2007 A Year at LA FROMAGERIE
This is just a highlight of some of the things we got up to at LA FROMAGERIE in 2007. Our monthly newsletters had everything from seasonal cheese and wine pairings to perfect supper suggestions along with news on our building project next door to the threat to artisan camembert production.
January: LA FROMAGERIE Winter Cheese Plates
With all the decadence of Christmas over our Brie aux Truffe took a back seat for a few weeks. Although few goat cheeses were around we still enjoyed a crumbly fresh tasting Crottin, very good melted on toasted Poilâne. For harder cheeses, there was Vezzena Vecchio from Venice, hard with a lovely nutty taste that married well with crisp white wines, or even a glass of sherry. Doddington from Northumberland had superb flavour & texture its sharp, gritty taste was perfect with a glass of beer such as Pitfield East Kent Goldings. The Swiss Emmenthal aged over 18 months tasted really nutty with a lovely herbal dewy freshness & quite different to the French style. For blue cheeses we went for the richness of Roquefort & the melting creaminess of Gorgonzola Dolce – served with dates & walnuts
But in January there was a lot of focus on marmalade – in particular SEVILLE marmalade.
February 20th was Pancake Day. We also had lots of Tarocco Oranges arrive from Italy. Deeply delicious orange and red flesh, they tasted sweet & earthy, perfect as a simple dessert of sliced oranges with the peel candied finish or made into the most gorgeous crepes suzette on Pancake Day finished with a decadent dollop of our thick double crème fraiche on the side.
February Cheeses – It was a very frosty February so was all about keeping warm. Cheese has enough energy boosting proteins & minerals to keep those winter blues at bay we were thinking cheese on toast - a favourite at this time of year & there is nothing like Montgomery or Keen’s Cheddar bubbling on crusty bread with a dollop of fruity chutney or homemade piccalilli on the side.. There is a certain enjoyment in the rich, fruity & nutty flavours of Gruyere, whether sliced onto a thick slice of wholemeal bread, or melted into a fondue. One of the most delicious ways is to place a heaped tablespoon of grated cheese into the bottom of a soup bowl & pour over piping hot onion soup, then dig in to get the melted cheese as it oozes through the soup.
March 17th was St Patrick’s Day. We served classic Irish fare from stews to cheese plates for brunch along with oysters & Black Velvets.
The following day we celebrated Mothers Day Sunday 18th - Possibly the most important date in the calendar!!
News from the Cheese Room
March was also about some serious cheese business: Threat to Artisan Camembert Production
Two of France's largest dairy producers, Lactalis and the Isigny Sainte-Mère cooperative, which together make 90 percent of the traditional raw-milk Camembert in Normandy, began this year to treat (thermise) the milk used for most of those cheeses. In doing so, they had to sacrifice their AOC status, the first time in French history that Camembert producers voluntarily did so. But now they have asked the French governments’ food board to grant that status (AOC) to their new Camembert, arguing that the process they use - either filtering or gently heating the milk - does not sacrifice the traditional taste and character of the cheese.
A group of retired cheesemakers and local businessmen strongly disagree so they have created THE DEFENSE COMMITTEE OF GENUINE CAMEMBERT .
It has circulated a petition to protect the AOC rules for Camembert. Depending on the outcome it may not only effect the future production of genuine Camembert production but the future of all true Artisan French cheese production.
At the end of March the Vacherin du Mont d’Or season came to an end, so our cheese plates began to take on a more Spring like feel with fresher flavours to entice our palates. From Normandy, Brillat Savarin a rich & silky yet fresh tangy triple cream cheese. Tomme Fleurette made by cheesemaker Michel Beroud in the Canton du Vaud in the West of Switzerland, he is something of an icon in the Swiss cheesemaking world. He has shown that it’s not just Gruyere that is made in Switzerland; Casinca a pasteurised goat’s milk cheese from Corsica has a soft springy texture with a tender orange rind from the brine & ferment washing. From Herriard Village near Alton in Hampshire we offered Tunworth; an unpasteurised Ayrshire cow’s milk, using a vegetarian rennet. Soft, mellow tasting cheese with melting edges clinging to a fudgy centre encased in a thin bloomy rind scooped up Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards 2006.
Fribourg d’estive Grand Reserve from Fribourg . This classic Swiss Gruyère with a fruity grainy texture & tasting stronger and nuttier than the French equivalent. We choose cheeses from Jean Marie Dunand in Le Crêt sur Semsales which is not far from the village of Gruyère.
