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General Stuff other foodie sites and bits and bobs

I Graduated this week

We had  our graduation ceremony this week at School. It was held in our Restaurant at School and we were all in our chefs uniforms and the hospitality and hospitality business management students were in Grad gowns

We were all given numbers and had to enter and exit the restaurant in numerical order I was number 34, It was quite emotional for me ….. coming to the end of this chapter of all my hard work over the past year. As we walked in to the Restaurant, everybody was standing, all the staff, family and freinds, VIPS which included the Mayor and they were clapping us in, that made me just want to cry.

We had speeches  and a power point display was shown about the school which also made me bubble up a wee bit. There was a picture of our class in the display, then a picture of a freind of mine competing in a competition and then there on the screen was a great shot of myself with my medal and a blurb about winning big at the competitions.

We then proceeded out the way we came  in and through another entrance to receive our certificates, and Justin the announcer was just calling out each persons name, when it came to me  he made a little speech about me, saying i was one of the celebrities of the school and a great student etc, which just took my breath away and made my very big grin on my face even bigger.

When all the formal stuff was done we had some great entertainment, with  one of the students and her freind playing the most beautiful music on a piano and a cello  and one of our tutors dressing up in all different kinds of things which were very funny.

We finished off with a wonderful lunch prepared by all the cooking tutors  and plenty of wine which was just lovely

Bruce snapped lots of pictures  which I just have to download and will post very soon

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Low fat/Low salt = no flavour?……. I think not

A few weeks ago I went to  the Doctors for a general check up and He checked my blood pressure

It was a bit high oooppsss  scary, In my family on my Dads side there is a genetic predisposition to bad things happening from high blood  pressure, this scared the bejeebies out of me big time and I have changed my eating habits and lifestyle.

Getting out and doing regular exercise , using a low sodium alternative to salt , not that I ate much salt anyway,Eating foods that are low in fat, I have reduced down the amount of red meat I was eating before, increased my fish intake , and my vegetable/fruit/pulses intake and cut out things that I was eating before, bad bad things that tasted so good and indulged my sweet tooth. Im feeling so much better and have so much more energy now. The NZ heart foundation has endorsed a huge range of products with the heart tick on them  which means that they are low in saturated fats, low in sodium and sugar and designed for the entire family to be good for them and a really great way to get a good balance in the diets of New Zealanders.

I have been experimenting with lots of different ideas that I have had about making low fat foods and have been able to try some of these out on others , things like heart healthy savoury muffins, heart healthy low fat lasagne,pasta dishes, etc and am currently in the process of making some recipes for low fat low sugar fruity muffins, they just need tweaking a wee bit before they are perfect. I will keep you informed as to how they are going. I have a great group of volunteers willing to be guinea pigs errrr taste testers,  people from the gym (instructors), chef freinds and of course Bruce my champion supporter.

High Blood Pressure is the silent disease , it creeps up on you with out you being aware of it , and Im too young to go off this planet just yet….. I want to grow old disgracefully and besides only the good die young so I will be around forever. So let me just say get yourselves checked regularly even if you think your as fit and healthy as a thoroughbred horse on speed injected carrots because its better to find out if theres a problem and be able to fix it early than to not find out about it and pop off before your ready.

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Working in a cafe as a part time baker

I have now finished school for this year and will return to do level 5 next year. I have just scored myself a great job as a parttime Baker in a cafe in Ellerslie. Its the end of the first week and its been great. Your first week in any new job is always a bit challenging , and bound to have the odd hiccup but its those hiccups which are great learning curves to make what you do much better.

I get to explore my creative mind in trying new things and introducing new flavours. its really good wholesome down to earth food with a lovely homemade feel about it which is just perfect. Its just part time but theres always the opportunity to pick up extra hours further on down the track. From little acorns grow big trees.


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Im in love with flour

Hi , yeah tis been a while since I  last posted, Im back at school now  and just loving this new module.  I go home smelling of things like sugar and vanilla, I get to play in the flour bin most days and create pastries and breads, desserts and doughs. ……. Sighhhh can life be any better than this .

My tutor Earl King is just an absolute darling whose love for this wonderful art just shines through. I have been off sick most of last week and had to make up some classes, hes just so patient and willing to help, it makes learning so much more of apleasure.

