Raclette is a hearty dish, meant to be enjoyed after a day on the Alps slopes. Even without the skiing, it's a fun meal to share with friends and requires very little actual cooking. That makes it ideal for the busy hostess, so I love hosting raclette dinner parties in the winter. If you don't already know raclette, let me introduce you to one of Switzerland's signature dish. Raclette is four things really: A pungent washed rind cows milk cheese. The dish you make with that cheese. The grill you use to melt the raclette (cheese) for the raclette (dish). The dinner party where people get together to eat the raclette (dish) made by melting raclette (cheese) on the raclette ...
Fromage Friday
Meet Mimo, the Cheesy Jack O’Lantern
Last year, mimolette gave me quite a scare when it looked like its sale was going to be banned in the US because of some microscopic mite on its rind. Well, mimolette is back without mite this time and it wants to be part of your Halloween celebrations. Afterall, mimolette is round and orange, so it's definitely a great alternative to a pumpkin for a Jack o'lantern and the French Cheese Board, the home of all things French cheese in New York city, is showcasing mimolette from October 23 to November 7 at their HQ at 26 West 39th Street. Conveniently enough, I will be in New York to cheer for a French friend running the New York marathon... looks like I'll be meeting you soon mimo! ...
The White House Says Cheese (Virtual Cheese)
Have a question about cheese? You're in luck: tomorrow, the White House is hosting its first (Virtual) Big Block of Cheese Day, inspired by Andrew Jackson ... and the West Wing. And while one could think this would just be a way for the White House to get in the mood to host the (newly single) French president who's coming to town in a few weeks, the Virtual Big Block of Cheese Day actually has very little to do with cheese. Womp, womp. According to the White House statement, the original "Big Block of Cheese Day opened the doors of the White House to thousands of citizens to interact with cabinet members and White House staff – and carve off a slice of the four foot by two foot thick ...
Joyeuse journée du sandwich au fromage fondu!
I don't know if there really is a word in French for grilled cheese sandwich... but in honour of National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day here in the U.S. (yes, there is such a thing...) I thought I would pay homage to my favourite grilled cheese sandwich of all: the croque monsieur. Croque Monsieurs are classic items on the menus of French bistros and cafés. Croque means to crunch or bite and monsieur means sir so the "crunchy mister" is basically our version of the grilled cheese, typically made with ham and emmental, though the best one in my opinions also have béchamel. A more elaborate version, the croque madame, adds a fried egg on top. I've used this recipe to make it at home, but ...
Fromage Friday – Cheese Plate at The Hamilton
Cheese may not be the first item you would think about ordering from The Hamilton's menu. The Clyde's group new venue may attract dinner to its 12-seats sushi bar where former Zentan chef Jason Zheng is serving original rolls like the salmon lover roll (with roasted tomatoes and kiwi). Or they might gravitate towards one of the huge restaurant's 5 bars where the staff whips out some tasty artisanal cocktails - my favourite so far was the Aaron Burr with Leopold Gin, but I haven't make my way through the whole list quite yet ;-) The late-night bites, like the burgers or the flat iron steak poutine, I'm sure, will also be hugely popular since the new 14th & F space is planning on staying ...
Fromage Friday: Brookville Supermarket
Brookville is a great neighbourhood supermarket serving the Cleveland Park community. It's small, but carries all the essentials that you might need and prices aren't too inflated. It even has a great meat section, with duck confit and duck bacon from D'Artagnan or marrow bones, kosher food and a great little cheese selection. I actually had a hard time limiting myself to 4 cheeses, but here is what I selected there:Champignon German Brie with Mushrooms ($5.98) is a double cream, soft-ripened cheese enhanced by the addition of handpicked mushrooms. There's a reason Germany isn't known for its cheeses. Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly fine piece of cheese and it's not too expensive so I ...
Fromage Friday – Trader Joe’s
This week's fromage Friday is brought to you by Trader Joe's in the West End. Trader Joe's actually has a good selection of cheeses at affordable prices (the boursin there also retails for $3.49, one of the cheapest price in the city), including their own store brand. Here's the cheese tray I came up with after my trip to TJ:Saint André $4.20 - If you're calorie conscious this triple cream cheese with 75% butterfat is probably not for you! Saint André is a soft-ripened cheese in the tradition of brie and camembert made from cow's milk and enriched with pure cream. It's 50% richer than the average camembert but has a similar mild taste, with a whipped yet buttery texture. The rind is edible ...
French Fridays with Dorie: Gougères
I love reading stories written by Americans living in Paris. I miss my hometown so I devour blogs like David Lebovitz or Lost in Cheeseland. Their expatriate experience in the City of Light just seems a lot more exciting than mine here in DC. I mean, Washington is great and all, but it's no Paris. One of the expat I am most envious of is Dorie Greenspan. Not only does she get to live a fabulous life in the 6th arrondissement, but she also gets to co-author books with some of my culinary idols like Daniel Boulud or Pierre Herme. So I got to go to the West Wing once and saw the Oval Office... big deal!! She authored not just one but two books with the king of pastry himself. I'm officially ...
