead you around and introduce you some of his favorite Boulangeries, Fromageries and Chocolateries was priceless.

Seeded, rustic bread from Eric Kayser, gorgeously creamy, mini chocolate pavés from Michel Chaudun and la Taupinière cheese from Fromagerie Cler. Sheer heaven!



We said goodbye and I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering aimlessly. And wearing out my already too tired shoes.


I stopped into an enormous Zara and and even bigger H&M and found a treasure trove of a paper store on a little street where I struggled not to buy yet another beautiful blank book. I did, however, buy a new coat. A brightly colored, cold-winter-weather-defying pink one. My neighbors are going to think I'm mad!

We spent the evening in, eating cheese, ham, paté, three different varieties of bread and drinking wine. At 11:30 I tucked myself into bed and fell asleep to the sounds of Parisian traffic swirling in the streets outside.

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Photo du Jour - Fading Away

L'Abeille Audoise

Old, fading storefront in Lézignan-Corbières. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - La Taupinière

Natural, blue-grey mold encases this ash covered, unpasteurized, award winning goat's cheese.
La Taupinière was invented by goat farmer Gilles Jousseaume in 1973 on his farm near Angoulême in the Poitou-Charentes region of western France.  All of the grain, which supplements the goat's diet of fresh grass, is grown on this small, family owned farm, resulting in a cheese that has a consistent quality and intense, rich flavor.
Cutting through the rustic looking, moldy exterior reveals a beautiful, winter-white interior that comes from highly concentrated milk. The texture of the cheese is super smooth, creamy and melts on your tongue. The flavor is deliciously hazelnutty, surprisingly mild, lactic and tangy.
La Taupinière is highly fragrant, to put it mildly. I had to triple wrap it for my train ride home from Paris so as not to commit an olfactory offense.
I couldn't recommend this cheese more. If I had some sort of cheese rating, on a scale of 1 to 10, it would have to be a 10!
Enjoy with a glass of Haut-Poitou.


La Taupinière is French for molehill. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Keeping Clean in Paris

Such gorgeous Art Nouveau doors!

Not sure if this bath house is still open or if the Bains-Douches sign is a remnant of the building's former life. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage

Look for my weekly cheese tasting tomorrow.

Here's a glimpse....

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Perfect Paris - Day 1

There wasn't a single arrondissement I didn't eat in, wander through, sip a coffee in or shop in.

The fact that I had four beautiful, sunny, warm days in Paris, just at the cusp of the autumn equinox, well...I consider that pretty near perfect.


The train pulled into the Gare de Lyon at 9:45 AM and I was full of energy and ready to go after a 1½ hour nap on the train from Béziers. Several minutes on Metro line 14 brought me to the Gare St. Lazare where I transferred to line 13 and another few stops brought me to my friend's apartment where a cup of hot, greatly appreciated coffee was waiting for me.
After dumping my bags, catching up and a quick lunch of homemade Thai curry, we secured her 6 month old son, le petit, in his backpack and took off to enjoy the weather and to find the first of many, many cheese shops on my list.

Heading across into the 18th, we found the fromagerie Chez Virginie easily, only to find it closed until 4 PM.
As we were just on the edge of the winding, charming streets of Montmartre with its memorable church of Sacré-Coeur, perched on the top of the hill like a snowy white wedding cake topper, so we dove straight in to explore.

We found the tiny, peaceful cemetery of Saint Vincent down a little lane. It's full of intriguing looking tombs and beautiful flowers and trees everywhere. Several people were sitting on benches, picnicking and soaking up the sun.


We didn't climb up the famous rue des Abbesses and rue Lepic (we explored them on my last trip to Paris), rather skirted around the bottom of the hill, window shopped and enjoyed some time in a café until Chez Virginie reopened.
It was a cheese lover's paradise. Honestly.
(But then again, Paris in general is a cheese lover's paradise!)


Fromagerie Chez Virginie
54 rue Damrémont
75018 Paris

Dinner at a friend's was planned for the evening and our feet were screaming at us by now, so I finished up my oohing and aahing over the marvelous array of cheeses, made my purchases and we went home to rest.