We were delighted to be mentioned by Rose Prince in the evening standard as they launched ‘The Real Food Campaign’ following the ‘Save our Small Shops’ initiative. The first article featured places to get a ‘good cappuccino’ we were in very good company alongside the Monmouth Coffee Company & Flat White.
April: Easter at LA FROMAGERIE
Easter at LA FROMAGERIE blew away any remaining winter cobwebs with delicious Easter treats. Hot x Buns full of spices, currants & candied peel – enjoyed toasted with lashings of creamy farmhouse butter. We also made Pasqualine and simnel cakes and chicks & bunnies in rich buttery shortbread. Exquisite Easter chocolate eggs, chickens & fish from Bernard Dufoux in Burgundy, Amaretti from Piemonte & Easter biscotti with apricots & hazelnuts, gorgeous dipped in a glass of our Vin Santo, a classic dessert wine from Chianti.
Mimosas made with Blood orange juice, or served with Campari along with Borage flowers with Prosecco – were the Spring cocktails served in the tasting café.
In April we also introduced our LA FROMAGERIE new ECO Bags - printed with our La Fromagerie cows gently ambling across the top, is made from 100% cotton canvas, these sturdy re-useable bags are produced by Re-Wrap A-not-for-profit-organisation the bags are made in India by socially & physically disadvantaged women working in self help groups. Rural artisans are encouraged to work contemporary ideas whilst preserving their traditional skills. The aim is to derive a sustainable income for the women, artisans & their families. www.re-wrap.com
Priced at £5.00 they are also available via mail-order.
Spring flavours were reflected in the Spring Cheese plates - British cheeses such as Devon Blue & Keen’s Cheddar had never tasted so good as they do now. We also began stocking Stichelton made to a stilton style recipe on the Welbeck Estate in Nottingham. Cheese maker, Joe Schneider, made his version of a very regional blue using unpasteurised cow's milk from the Estate & a traditional rennet. This cheese was rich, dense & creamy paste with a spicy blue tang
Tasted alongside the Colston Bassett Stilton you instantly recognize that this cheese has its own individual character and is not and will not be a Stilton, but a regional blue cheese which fits well into the style and expectations of a Derbyshire blue cheese.
Don't be tempted to pair Port with these cheeses but rather a Trentino red wine from Marco Donati, Orme, with its dry tannins following rich fruit flavours & gravely minerals; a perfect way to enjoy both the cheese and the wine.
There was an abundance of all things green – with Spring asparagus, fave, nettles, wild garlic leaves, dente di leone (dandelion), erbette, sorrel, baby spinach, baby swiss chard, catalogna (long leaf green chicory), castelfranco with its delicately pink speckled leaves, fragrant mint particularly lovely with the deliciously sweet peas. Quick suppers of baby spinach with blanched peas & creamy caprini tartufo drizzled with a fruity new season extra virgin olive was delicious with grilled salmon or Ginger Pigs new spring lamb. White Asparagus also arrived, we served it with shavings of a new organic Pecorino Abbucciato Aretino from Arezzo, made with organic unpasteurised ewe's milk - delightfully floral & gently nutty like milky hazelnut., from a small farm making cheese using milk from their own herd of 100 sheep.
May was all about New Producers & Products at LA FROMAGERIE
Patricia spent May sourcing some interesting new producers of charcuterie & farmhouse cheeses. From Bergamo she sourced Strachitund a buttery cow’s milk cheese - strong & spicy flavours matched it perfectly with full flavoured Valtellina wines from Sandro Fay or the Trentino wines from Marco Donati; also from Bergamo we had Regiur, a nutty and robust cow’s milk mountain cheese.
From Arezzo Patricia sourced an organic unpasteurised ewe’s milk - Pecorino Abbucciato Aretino. Made on a small farm making cheese using milk from their own herd of 100 sheep.
From Umbria there was Pecorino Di Fossa - a rare, special pure sheep’s milk cheese made according to Umbrian tradition: before placing it in the hollow, the rind is completely covered with a mixture of herbs & spices from the hills & mountains that include laurel, juniper, wild thyme, mint, rosemary & wild fennel. Strong, spicy flavours with an extraordinarily complex, fruity, aromatic taste. It was perfect well-structured red wines such as our San Polino Rosso or Brunello di Montalcino, and Chianti Classico Riserva.