I just love the feeling of kneading the dough, taking these great raw ingrediants and turning them into delectable treats

I will post pictures asap I have mislaid my camera cord and cannot upload my pictures at the moment but will do so shortly.

So far we have made a variety of things, gateaux pithiver, palmiers,rice imperatrice,apple fritters, lemon turnovers, choux paste, paris brest,,chappati, pita, naan, danishes, croissants sauvarin, brioche, donuts,.

I just feel this sort of work is something I have been waiting my whole life for, and why did it take me so long to realise this,. Putting your hands in to the dough and kneading it is so therapeutic and soothing for the soul, it makes me feel relaxed and gentle, and all the everyday cares and woes just drift up through the atmosphere as you watch the magic of the dough  doing its stuff as it rises, and breathes and becomes a thing of great beauty.

Thank you Earl for being patient and passionate with us and for sharing your wonderful craft and knowledge with us. It means more than words can express.

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menu for food costing

Here is the menu that I wrote for the the food costing project

the Recipes for all of these dishes are in the recipe section

A La Carte Menu for Food Costings:

Entree:

Carrot and Tomato Soup:


A rich slightly spicy soup made with fresh carrots, tomatoes
garlic, basil, parsley, a little chilli , black pepper and garnished with
crispy pancetta and cream and served with crunchy garlic croutes.
(a vegetarian option is available)


Chicken Livers:

Fresh Chicken Livers, sauteed with onions, mushrooms and garlic
in a  creamy sauce and served on a  layer of wilted spinach and steamed rice.


Singapore style  Prawns and noodles:

King  Prawns tossed with ginger, chilli , garlic, and soy sauce in
Singapore noodles with tricolour capsicum slices and crunchy celery.


Mains:

Preserved Lemon and Roasted Pepper Rissotto:

A creamy Rissotto with Preserved Lemons and Roasted peppers
with a touch of Saffron and garnished with lemon wedges and shaved
Parmesian Cheese.

 Beef Schasliks:

Tender Cubes of Scotch fillet skewered with baby onions,button mushrooms,
tomatoes,and courgettes with a mushroom sauce and served on a potato and pea
galatte.

Honeyed Walnut  and Blue Cheese Stuffed
Chicken Breast:

Whole Panko Crumbed Chicken Breast that is stuffed with Kikorangi Blue cheese
and roasted honeyed walnuts and panfried and served on a Mesculan Salad
and a potato and pumpkin Mash.


Dessert:

A Peppermint Chocolate Dream:

Handmade traditional Icecream made with fresh mint leaves and Creme de menthe
inside a dark chocolate dipped tuille basket and served with a hot chocolate sauce
and a drizzle of creme de menthe.

Trio of Tarts:

3 minature tarts , a mix of hot and cold tarts, 1 with seasonal fruit
1 with berries, and 1 with a velvet vanilla mousse and served with
creme anglaise and a fruit garnish.(please ask your server on the fruits of the day)

Coffee Baked Alaska:

A Rich coffee cake with a coffee cream centre incased in hand made vanilla icecream
and light meringue and served hot to your table with your choice of liquer sauce
either Kahlua, Baileys , or Vanilla Vodka




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Meat in the kitchen ….. Steak anybody?

Over the last few weeks we have been working with all kinds of wonderful meat products , once again revisiting old favourites and discovering new things

Thank goodness Im an Omnivore the amount of meat things we have cooked recently would give  a vegetarian a heart attack  :o) sorry vegetarians  :o)

we have done all kinds of things from a steak bearnaise  to a lamb rack and lots of things inbetween

our steak Bearnaise was served with lyonaise potatoes, green beans, bearnaise sauce and garnished with deep fried shallots  ooohhh my word they have to be one of the best smelling things in the world when they are cooking (the shallots that is)steak bearnaise

A roasted Pousson stuffed with a barley risotto and Chasseur Sauce , we deboned the pousson  which I hadnt done in a very long time. ohh my goodness ,  that barley risotto is the nicest flavour and such a great  side dish

roasted poussincut roasted poussin

I wanted to show you how good the stuffing  of the barley risotto looked.

