La Fête du Fromage - January Round Up

This month offered a fantastic mélange of cheeses for la Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event. A huge merci to all of you who joined in!


Poor Nathalie had to forgo cheese during the entire month of December due to a diet her husband was on (which she said almost led to divorce). She's joined us again this month with this scrumptious Caprino di Fattoria, a fresh, Italian goat's cheese that she credits with saving her marriage! Have a look at her blog, Spaced Out Rambling for a few more mouth watering photos of this creamy, tangy little cheese.
Welcome back Nathalie!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

La Couronne Lochoise, a chèvre from the Loire, is this month's entry from la petitie parisienne Camille of Croque-Camille. She chose this particular cheese at her local Fromagerie because she liked its doughnut shape, which she later learned represented a crown, not a doughnut! Camille describes this cheese as "smooth and buttery" on the inside and "sharp" and "zippy" on the outside. I concur.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New to la Fête du Fromage is Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen. She tasted a wedge of Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin which she describes as a "combination of an aged white cheddar and a fine French Gruyère." Sounds wonderful! And don't those spicy chili crackers look delicious?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shira of Petit Pois started the new year off in the right direction with a resolution to taste more cheese. I love that! Almost immediately however, she found herself being lured back to one of her favorite French cheeses, Fourme d'Ambert. Its flavor, "round and nutty...neither insipid nor one-dimensional" and its reasonable price were too enticing to pass up.
"Resolution be damned," she says. And I agree. She plans on trying some new cheeses this year, but Fourme d'Ambert will always be on her short list!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A trio of Normandy's best known cheeses were written up by Maggie of Normandy Life. Pont l'Evêque, Camembert and Livarot are three French cheeses that she says make up the perfect Normandy cheese board. I have to agree! I also like Maggie's suggestion of tasting them with a glass of Calvados, the famous apple brandy from the region.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My entry of this month's Fête is Etorki, an unassuming ewe's milk cheese from the Basque region of southwest France. It is velvety and rich with hazelnut and caramel-like flavors that are a true delight!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's a wrap! Thanks for making January's round up a great one!


The next Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting will take place in March as I'll be in New Orleans joining in the Mardi Gras festivities in February.
Please have your entries to me by March 13. The entire round-up will be posted on March 15.

There is an amazing world of cheese out there to discover and there are many small farmers and artisan cheese makers who appreciate our support. I look forward to reading about your tastings in March!

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

Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - La Brique du Forez

The Auvergne is home to many of France's well known and loved cheeses; sublime Cantal, gorgeous Gaperon and two beautiful bleus, Fourme d'Ambert and Bleu d'Auvergne.

In the extreme eastern edge of the Auvergne lies the le pays du Livradois-Forez, home to this week's cheese, La Brique du Forez (also called Chevreton du Livradois).

La Brique du Forez is soft - in texture, aroma and flavor. Nothing about it is over the top.
This is a humble, well rounded cheese that has beautiful butter and hazelnut flavors, and I also detected gentle hints of goatiness. Its earthy aroma has a tiny bit of barnyard to it, but not aggressive at all.

Made from 100% unpasteurized goat's milk during the spring and autumn and a blend of cow and goat's milk the rest of the year, this cheese is produced both on small farms and by artisan cheese makers.
One website did state that la Brique has become industrially produced, however the Fromagerie where I bought it said that this one was lait cru and fermier.

If you find yourself in the Auvergne or see this cheese for sale at a Fromagerie in France, don't hesitate to try it. It is a wonderful cheese!

Wine recommendation: a fruity Beaujolais or a floral Viognier.

. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Potimarrons

Le Potimarron - a succulent, dense, chestnut flavored squash that makes delicious soup.

Potimarron Soup
serves 4

2 pounds potimarron (a.k.a. Hokkaido squash), peeled and cut into one inch cubes
4 cups chicken stock
2-3 teaspoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of the potimarron
4 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
salt
freshly ground white pepper
4 small slices Fourme d'Ambert cheese

In a large stockpot mix together the cubed potimarron, chicken stock and 2 teaspoons sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
Blend until completely smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor. Use caution with hot soup!
Just before serving, bring back to a boil and whisk in the crème fraîche or cream. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
Ladle into 4 bowls and lay a slice of Fourme d'Ambert on top of each serving.
Enjoy! Pin It

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!

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Pin It

A Cheese Field Trip

As I sat on my friend's terrace nibbling a bit of rich, buttery Comté under warm, sunny skies last Saturday, I realized just how far I've come from my pastry chef days.

You see, I had just been offered dessert, a colorful selection of cassis, cherry or apple tartlettes, and politely declined each and every one. I was happy to just sit there and work my way around the abundant cheese platter they had placed on the table.
I actually chose cheese over dessert. My how things have changed!

So, it should come as no surprise that I will go pretty far out of my way to discover a new cheese shop or to visit a small cheese producer.


My sister is also a cheese enthusiast so while visiting her in California we decided that a little field trip to The Cheese Shop in Carmel was in order.


The Cheese Shop - Carmel

Carmel is only about 45 minutes south of her home so we jumped in the car one morning and drove on down.


the selection was impressive

It was a warm, welcoming and friendly place with shelves crammed with cheese, wine and gourmet foods from around the world.





They happily offered a taste of any cheese you were interested in. And we took full advantage of that!



We finally made our choices and purchased some wine, bread, chocolate, a piece of creamy Fourme d'Ambert, some sublime Humboldt Fog, an aged Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Brie de Meaux and a very special Parmigiano-Reggiano Vacche Rosse.

It was a very successful field trip!


The Cheese Shop - Carmel
Carmel Plaza (lower level)
Ocean and Junipero
Carmel, CA 93921


Finally...the cheesiest photo ever! Pin It

Tommette de Vache and Fourme d'Ambert

Tommette de Vache and Fourme d'Ambert were the two cheeses selected this week for our continuing celebration of French cheese.

I bought the Tommette de Vache from a small market stall this morning. It's a simple, unpasteurized, fermier, cow's milk cheese produced in the Savoie and Haut-Savoie.
I loved this cheese! Its aroma is sweet and nutty and its flavor is slightly salty, very buttery and reminiscent of Beaufort.
A nice, dry white wine would be a good accompaniment.

Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses and is known as its mildest blue cheese. It comes from the volcanic Auvergne region where it is shaped into tall cylinders, injected with mold, then left to mature in humid caves. Made from cow's milk, it has a dry rind and a firm and dense, yet creamy texture, so it doesn't crumble like many blue cheeses. Its aroma is earthy and nutty and its flavor brings to mind fruit and mushrooms. It was very nice but wasn't as interesting as Blue de Basque or Bleu de Gex.
Enjoy some fruity red wine such as Beaujolais or a sweet white such as Sauternes with Fourme d'Ambert.


Pin It