(Cheese raptures ahead)
This blurry little post comes the morning after our second attempt at Jamie’s birthday dinner. A far more successful birthday dinner was had than the flaming affair of Nemours at the Michelin starred Chapeau Rouge http://www.chapeau-rouge.fr/restaurant/home.htm. But, more about that some other time. ..I’m typing on the TGV train from Dijon. Today we leave France and head to Switzerland/Germany (Busingen) to visit my mother and see the Matterhorn. More about that later too. Today I will be writing an overdue post about love.
My love for Epoisses began when my good friend Kadir smuggled an Epoisses back to Derby with him from a trip to Melbourne. The pungent little cheese had flown from its namesake town in France, all the way to Melbourne, and then been carefully transported all the way to WA’s north – safely encased in its signature wooden box. When it reached its new home, Jamie and I savoured it over several days. We ate tiny pieces and we smelled the rich cheesy smell before each bite. A great love was born then, and I feel it will always endure. One lifelong cheese lover had found her perfect match.
The famous gourmand/epicurean Brillat-Savarin described Epoisses as ‘the king of cheeses’ (this quote is everywhere around France.). I bow down to my ruler. It’s very hard to describe tastes, but Epoisses is really not to be missed. It is firm, extremely strong and flavoursome, meaty, soft…the paste can be a mix of gooey liquid and chalky centre – each sublime. I prefer it when it’s gooey all the way through.
Epoisses is a strong (stinky) unpasturised (usually) soft, washed rind cheese, made only in the Epoisses region of the Cote D’or department in Burgundy, France. It is believed to have been created by Cistercian monks at the start of the 16th Century, washed many times during its aging process in the local Marc de Bourgogne brandy. Those naughty monks and their brandy... The cheese recipe was handed down and produced for hundreds of years, only to die out a little after the second world war (poor prioritising of the diminished post-war workforce, I say). In 1956 this fabulous cheese was revived by Robert and Simon Bertaut, who started the Bertaut Fromagerie and now produce all fermier (farm) Epoisses cheese.
Bertaut Epoisses is my favourite of the Epoisses, and this is where Jamie kindly insisted I visit to meet my (cheese) maker.
Epoisses generally: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89poisses_de_Bourgogne
When Jamie and I arrived in Montbard, we were close to the source of my affection - the town of Epoisses was only 48klms away. But to get to Epoisses from Montbard was either a long tricky day ride on roads over hills, or…a pleasant journey in a hire car. We chose wisely and headed to Epoisses in our borrowed black Opal. Driving on the right, seated on the left while changing gears with my left hand was challenging, but I stayed focused on the cheese and we arrived safely.
The town of Epoisses is charming, in the style of many charming European towns: http://www.chateaudepoisses.com/ . We arrived just before lunch time, and the Bertaut cheese factory opened at 3pm. Perfect! We explored the grandiose Epoisses castle (complete with swampy moat and ornate spiked gates), and then headed to the Pomme D’Or ('apple of gold') pub for lunch. We opted for the Epoisses lunch, and we were richly rewarded. For our entrée, Jamie had the roti espice bread…with Epoisses. Little triangles of the delicious, rich, sweet Burgundian spiced bread, toasted with Epoisses chunks melted to brown, crisped perfection on top. Epoisses is a soft cheese, but the paste is firm enough that it melts solidly and retains its form. Jamie was very impressed with his entrée and decided this was the best toastie he’d ever had. It was delicious. I had the Epoisses millefeuille, which was also superb – soft melty gooey Epoisses encased in crisp buttery pastry. So good.
Our main (which had been specially prepared to cater to our pescatorian preference) was simply baked white fish, in a delicate herbed butter with steamed wild rice and a medley of peppers in buttery sauce. Simple and delicious rustic country fare, accompanied by crusty bread and a bottle of crisp local Chablis.
To finish, of course, we had assiette fromage – cheese plates. The cheese plates had large chunks of Epoisses as well as its cousins – Saumatrin and , from nearby Bertaut. The cheeses were partbered with a few walnuts and some toasted pine nuts, and the same crusty country bread. Sublime.
The post-lunch visit to Bertaut fromagerie was fabulous too – although the factory does not open to visitors, so we had to content ourselves with browsing and purchasing in the shop. Of course we took home some cheesy friends…
I could bang on all day about these cheeses, but I suppose I should stop.