Beef Bourgignone is a very classical dish  and is one of those foods/smells  that  just fill the kitchen with warm smells/feelings of coming home and having love and comfort surround  you.

beef bourgignone

The Beef bourgignone was served on a fondant potato and  with crispy parsnip shavings

Just another one of these comfort wrap around your heart foods is Lamb Shanks slow braised in a rich red wine gravy with vegetables.  You can tell its winter when you look forward to these wonderful comfort foods to take the chill out of your bones and just let the smells of love wrap themselves around you.

We served this gorgous little baby with Duchess potatoes, which is mashed potatoes mixed with egg yolk and melted butter,   with the actual shank we served it   with a pear william  which was a duchess potato shaped in to a pear and then crumbed and deep fried , oh my word , talk about  delicious. We had a play as well and made a few other shapes  just for fun ,  a croquette, a bernie (round ball) which I dipped in almonds and  also an apple which I dipped in to sesame seeds and used  almonds for the stem in both the pear and the apple. We could choose what to crust it with. My tutor was most impressed and I was thinking these would be great items on a buffet or banquet table

lamb shanksduchess potatoes

and for the ultimate  in being decadent in taste how about a herb crusted lamb rack with roasted pumpkin and hot german potato salad with a marsala jus lie

rack of lamb

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Buffet lunch anybody

breadbasket.jpgbuffetpumpkinsoup.jpgbuffetantipesto.jpgsmokedchickensalami.jpgWe did a group project where in teams of 3 or 4 we had to devise a buffet menu . We each had different parts of the buffet to do and could use any thing we wanted to do . I must say I was really impressed , our buffet was very upmarket with things like salmon and scallop salad, roasted duck breast, chicken  we smoked our selves (wow that was so very cool) roasted leg of lamb, a gourmet cheese platter, and hand made crackers,  antipasto, pumpkin soup, boozy brandy fruit puddings and white chocolate mousse with great fun chocolate run outs. a lot of the tutors and chefs all came along and participated in our buffet and everybody was really impressed by the standard of cooking that came out of our kitchen.

buffetcheeseboard1.jpg

mousseandrunouts.jpg scallopsalad.jpgbuffettable1.jpgbuffettable2.jpg

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Belilasa Restaurant

In the first Semester at school we had to do a restaurant project in teams, we worked in groups of four and had to design a restaurant from scratch

We called it Belilasa and wanted it to be a high end french restaurant that specialised in Desserts and also had a Dessert delivery service .

I designed all the menus from start  to finish , in our delivery service all the photos were free photos from the net , I have no idea who they belong to  but just wish to acknowledge to everybody thank you  and if there are any photos here that you dont  wish to be shown then please let me know and I will remove them and the www.belilasa.co.nz isnt a real link

Belilasa Menu Outline:

Traditional French dishes that have been updated and
given a gentle contempory touch. Using the freshest mainly local
and some imported ingrediants.
Ingrediants from France and New Zealand as are all the wines
and aperitifs/digestifs.
This Menu is designed to make you feel spoilt and special
yet relaxed with familiar favourites that might take you by surprise
in this modern world.
Enjoy the romance of the Belilasa experience
when you enter our restaurant and look through our delicious menus.

Belilasa Wine Menu.

Aperitifs.

x

 

Eaux de vis Poir William
Kir
Kir Royale
Pastis
Pinot Charrant
Suze
Rin Quin Quin 
                       $14.00/glass
Champagnes.


NV Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne     145.00

Rose.

2006 Neudorf Kina Nelson    

55.00


                                                                                                                        PINOT GRIS.

2007 Kumeu river Kumeu

 

 

 

 

58.00



Riesling.

2006 Charles Wiffen Marlborough

 

 

 

 

45.00

2004     Domaine Albert mann Alsace                                                   65.00

 



Vouvray.

2005 Champalou Loire Valley

 


 

 

58.00





Viognier,Marsanne,Roussane,Albarino.

2006 herzog viognier marlborough

 


 

 

70.00

Gewurztraminer.

2007 Seifried winemakers collection Nelson

 


 

 

52.00

Sauvignon Blanc.

2007 Craggy Range Te Muna vineyard Martinborough

 

 

 

 

56.00


Shiraz.

2005 Craggy range block 14 Hawkes Bay

 

 

 

 

80.00

Rhone Valley,Languedoc.

2004 Chapoutier La Bernardine Chateauneuf du Pape Rhone 

 

 

 

 

130.00

Merlot,Merlot Predominant,Montepuloiano.

