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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Gumbo - The Conclusion

Voilà!
The magnificent, steaming bowl of Gumbo. The roux could have been a tad darker, but its rich, toasty aroma was making my stomach growl so I hurried things along!
I know I used the word patience yesterday and how important it is. I thought I had more. Need to work on that....


sautéed chicken and smoked sausage heating up


after 40 minutes of stirring


just after adding the liquid


Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
serves 4 hungry people

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for sautéeing the chicken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil for the roux
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chicken legs, divided into thigh and drumstick
  
• 1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups water or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Rustic Rub
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon filé powder

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast-iron or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper and the Rustic Rub.
Brown the chicken on all sides and remove from the pot.
Add the smoked sausage, cook until browned and remove from the pot.
Wipe the pot clean to remove any caramelized, black bits.
Return the pot to medium heat, combine the oil and flour, grab a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine, find someone to keep you company in the kitchen or put on some good music and settle in to stir!
Stirring slowly and constantly for 25 minutes to an hour, make a brown roux, the color of milk chocolate. All the recipes I find state that the roux will be done after 25-30 minutes, but this is not true for our stove. So, keep your eye on it and don't rush it. (like I did!)
Add the onions, celery, garlic and bell peppers to the roux and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted.
Put the chicken, sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves back in the pot, stir it all together for a few minutes, then add the water or stock.
Stir until the roux mixture and liquid are well combined.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, carefully skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, green onions, and filé powder.

Remove the bay leaves and serve in deep bowls with steamed rice.


the all important filé powder

So, it should have been a bit darker...but the flavor was super bon! Creamy, velvety, slightly spicy and smoky.
One whiff and a small taste and I was instantly transported back to Liuzza's in New Orleans.


almost finished


My recipe is a mélange of gumbo recipes from Chuck at The Gumbo Pages, Chef Emeril Lagasse and Chef John D. Folse. Pin It

My Next Splurge

I've been drooling over this gorgeous book for the last couple of years. It is crammed full of recipes (a mere 700 of them), photos, step-by-step instructions and detailed history of Cajun and Creole cuisine.
In New Orleans I almost broke down and bought it at my friend's shop, The Kitchen Witch, but the damn thing weighs 10 pounds and my bags were already too full! Now I regret not hauling it back to France with me.

Let's see, I just had a birthday. How many days left until Christmas? Pin It