Various charcuterie was sourced from Lanzada, up high in the Lecco Hills above Lake Como: From Casa del Carne there was prosciutto crudo fiocco, lamb bresaola & a venison bresaola. Prosciutto Crudo Fiocco literally means raw ham ribbon, because it is the way that the loin of the pork is pressed together to become very compact, & the cut of the meat has the right amount of fat to look like ribbons when it is sliced. A delicious tasting ham cured in airy mountain caves.
From Pistoia in the north of Tuscany near Lucca we had an amazing Lardo Cinta Sinese, Pancetta Cinta Sinese & Guanciale (pork cheek) Cinta Sinese which should be cooked until crisp & use in salads, stews for a rich succulent taste.
At this time of year we want to experience new flavours but also fresh and robust ones too, with this in mind we were able to obtain just 500gr of the precious Fennel Flowers from the Sibillini Hills in the Marche and sold small 10 gram packets of the aromatic treasure. Roasting vegetables such as Fennel, Aubergines & Peppers with a drizzle of olive oil & a gentle sprinkling of fennel flowers infused robust flavours into the vegetables. Rolled pork tenderloin rubbed with the fennel flowers made for a delicious summery Sunday roast served in thick slices with a nettle risotto.
Early summer fruits were also making an appearance – strawberries and the highly prized frais des bois, along with apricots & peaches & very juicy orange fleshed melons – delicious with very thinly sliced Prosciutto di San Marcel.
On the new season vegetables – Borlotti & courgette with flower, we stuffed them with homemade Springstep goat’s milk ricotta & roasted them with baby vine tomatoes.
June saw the beginning of our plans for the shop next door as we begin working on how we would transform the newly acquired shop next door. It seemed everyone had expansion or improvement plans on the go! From the Waitrose revamp to the Uber sized supermarket on High St Kensington. Expanding the Tasting Café is at the top of our list, along with a bigger charcuterie and wine section. Talk of a summer ice-cream bar with Bob Kirk’s homemade goat’s milk icecreams are also met with approval along with ideas for a mail-order department.
June 17th and Marylebone is heaving with people celebrating the annual Summer Fair; Moxon St had a Spanish sardine barbecue, with our Polish friend Ewa Spohn making hearty open sandwiches of polish charcuterie & pickles with vodka & Polish beer and pan-fried Perogi. We also had a Breton Crepe stand along with Bob Kirk scooping cones of his mouth watering Springstep icecreams
In July the Marylebone Village Wedge Card was launched in association with Howard De Walden. The WEDGE card scheme was set up by John Bird of the Big Issue & his daughter Diana - designed to support local communities, encouraging shoppers to use their local shops and independent businesses. Through the offer of discounts & special offers WEDGE aim to help re-vitalise local communities by offering an affinity scheme to customers using local shops and services. It also supports local charities, with 25%-50% of the price of each card bought going directly to projects in your area. It is a great project – LA FROMAGERIE is delighted to be on board offering all wedge card holders a 10% discount on all cheese purchases.
Despite the weather we still indulged in summer cocktails: Watermelon Martinis, Rossini’s with fresh strawberries & Pimms with lots of fresh mint or Lemon Balm (Melissa) to complete this classic, fragrant summer cocktail.
With an abundance of summer fruits it was time to stock up on summer fruit chutneys and jams – Apricot, Nespole, nectarines, peach, strawberry, raspberry & summer currants were just some of those on the shelves.
Summer Cheeses plates were paired with ripe juicy figs, apricots & Vignola cherries accompanied by chilled glasses of rose, Le Roc Blanc – our new house white, for a red we suggested a lightly chilled glass of Granchaia or Selvaggio Rosso from Sicily
Summer Picnics at LA FROMAGERIE were also in high demand with summer cheese selections, salads & chilled Prosecco.
August
Summer Cheeses: From burrata to mozzarella di bufala and fresh delicate goat’s cheese - we enjoyed simple bruschettas of ripe tomatoes drizzled with San Polino extra virgin olive oil with simple green salads of wild rocket finished with fruity olive oils & shavings of Berkswell or Pecorino Abbucciato from Aretino in Arezzo.