2005 Takatu Matakana

 

 

 

 

72.00

Bordeaux.

2001 Chateau Tour de Pin Figeac Grand Cru classe st emilion

 

 

 

 

140.00

Cabernet,Cabernet Predominate Blends


2004 Balthazar estate Hawkes Bay

 

 

 

 

70.00


 Digestifs

Armagnacs

Laressingle V.S.O.P.

 

$15.00

 

Samalens V.O.S.P.


 

$15.00


 

Cognacs

Martell V.S.

 

$10.00

 

Cordon Bleu

 

$25.00

 

Remy Martin V.S.O.P.

 

$18.00

 

Remy Martin X.O.

 

$28.00

 

 


Calvados

Busnell

 

$17.00

 

Vieille Reserve

$17.00

 

 


Cafe.

Demitasse
Cafe Noir
Rallonge
Tissane
Peppermint
Chamomile
Lemon
Aniseed
        Licorice  
$5.00/serving


Belilasa

French

Restaurant

94 Promenade way

Kohimarama

0800-Belilasa

0800-235-452

WWW.BELILASA.CO.NZ


  DESSERT

DELIVERY

MENU.



Belilasa Delivery Menu
Traditional French Desserts and special cakes
all made with time honoured methods and lots of love
made fresh for you and delivered to your door.
Make your special occasion even more special
with our specialty baked treats.
It may be for a romantic dinner , and intimate
dinner party or an extra special event, like a
birthday, a wedding or a anniversary.

Come and talk to Church our Master Patissere
we can cater for 2 people up to 500



In the mood for Romance (all of these dishes
are for 2 but can be increased in multiples of 2)


Lemon Meringue pies
Tangy lemon curd with light fluffy clouds on
Meringue in a crisp buttery pastry shell.
These are individual tarts
price is for 2     $26.00

Chocolate mousse
rich creamy chocolate mousse made
with fresh cream and eggs and the very
best chocolate and served
with a raspberry couli. $30.00

pistachio and chestnut macaroons

Layers of a chestnut macaroons
with a pistachio cream chantilly.
A perfect dessert to go  with coffee$30.00

Fig and Black Cherry Tart
A crisp tart shell with rich luxurious
Creme Anglaise and topped with Black cherries
and fresh figs$35.00


The following desserts can be for an intimate

dinner party  right through to a special
event like a wedding, birthday, anniversary
or any other special celebration.

Rum Baba
A dense yeast moulded cake
in a rich vanilla and rum sauce
served with creme chantilly and either candied or
fresh seasonal fruits. Ideal for christmas $35.00

Minature meringues with fruit sauce
petite crisp meringue with fresh seasonal
fruit purees, you can choose from
strawberry, mango, raspberry,lemon,
peach,blueberry,orange,plum $5.00/piece

Apple Tarte
A Crisp buttery tart shell with tender apple, sugar and cinnamon
delicately layered and baked and served with creme chantilly.$35.00

Chocolate Fondant
Rich minature chocolate cakes,encased in bittersweet chocolate
with velvet chocolate and coffee centres
and decorated with coffee cream chantilly. $6.00/piece



Petite fours and chocolates

We have a wide range of petite fours and chocolates and can make
any combinations and quantities that you desire
prices start at $7.00/piece



We can do very special celebration cakes, here are a variety for you to choose from.
Prices are given at time of request. Please talk with Church for all your special
occasion cakes, from Christmas, to Birthdays to Weddings.

Buche Noel

Chocolate Torte

wedding cake

Our Piece de Resistance
Croquembouche


Please do not hesitate in talking to us about something
different  to what we have in this catalogue.
Delivery charges apply on orders under $200.00

Our Patisserie Chef Church Fonteyne is a Master of his craft.

He is internationally recognised as being one of the finest.

The royal house of Monacco were sad to see him leave to persue other things.

He can create any dessert you desire, if there is something special please do not hesitate to ask .

Belilasa

French

Restaurant

94 Promenade way

Kohimarama

0800-Belilasa

0800-235-452

WWW.BELILASA.CO.NZ

LE MENU

 Potages:

 


Soups; all our delicious soups are made from fresh ingredients and
are accompanied by fresh rounds of baguette lightly toasted with
either garlic or fresh herbs.