I thoroughly recommend Epoisses to all. If you can’t find it in your local cheese importer – it is available from:
http://www.rhcl.com.au/index.php/cheese_room_view/epoisses-berthaut-250g-cut-piece.html
This blurry little post comes the morning after our second attempt at Jamie’s birthday dinner. A far more successful birthday dinner was had than the flaming affair of Nemours at the Michelin starred Chapeau Rouge http://www.chapeau-rouge.fr/restaurant/home.htm. But, more about that some other time. ..I’m typing on the TGV train from Dijon. Today we leave France and head to Switzerland/Germany (Busingen) to visit my mother and see the Matterhorn. More about that later too. Today I will be writing an overdue post about love.
My love for Epoisses began when my good friend Kadir smuggled an Epoisses back to Derby with him from a trip to Melbourne. The pungent little cheese had flown from its namesake town in France, all the way to Melbourne, and then been carefully transported all the way to WA’s north – safely encased in its signature wooden box. When it reached its new home, Jamie and I savoured it over several days. We ate tiny pieces and we smelled the rich cheesy smell before each bite. A great love was born then, and I feel it will always endure. One lifelong cheese lover had found her perfect match.
The famous gourmand/epicurean Brillat-Savarin described Epoisses as ‘the king of cheeses’ (this quote is everywhere around France.). I bow down to my ruler. It’s very hard to describe tastes, but Epoisses is really not to be missed. It is firm, extremely strong and flavoursome, meaty, soft…the paste can be a mix of gooey liquid and chalky centre – each sublime. I prefer it when it’s gooey all the way through.
Epoisses is a strong (stinky) unpasturised (usually) soft, washed rind cheese, made only in the Epoisses region of the Cote D’or department in Burgundy, France. It is believed to have been created by Cistercian monks at the start of the 16th Century, washed many times during its aging process in the local Marc de Bourgogne brandy. Those naughty monks and their brandy... The cheese recipe was handed down and produced for hundreds of years, only to die out a little after the second world war (poor prioritising of the diminished post-war workforce, I say). In 1956 this fabulous cheese was revived by Robert and Simon Bertaut, who started the Bertaut Fromagerie and now produce all fermier (farm) Epoisses cheese.
Bertaut Epoisses is my favourite of the Epoisses, and this is where Jamie kindly insisted I visit to meet my (cheese) maker.
Epoisses generally: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89poisses_de_Bourgogne
When Jamie and I arrived in Montbard, we were close to the source of my affection - the town of Epoisses was only 48klms away. But to get to Epoisses from Montbard was either a long tricky day ride on roads over hills, or…a pleasant journey in a hire car. We chose wisely and headed to Epoisses in our borrowed black Opal. Driving on the right, seated on the left while changing gears with my left hand was challenging, but I stayed focused on the cheese and we arrived safely.
The town of Epoisses is charming, in the style of many charming European towns: http://www.chateaudepoisses.com/ . We arrived just before lunch time, and the Bertaut cheese factory opened at 3pm. Perfect! We explored the grandiose Epoisses castle (complete with swampy moat and ornate spiked gates), and then headed to the Pomme D’Or ('apple of gold') pub for lunch. We opted for the Epoisses lunch, and we were richly rewarded. For our entrée, Jamie had the roti espice bread…with Epoisses. Little triangles of the delicious, rich, sweet Burgundian spiced bread, toasted with Epoisses chunks melted to brown, crisped perfection on top. Epoisses is a soft cheese, but the paste is firm enough that it melts solidly and retains its form. Jamie was very impressed with his entrée and decided this was the best toastie he’d ever had. It was delicious. I had the Epoisses millefeuille, which was also superb – soft melty gooey Epoisses encased in crisp buttery pastry. So good.
Our main (which had been specially prepared to cater to our pescatorian preference) was simply baked white fish, in a delicate herbed butter with steamed wild rice and a medley of peppers in buttery sauce. Simple and delicious rustic country fare, accompanied by crusty bread and a bottle of crisp local Chablis.
To finish, of course, we had assiette fromage – cheese plates. The cheese plates had large chunks of Epoisses as well as its cousins – Saumatrin and , from nearby Bertaut. The cheeses were partbered with a few walnuts and some toasted pine nuts, and the same crusty country bread. Sublime.
The post-lunch visit to Bertaut fromagerie was fabulous too – although the factory does not open to visitors, so we had to content ourselves with browsing and purchasing in the shop. Of course we took home some cheesy friends…
I could bang on all day about these cheeses, but I suppose I should stop.
I thoroughly recommend Epoisses to all. If you can’t find it in your local cheese importer – it is available from:
http://www.rhcl.com.au/index.php/cheese_room_view/epoisses-berthaut-250g-cut-piece.html
