French Food Friday : The 8 categories of French Cheese

There are over 300 (some say over 1000) different kinds of cheese in France.
The French use to put them in 8 categories, as well known as les huit families de fromage.

Fromages frais or Fresh cheeses

These cheeses are white and contain a lot of water. They are usually made from cow's milk and are not aged.
Normally they are eaten separately this is why you won't see them on a cheese platter.

The most common fromages frais are Le petit Suisse and Brousse.
It is similar to ricotta and can be used as such. I love them as a spread or in Pasta sauces.

Fromages à pâte molle et à croûte fleurie or Soft cheeses with natural rind

The cheeses belonging to this category are soft cow's milk cheeses with a white, floury surface. They are aged about a month.

The most known are Brie and Camembert.
They are amazing on a piece of bread with a little fig confiture... the taste is unbeatable!

Fromages à pâte molle et à croûte lavée or Soft cheeses with washed rind

These cheeses are as well made of cow's milk but during the aging process they are being washed. This prevents the formation of surface molds.

The most famous cheese belonging to this category is Epoisses (featured here) but also Munster and Reblochon.


Epoisses is one of my absolutely favorite cheeses... With a nice glass of Red.... there is nothing better.
It really stinks but the French say, the more they stink, the better they are. And this really is true!

Fromages à pâte pressée or Pressed Cheeses

These cheeses are submitted to pressure which drains it's moisture. Afterwards the cheeses are placed in carefully controlled conditions and aged several months.
During the aging there are washed, brushed and turned so that the rind forms in an uniform fashion.

Two very popular varieties are Cantal and Ossau-Iraty.

Fromages à pâte pressée et cuite or Pressed and Cooked Cheese

Before being pressed, the curd is heated for an hour. The cheeses are formed in large cylinders and are ripened for a long time.

My favorite cheese varieties belonging to this group are Comté, Beaufort or Gruyère which is similar to Comté but not quite the same.


Fromage de chèvre or Goat Cheese

One could easily fit the goat cheeses in other categories but the French have so many different kinds of them, that they have given them their own family.

The most popular ones are Crottin de Chavignol, Pouligny Saint-Pierre and Selles-sur-Cher.

Fromages à pâte persillées or Blue Cheeses

Rochefort is the most famous cheese from this category. It is made from sheep's milk and has a really strong flavor and smell. It is crumbly but melts smooth in the mouth.
I can't take more than one little bite.

Bleu cheeses are ripened a long time in dark and humid mountain caves.
Some of the other well known varieties are: Bleu de Bresse or Fourme d'Ambert.


Fromages à pâte fondue or Processed cheeses

These types of French cheese are made from other cheeses blended together. You will rarly find one of those on your cheese platter. They are usually sold in small portions and can be flavored with herbs, pepper or garlic.
The French are used to spread them or eat them as appetizers.

Boursin is one well known example.

The cheese course is typically consumed after the main course. It is served as near to its original form (pyramid, wheel, slab) as possible to preserve its integrity along with bread and wine.

You don't have to serve 8 different cheeses at once. Try up to 4 varieties from different families.
Serve the cheese along with grapes,apples or figs, nuts and confiture/honey on a nice platter.
Make it fancy, enjoy eating!
Eat your cheese on its own and use the bread as a palate cleanser.

Keep your cheese unpacked and at room temperature prior to eating. The order of eating should be from stinky/strong to mild/soft.

Next week i will show you how to properly cut your cheese... there are utensils to do so... so stay tuned!!

French Food Friday : Boeuf Bourguignon

I have been so busy with my exams that i didn't have the time to cook the Boeuf à la Bourguignonne  which requires a lot of time and patience. It is a typical dish from my home region, Burgundy.
Today i will show you how to do it, but without my own pictures.

The boeuf bourguignon is a rich stew prepared with beef braised in red wine (bien evidament a full-bodied Burgundy Red. The traditional Burgundy stew requires a meat coming from the Charolais cattle, one of the most known and renewed cattles in France... and world!
Charolais has become an french institution, known for its tenderness and taste.