Bouillabaisse
a thick chunky soup with fresh local fish, and a mix of
shellfish from the New Zealand oceans lightly seasoned
with fresh herbs,fennel and coarse black pepper with

 

saffron and a slightly spicy tomato base  $20.00        

Ognon Soup
a traditionally classic soup of onions and beef stock
slow cooked and luxurious on the palate with a crispy
grilled cheese croute on top.$15.00                                 

 

 

 

 

 

Entrees:

 

 Salade Verte

 

 Green salad of fresh seasonal mixed lettuce with quail eggs lightly

 

boiled, red onions,and radicchio with a Dijon vinergrette.$12.00

 

 

 

Baked Brebis Agour Cheese

 

Rounds of Fresh Brebis Agour  (a creamy sheepsmilk cheese) Cheese baked

 

on to croutes and garnished with

 

baby tomatoes and fresh asparagus. $18.00

 

 

 

Escargot

 

 lightly panfried in garlic butter and served on a green

 

salad of rocket,  fresh herbs and a chiffonade of cucumber

 

Available in 1/2 dozen or 1 dozen.$22.00.00/$40.00


Foie Gras icecream

 Goose and duck liver icecream with black truffles

and Argmanac encrusted in crusty seasalt

served with fresh toasted walnut bread $26.00

 

Roasted duck Tart

 

 

a crisp puff pastry base topped with a seared

 

pepper and herb encrusted duck  breast, baby

 

sliced  beetroot and a fresh orange sauce.$28.00

 

 

 

Il Plat du Principles

Champignon and Truffle Noir Souffle
A light airy Souffle with layers of sauteed mushrooms
and shaved black truffle and served with thin croutes
of walnut bread on a celeriac julliene. $33.00

Poulet Kiev
Succulent Chicken breast stuffed with garlic butter
dipped in fresh breadcrumbs and pan fried and served
on roasted sage potatoes with a light white wine
sauce $37.00

Porc Cassoulet … Pork Belly slowcooked with

Haricot beans in a rich tomato sauce and served

 

with a Parsnip and potato mash.$40.00

 

 

 

Boeuf Bourgignon

Tender morsels of Bourf in a rich Burgandy

 

 sauce with baby carrots, shallots and celery and served

 

potate dauphine. $42.00


Baked  d Agneau loin

 

Tender lamb  loin slow baked and lightly seasoned with

 

 garlic, black pepper, sea salt, and fresh thyme and served with

 

 baked marrow stuffed with rice, tomatoes and onions and a

 

delicate jus. $45.00


Grande Cigale

Grilled Slipper Lobster with a fresh lemon and herb butter

served on Lyonaise potatoes and fresh mesclun and nasturtiam

flower salad. $60.00


On the Side:

Vegetable Provence

Seasonal vegetables in a bold Provence sauce $15.00


Salade Pommes du Terre

 

A Hot potato salade with roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and served

 

in a creamy lemon dressing $15.00

 


Mixed Salade

A combination of tomatoes , lettuce, peas,shaved fennel

with fresh olives lightly dressed in an aioli dressing $16.00


To Cleanse  the Palate:


Lemon Sorbet

a delicate lemon sorbet, that gently cleanses

your palate leaving it refreshed $10.00


Mint Sorbet

Refreshingly minty sorbet that freshens the

breath and aids digestion $10.00


Lime and Pear Sorbet

Zesty lime and delicate pear sorbet

that delicately coats the tongue

while awakening the senses $10.00


The Cheese Selection

We have a superb selection of cheese

for you to choose from complete with

crackers and fruit paste.With a selection of

breads and crackers. 4 varieties of

cheese are served per person.(please refer

to our cheese menu) $30.00


Desserts

We have a selection from here or you can choose

from our dessert trolley

Creme Brulee
Rich creamy smooth custard topped with caramallised
sugar and served with slices of crisp pear and
almond tuilles$25.00


Opera Cake

Lovely layers of sponge layered with coffee syrup,

buttercream with coffee essence, caramel and dark

chocolate$30.00


Profiteroles

delicate choux pastries filled with creme patissierie

and a chocolate sauce drizzled lightly over the top$30.00



Crepes Suzette

Light delicate Crepes Cooked at your table

and flambed in a Brandy and liquer sauce with

zesty orange slices and served with Creme Chantilly$35.00


Apple Tarte Tartin

Sliced Apples with cinammon , nutmeg, brown sugar and

cooked in a crisp pastry shell and served with Creme Anglaise $36.00


Petit fours and Chocolates

a selection of petit fours and chocolates

just made for sharing.