The large *Pagnotta loaves make excellent bruschetta and they are perfect when used in the classic Panzanella salad
* PAGNOTTA: THE BREAD OF ALTAMURA
The protected origin DOP for this bread was formed in July 2003. Italy produces 1000 bread varieties and only the Bread of Altamura has been awarded the DOP. The bread is made from locally grown durum wheat flour with yeast, water and marine salt, according to a recipe dating to 1500. The formula is almost certainly older, however, because Horace, the Roman poet, called the bread "the best in the world" The flour must be ground in mills within the communes of Altamura, Gravina di Puglia, Poggiorsini, Spinazzola and Minervino Murge, all in the province of Bari. The baking process has five stages from the rolling of the dough to baking. It is baked in an open oak wood oven. It is unusually long-lasting and was originally created for shepherds and farmers who worked in the fields and hills of Apulia for days or even weeks at a time.
September was Thirsty Work, as we were busy sourcing water. It was a topical issue leading to serious debates; and was to be the topic for the next series of *Dirt Café Debates being held as part of the London Design Festival in September.
We had sourced water from Whitehole Farm, an organic, non-working farm (hence totally peaceful) of 74 acres located in a pristine Mendip valley within easy reach of Bath, Wells, Bristol and Glastonbury. It is a site of European ecological importance with over 150 rare and protected flowers and grasses, with many rare and protected fauna (water voles etc) and is also a site of European geological importance with the largest Tufa rock cascade in the UK. This provides the totally pure spring water that supplies the ecosystem on the farm. All rental incomes from the cottages go to maintain this farm that is unique and to ensure that the farm is there for future generations.
* For further information on Dirt Café go to: www.dirtcafe.com
In October our shop at No 30 Highbury Park N5 had a ‘make over’! We installed a small - but perfectly formed tasting café.
The Highbury shop now opens at 8.00am for coffee & pastries. Their menu features the same tasting plates of charcuterie, savoury tart & of course cheese tasting plates as Moxon St. For further information please telephone the Highbury shop: 0207 359 7440
News from the Cheese Room
The headliner in the cheese room at this time of year is always the Vacherin du Mont d’Or. Mid-October sees the start of the Vacherin season. We start selling them later than most but we prefer to wait for the rich flavours to develop with a nutty toasty edge. When they arrive we wash the top crust in Arbois wine before maturing them in the cellar in high humidity. The cheese maker is Richard Sancey, who is based in Metabief, Haut Savoie, we also get Morbier from him.
Pair with Chignin Bergeron from the Savoie, Eastern France. Made from the Chignin Bergeron grape variety originating from the ancient Roussanne vines - Rene Quenard’s famous wine from the lower slopes where the vines ripen in more sheltered warmth. The perfect wine for Vacherin Mont d’Or, with its delicate perfume masking a full bodied fruity wine of juicy intensity, or an aged Beaufort Chalet d’Alpage
Wednesday 31st we celebrated All Hallows Eve in our usual style with lots of pumpkin fare from spiced pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread & cookies & spiced apple & pear cakes.
November 5th saw the sky lit up with bonfires & fireworks, we feasted on Toffee Apples, Sausage rolls & Pumpkin cookies. We also made family portion supper dishes to be finished at home. Tuscan Sausage & Bean Stew, Shepherd’s Pie or Pumpkin & Wild Mushroom Lasagne was on the menu along with everything needed for Fondue Savoyarde
*Fondue sets are available for hire.
We also quietly crept past our 5th birthday on November 5th with the building works in full swing we thought a big celebration will be in order when we start 2008 and next door is finished!
November 15th was Beaujolais Nouveau Day, it was also the same day the Marylebone Village Christmas Illuminations took place with Live Music, Father Christmas, food stalls, special shopping discounts and much more making Marylebone a hive of festive activity.
December, Christmas at LA FROMAGERIE. There was definitely a hint of festivity in the air with aroma of clementines, pinecones and spice bolas made with cinnamon, coffee beans & cloves. The shop was brimming with festive fare as boxes containing all manner of delectable goods continued to arrive from France, Italy & Spain. Chocolates wrapped in jewel like papers, towers of panettone from Biasetto in Venice & gift boxes finished with sumptuous ribbon.
The building works next door, whilst running a bit behind schedule, we feel confident that things are starting to take shape as the wall through to the next shop was removed. As with all building works there was a degree of noise, but the builders tried to be as considerate as builders can be so customers were still able to enjoy their lunch in peace!
But there is still much to be done with a new kitchen going in and new toilets downstairs we had anticipated work would be finished around the middle of January (now to be February!!)