The authentic recipe was first mentioned by Auguste Escoffier at the beginning of the 20th century. He was a french chef and culinary writer who popularized and updated traditional french cuisine.

This is what you will be needing for the stew:

METHOD

Cut bacon into small strips and simmer for 10 minutes in water, dry bacon.

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan with a little olive oil at moderate heat for 2 or 3 minutes, remove bacon.

Cut the beef in cubes, using the same saucepan, cook the beef in the bacon's fat until browned. Remove the bacon.

In the same pan, put the onions, carrots and champignons, cover with beef. Add salt and pepper.

Pour in the wine and enough bouillon so that it covers the ingredients.

Add small white onions, garlic and herbs- bring to a boil.

Cover the pan and simmer for 3 hours on a low low heat.

The meat is done, when the fork slides out easily a beef cube. remove from heat. 

Serve with boiled potatoes, rice or pasta.

Bon appétit

French Food Friday : Charlotte aux Framboises

This was my first attempt to make a raspberry Charlotte....
Actually it is quite easy, one needs just to place the Lady fingers nicely...

There is a doubt on the origins of the name Charlotte.
Despite the fact that Chalottes are served across Europe, some say it is a corruption of the old english word charlyt, meaning a dish of custard.
Meat dishes were popular in the 15th century and were known as charlets.

Others say that this sweet dish took its name from Queen Charlotte-wife of George III of UK. But most certainly it is possible that the dessert takes its name from the Russian Emperor Alexander's sister in law, Charlotte of Prussia (because there exists a Russian Charlotte and a Charlotka)

This is my result:

I used a special mold and am not quite satisfied with the looks, but for a first try, it is not bad. 

Here i have to say that everything i cook or bake is tasty but doesn't look neat.... i suppose i have to keep on practicing...

INGREDIENTS:

Lady fingers

Frozen raspberries

Whipped cream

Raspberry juice (or any other)

a mold

METHOD:

Dip your lady fingers carefully in the juice, than layer in the mold.

Beat cream until it holds stiff peaks, add some raspberries, blender others to obtain a smooth raspberry sauce.

Spread the whipped cream evenly, lightly press the cookies on top and chill. 

(We had - 8°C the other day, so i left my charlotte on the balcony for an hour.... and i almost got ice-cream)

Serve with raspberry sauce.

Bon appétit

EDIT: this was the second time around.... much better isn't it??? keep on practicing the mastering!!

This one features strawberries.... me likey! 

Next time i'll make one with cherries or blueberries....

French Food Friday : Cheeeseeeeee

I have spent this past week abroad and didn't cook or eat french... Ce soir i just had to have a piece of my

favorite french cheese- Epoisses- along with a glass of red...

and it is true: the more they stink, the better they are.

Period!

Bon appétit!

French Food Friday : Gougères

A gougère is a baked choux pastry mixed with cheese.
It has been fist baked here in Burgundy.
The common cheeses used here are Gruyère,  Comté or Emmental.

The perfect hors d'oeuvres, served cold with wine or warm as appetizers.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into t.spoons

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

1 cup shredded cheese, plus more for sprinkling

Ground pepper

Ground nutmeg 

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 200° C and line 2 backing sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, salt and bring to a boil.

Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. stir more over low heat about 2 minutes till the dough dries out and pulls away from the pan.

Scrape the dough and let it cool for about 1 minute. Then beat the eggs, one at the time into the dough, add the cheese and a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.

Transfer the dough now to a pastry bag without the tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheet with 5 cm apart.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake until puffed and golden brown.

Bon appétit!!

French Food Friday: Bouillabaisse à la moi

Another friday, another dish... my very personal shellfish/fish stew.

Make sure you have at least five different kinds of fish in your dish!
In Marseille, which is considered to be the Mecca of bouillabaisse, they use at least seven... the shellfish non included.
Your fish should be extremely fresh-  caught and cooked the very same day! It is a rule!