Rich hand made chocolates and luxurious dainty

delicate cakes all individually

crafted and decorated with romance in mind $45.00

please ask your Waitering person about our variety

The Dessert Trolley:

Our Dessert Trolley changes on a daily basis
and only the finest ingredients are used.Please
ask your Waitering person to show you our selection.
The selection may include any of the following dishes.

Fresh Berry and Hazelnut Roulade
A delicate Hazelnut Meringue rolled and filled with
fresh berries and creme chantilly and served with
a hazelnut wafer.

Mille Feuille
Layers of light flakey pastry filled with  creme patisserie
and topped with a fresh strawberry couli

Chocolate pots du creme
Rich decadent chocolate mousse made with
fresh cream eggs,finely milled sugar,
 exquisite Valrhona Guanaja bittersweet
chocolate and served with fresh fruit.

Almond Brioche
Fresh Almond Brioche, topped with
 Creme Fraiche and roasted apricots

Apple Charlotte
Layers of rich bread pudding and apple
served with creme anglaise and raspberry couli

Chocolate Gateaux
Rich moist chocolate cake layered with chocolate creme
and served with a caramel sauce.

Poached pears
Whole pears poached in Rose wine
and served with  creme fraiche

Chestnut tart
A short crust pastry shell filled with a roasted
chestnut and creme puree and served with
a hazelnut praline

Everything on the dessert trolley is $35.00/serving

 

Le Fromage Menu

Munster
a  firm intense flavoured Cows milk cheese.

During its maturing, Munster is turned every two days and washed with warm water from the Vosges.
 This method develops a red coating on the rind that protects the cheese as it ages.
The rind is slightly corrugated and humid, which comes from the washing.
 Over time the rind turns from yellow to red. Under the rind we find a pate that is pliable and sticky.
Brie
The King of cheeses a rich  soft  creamy cows milk cheese
The taste is creamy, and as the maturing process continues one detects a subtle nutty flavour.
The pate is compact, supple and evenly textured.
 Its colour is pale yellow, reminiscent of straw. Its rind looks like white velvet.
Echourgnac
Matured with nut liquor.

Since 1868, Trappist nuns have been collecting milk from neighbouring farms to make and

ripen this artisanal cheese in l’Abbaye d’Echourgnac, in Périgord. They use the same methods of production as for Port-Salut
The rind of the Echouargnac is very slightly moist and bounces under finger pressure.

The flavour is balanced and simple.

However the taste of the Echouargnac is raised thanks to a refining with nut-liqueur

which confers it this so particular savor.

The Affinage of the Echouargnac takes 2 months in the abbey cellars.

This cheese has a dark nutty brown exterior and a pale buttery inside.

A firm cows milk cheese .

Tomme de chèvre des Pyrénées

Uncooked, pressed semi-hard  goats cheese

Ewe’s milk cheeses have been produced in the Pyrénées for centuries

but goat’s milk like the Tommes de chevre des pyrenees are very rare.

The curd of the goat’s milk is wrapped in a cloth, drained and lightly pressed to discard the whey.

This ensures the Tomme de chevre des pyrenees will keep for longer.

The ripened cheese is large, heavy and solid, with a firm white dry and compact pâte that occasionaly splits.

The flavour is rich.

Six Pans du Lauragais

This is a goat’s cheese from the Lauragais region of France.
It taste is light, subtly sweet, and tends to melt in the mouth. Enjoy!
The pate is firm, with a smooth texture.



Rouleau de Provence

The Rouleau de Provence is produced by a limited number of farmers in the Alpes of the Haute Provence.

Their goat herds feed off the meadows where one finds the perfumed grasses of Provence: thyme, rosemary, sage,
A delightful little goat cheese full of all the aromas and enchanting flavours of  Provence.

Delicious…
The white pâte of the Rouleau de Provence are very soft and creamy.

Charolais

The Charolais comes from the granite plains around the Charolles region of Bourgogne,

near the Beaujolais vineyards, from which it gets its name.

Its shape is a barrel with concave sides.