The dinner invitation came over the summer from our French neighbors, one of which is from the village, who have renovated an old winemakers barn into their holiday home. When they found out I was going to Paris I was kindly invited to join them for dinner. The evening was a great mix of 3 Americans and 5 French, delicious food, cheese and wine and of course, discussions about American politics.
Our French friend told me he has been donating money to Obama's campaign. Bravo!


A quick cab ride at midnight and we were home. I needed sleep to prepare for another day. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Strolling along the Canal St. Martin in Paris. Pin It

Photo du Jour - So Cheesy!

Some clever cheese maker has started producing goat's cheese in the shape of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Who said that the French weren't entrepreneurial?


Taken at:
Fromagerie Cler
31 rue Cler
75007 Paris Pin It

Photo du Jour - Sparkling Clean

Notre Dame de Paris, all cleaned up and dazzling against a perfect blue sky. Pin It

Photo du Jour - The Seine

Paris

The train pulls out of the station in Béziers at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

Have made lunch dates, tea dates and dinner dates with friends. Have directions to all of the restaurants, tea salons and apartments I'm going to. Got my list of cheese shops to visit. Know where all the H&M and Zara stores are. Have packed an extra bag to bring back Asian food from Tang Frères and bagels for husband. Camera batteries are charged.
I think I'm ready.


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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!

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Photo du Jour

Parked for lunch.

If we have to be anywhere "on time" (a relative term in the south of France) during the vendange, we must leave the house about 10 minutes early because there is the inevitability of getting stuck behind a trailer like this one or a harvester like this. Pin It

Photo du Jour - French Pastry

Une tresse aux pépites de chocolat.

Rich, flaky, buttery, chocolaty and utterly delicious! Pin It

Photo du Jour - September in the Vineyards

These should be picked in a week or two.
I've heard that the grapes haven't had a chance to plump up very much this year due to lack of rain. Pin It

Life as a Stranger

We need to move.

We love this village and we couldn't be happier with our sweet neighbors, the friendly owner of the épicerie, the great young guy who owns the bar, the patient and kind secretary at the Mairie and the helpful, supportive Mayor. But we need to get out of here!
More specifically we need to get the hell out of this corner of the Hérault département that is tied to Béziers and their hideously xenophobic Bureau des Étrangers.

Whenever I write about my difficulties with the folks at the Béziers sous-préfecture, afterward I'm sent notes of encouragement from other foreigners living in France. They too run into problems and have moments of frustration, and I find it encouraging to hear that others do finally manage to prevail.
Their experiences vary from préfecture to préfecture, but what is glaringly obvious is that Béziers in undoubtedly the absolute worst, most difficult, most evil of them all.

After my entire French Citizenship dossier was unceremoniously sent back to me in June, I haven't properly brought you up to date on what happened.
As I said before, all the birth certificates and marriage certificates have to be returned to the various states where they originated to get apostilles. Then those apostilles need to be translated into French. At €45 a page.
Ok, fine. Expensive, but doable.

But why do I have to wait until the randomly chosen date (in my eyes) of October 22 to turn in the dossier, you might ask? Our Mayor was also confused and sent them a fax asking them why.
Their answer:
you're going to love this...

Because that is when the Bureau des Étrangers sent out our first cartes de séjours. Not issued. Sent out.
Thus, they won't consider us as being residents for a full 5 years in France until that date.
Even though we arrived in March - 7 months earlier.
Even though my carte de séjour was issued in August.


So I have to ask...who lives in a region or city where the people working in the sous-préfecture/préfecture are decent human beings? Does such a place exist?
If so, we're moving there! Pin It

Photo du Jour - Worker Bee

For the last week the air around these flowers has been abuzz with honeybee activity. Pin It

Photo du Jour - le Pique-nique

An impromptu picnic with Cantal vieux and crusty sourdough bread. Pin It

Don't Forget....

This Saturday, September 13, is the deadline for la Fête du Fromage blogging event.

Several have already joined in and sent me links to their cheesy (and I mean that is a nice way) posts. Come and join the fromage fun!



A few rules:

• Photos are good, but not necessary
• Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
  
• send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com

I've also created a Flickr site for La Fête du Fromage. Please feel free to join the group and upload photos here.

Here's the original announcement. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Rusting away.
I wonder when this door was last opened? Pin It