INGREDIENTS

Different kinds of fish - whatever you find on the marché

Different oysters, clams or mussels

2 Onions

1 Shallots

2 cloves garlic

1-2 cans tomatoes

White vine - try to use the good one..

 Quality dishes are made with love and quality ingredients (second rule!)

Quality extra vergine olive oil

Salt (i pink himalayan)

Pepper

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. When it is hot, add onions and shallots in cubes. Sauté till the onions are translucent, then add crushed garlic. After a couple of minutes add the tomatoes, stir well with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Add a generous amount of wine and let simmer...

Cut your fish into pieces, put them in your tomato sauce and cover with oysters. Cover the pot and shake it from time to time...taste and then season once again if needed...

Serve with bread!

Bon appétit!!!

French Food Friday: Galette des Rois

Yes, the Frenchies have a reputation of mistreating their royalty, but these days they only cut cakes than cutting up king's heads.
With january coming up, you can find the famous Galette des Rois in every bakery and every supermarket across the country.

It is a frangipane filled puff pastry, served on the 12th day of Christmas - the Ephiphany. The day when the three wise men visited Jesus. According to tradition, the galette was to draw the kings to the Ephiphany.
A lucky charm, in french fève, is baked inside the gelette and whoever receives it in this part is crowned king or queen for the day...

Another tradition is to cut the cake in as many parts as there are people present plus one extra. This extra part is named part du Bon Dieu (God's slice), part de la Vierge (the Virgin Mary's slice) or simply part du pauvre (poor man's slice) and should be offered to the first poor person that comes in.

This was our this year's fève... Mietzekatze (Kittycat in german)

Funny fact that isn't funny at all... During the french revolution the name was replaced with Gâteau de l'Egalité which would be the equality cake... as the kings were a little démodé.

INGREDIENTS

2 sheets ready rolls puff pastry

140 gr ground almond

75 gr soften  butter

80 gr sugar

3 eggs

1 yolk

METHOD

Mix the butter and the sugar in a bowl, then add the beaten eggs and the ground almond- mix well.

In the middle of the first sheet of puff pastry, pour the filling. Lay the second sheet on top and roll the sides together towards the inside the cake. This prevents the filling from leaking out, the cake is sealed.

With a knife, draw lines in both direction to create a pattern of your choice. With a brush, spread the yolk on the whole cake to give it a golden color.

Pun in an oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees.

Serve hot or cold!

Bon appétit

French Food Friday

New Year, New Challenges!
I have been living in France for almost 4 years now and have learnt to appreciate french cuisine.
I admit it wasn't that hard.
I suppose everyone has heard at least one word about the famous french chef Paul Bocuse?

When i was living in Lyon (if you ask me a more beautiful city than Paris itself...) i used to travel almost every weekend to Dijon to meet my then Boyfriend (now husband) and i passed by one of his Restaurants...

This colorful one... L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges

After all the season's festivities and the booze, the frenchies serve their famous Soupe à l'onion which i present you today:

Receipt serves 4

Ingredients

100 g Gruyère

400 g Onions

100 g Butter

2 spoons Flour

1,5 l Bouillon (beef or chicken stock or salted boiling water can be used)

1 Baguette

Salt&Pepper

Method

The quality of the onions is crucial in this recipe!

Onions cut in half and then sliced into 3mm slices.

On a hight heat, in a large non-stick saucepan, melt the butter without letting it brown. Add the onions and let them soften, stir frequently.

Stir the flour into nice caramelized onions and mix with a wooden spoon thoroughly.

Add the boiling water or stock, simmer for 15 minutes on low heat.

Arrange the baguette slices on a baking tray and sprinkle the freshly grated Gruyère over them. Place under a hot grill for 5 minutes to meld and slightly brown the cheese

Serve the Soup in bowls with croûtons on top, the remaining Gruyère aside.

Bon appétit!!!