It can be eaten fresh, slightly dried (demi sec) or very dry.

Its artisan production varies greatly from farm to farm.

Sometimes the cheese is made only from goat’s milk, or a mixture of goat and cow milk.

Tradition calls for the Charolais to be made from two portions of goat’s milk to one portion of cow’s milk.
The richness of these plains produces a subtle savour of milk,

and the saltiness and sweetness of its aroma is a pleasure to the palate.

In this latter state it is in the category of strong cheeses.

It is also greatly appreciated in the dry state.
In the course of the first two weeks of maturing, its rind turns a

blue/grey shade and is covered with blue/ white mould.

 



Bleu de Chèvre
An uncooked, unpressed soft cheese with veins of blue mould

This traditional mountain cheese, a sweet bleu, is very particular as it is made with goat’s milk.

The summer version has a simple flavour of the milk produced by goats grazing in the mountains

and is characterized by a comforting roundness and the faint perfume of the mould.


Patte d’Ours

This cheese comes from the Bearn region of France.

Its particularity is that is made from mixing cows and ewes milk.

This gives the cheese an interesting personality.

For the true gourmet we suggest you spread a light covering of black cherry jam over the cheese,

close your eyes and slowly savour. You might find yourself in paradise.
The taste is somewhere between a Ossau-Iraty and a Pyrenees Brebis.

The mixing of the softer, subtle taste of cows milk with the more pronounced acidic taste of ewes milk is a delight to the palate.
Le Patte d’Ours is an uncooked, pressed cheese with a smooth soft, sticky pate.



Roquefort

The Roquefort is probably the world’s greatest blue cheese.
 It is produced entirely from the milk of the ewes that feed on the vast plateaux
 (Causses- a limestone plateau ringed with cliffs) found in the Aveyron.
The ripening of the cheeses is in the natural damp, aired caves found under the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
It is the quality of the milk, the processing of the curd, the adding of “penicillium roqueforti”
and finally the ripening in natural caves that give us this unique and remarkable cheese.
 The exterior aspect of a Roquefort cheese should be white and faintly shiny.
The taste of the Roquefort cheese is complex, but quite outstanding… Soft, creamy, slightly salty,
 with an after taste that leaves the palate craving for more.
 A good Roquefort cheese should never be aggressive. Roquefort marries extremely well with nuts and figs.
The “pâte” should be cohesive at the same time slightly crumbly.
 The texture is buttery with blue veins of mold extending to the edges.
 The smell has a subtle register of sheep’s milk.

Tomme Brulee

The Tomme Brulee cheese comes from the Basque region of France.

This Tome de brebis (ewe) is relatively small.
This process gives the Tomme Brulee cheese

a burned aspect but in no way does it detract from its delicious.
Its originality is that at the end of the maturing period its rind is singed with a naked flame.

 an uncooked, pressed semi-hard cheese


Tricorne

Traditionally the Tricorne is produced at Saulzais.

The ewes are fed on fresh grass and hay.

Tradition demands that the curd is allowed to stand for 20 hours at 18°.

This is followed by ladling the curd in the moulds.

It is then let to ripen for one month in a dry well ventilated cellar.
The taste of the Tricorne is interesting and the flavour well developed.

A well balanced distinctive soft creamy textured cheese.



 

 

Categories
General Stuff

Something Fishy going on here

this week in class we were working with fish and shellfish. We worked with 2 of my most favourites of shell fish Mussels and Prawns, as well as Cockles. We also did a poached Hapuku (groper) with Hapuku Mousselines on top of a pea and chive risotto and provencal  sauce on the side. As for the Mussels we did them Marinara style , with white wine, cream, shallots , The Prawns we did in kebabs with a coriander and white wine sauce, and Cockle Fritters with a tangy yoghurt and parsely dressing.Yum  the Prawns were my favourite. I also learnt how to make Prawn oil, wow that was so much fun

The pot on the right hand side is the prawn oil coming up to temperature, I will post a pic of the finished oil in the next day or so

prawn kebabprawn oil

hapukucockle frittersmussels

Categories
General Stuff

A Ginger and Apple Schnapps Fruit Flan

This is a sweet shortpastry crust base brushed with chocolate and topped with a ginger and apple schnapps pastry cream topped with melons, pineapple, grapes , plums, oranges and strawberries1fruitflan