gariotin

Wow - a beautiful looking meal in a beautiful little place...I can see why you want to continue to go there. What a great recap - thanks to Linda for being willing to take the pix!

The reason I'm not commenting on amapola's correct answer is because I am jealous - it was right there for us to see and I wanted to win that dinner!!! As to bavila's question, the mold in many blue cheeses is indeed a type of penicillium - p. roqueforti. Gorgonzola is made with p. gorgonzola and I can't get a definitive answer on Stilton. I consulted 3 different books - 1 called The Story of Stilton - and found no exact info. I am not sure about the relationship between amoxycillin and penicillium, so I would check with your pediatrician. If they are related, I would stay away until he is much older - sometimes we grow out of those things. And there are so many other wonderful cheeses he can enjoy!

I've been living with my soapstone for about 7 months now and still love it. I do not love the oiled look, so I only do the island every month or so to even out the darker edges where hands have been. When I get a dark spot from oil, etc., I just run the water very hot from the tap, soak a sponge, and slap it on the spot. Pick it up after a few minutes, and it's almost always gone. Someone else will have to confirm, but I think that the hot water just dissipates the small amount of oil into the stone? Where's a geologist when you need one? I am inclined to keep going this way, - I guess the stone will get darker over time, but I like the rougher lighter look over the shiny dark - looks too much like granite. As to all the nicks and gouges, can't say this is a problem for me - maybe Vermont soapstone is a little harder?

I like seeing everything before it is cooked so that we can see the "before" and "after". I agree with someone else's comment - you can almost smell the garlic, herbs, oil, etc from the pix. These photos are making me feel starving - I am going to make lunch!

Dave, as always, the cheese pix and comments are so inspiring. Thanks for the wonderful reminders of what we are missing - even tho the selection and quality of French cheeses is so much better here in the States, we are missing the "real deal" of raw milk soft-ripeneds and chevres. That St. Felician is a beaut! The little Whole Foods in Providence hearkens back to the "old days" when the chain was called Bread & Circus. It is still a wonderful little store and does an amazing job merchandising lots of delicious products in such a little space. I am really enjoying your blog and had to laugh remembering that I once offended you by mistaking the avatar pix of Rupert for a rabbit!!

The breakfast basket full of beautiful breads - a sight to behold! And your apricot tart looks wonderful. OK...you are going to use yours tonite...how about a trivet for hot pans on the table?

Hi, Dave, Looking forward to reading your blog and learning more about your part of France. The lunch looks delicious - what a beautiful coil of sausage. And of course, the cheese! Yum!

I am admittedly a little lax in this dept - partly because I do not like to eat cold food. I like things lo be at room temp. I am not speaking of raw meat or fish, as much as cheese, pate, veggies, etc. It is something I think about, even with refrigerated foods, as I have absolutely no sense of smell. This means I taste about 1 on a scale of 1 to 10. Did you know that the 3 biggest dangers for people with anosmia are fire, gas leaks, and...food poisoning! A perfect example was last week - I had bought a pint of chicken salad from the local deli and brought it right home to refrigerate. My daughter came over about a day later and tried some - made a face and spit it out. She said it tasted sour and spoiled. I had just had a sandwich about an hour before and it tasted fine to me! I dumped it, and luckily didn't get sick, but it's a problem. Can y imagine pouring curdled milk right into your coffee b/c you can't smell that it's sour? Yep, I've done it a few times. The last time I got what I think was food poisoning was from a restaurant dish involving wild mushrooms - think I got a doozy and barfed my brains out all nite. That was about 20 years ago.

Another book that is a thoughtful, provoking read - not just another diet book - is The Philospher's Diet.

That's a good point, Ohba. I had never done any kind of regular exercise - I would join a gym and go for a month or 2 and then stop. I guess what I mean with this, is that I have walked a 3 mile loop a minimum of 3 times a week for 15 years. Some weeks I go 4 or 5 times, but never less than 3 - I live in Boston, so I do it rain or shine, snow or sleet, all year long. So...you are right that it doesn't seem like much, but I think it has paid off by doing it for many years. I know many heavy people who have problems with their knees, or problems walking, or doing physical activity. I currently weigh 220 and have no problem physically - I hike, garden, bike, kayak, etc. I think it is because the regular activity keeps me limber and relatively fit.

I have struggled with weight and body issues my entire life - I cannot remember a time when my mother was not restricting my food choices and amounts. Needless to say, I grew up with disordered eating and still vacillate between periods of healthy eating and eating what I want. I have gained and lost football teams in my life - 30, 40 , 50, 60 , 70 lbs at a time. The last big loss was 70 lbs back in 1992 and I have just this year reached the weight I was at before the loss. 15 years to gain back 70 lbs - the good news is that is by far the slowest regain ever. I have made some changes in food choices, portions, and exercise that have slowed down the yo-yo significantly. I never give up trying and have exercized by walking a min of 9 miles a week for the last 15 years, so my overall health, stamina, and fitness is very good. A slight bump in blood pressure and cholesterol once I went thru menapause, but not bad. I am actually considering the new orlistat over-the-counter, alli, just to get a jump start on losing 20 lbs or so. If the side effects are too bad, I'll say eff it. All I can say to those who do not have to fight this fight - imagine telling an alcoholic that they MUST drink 3 times a day, BUT they can't get drunk. For those of us with food issues, that is what it is like. I can go for years sometimes eating healthily and keeping things under control, but at some point, it just becomes too much work and I fall off the wagon. It becomes exhausting having to think about every freaking meal I eat, demands too much of my time and attention, and I rebel. And I expect it will be that way all my life. As someone pointed out - the "tension" becomes unbearable.

An old eccentric Auntie from Michigan sent me a box of kitchen stuff. Most was cheap and crappy, but there were a dozen lobster crackers and a dozen little picks to get the meat form the claws. Since I live in Boston, I use them for a party at least once a year.

Am back from my 2 weeks in Germany - man, they do eat a lotta cheese over there! Most of it is pretty much the staples - tilsit, gouda-style, soft-ripened with stuff in it like peppercorns, herbs, etc., and the multitudes of Bavarian blues which seems to be the generic name for what we know as Cambazola in the US. Cheese is a constant part of every breakfast buffet (I was staying in hotels the whole time), along w/an endless variety of cold cuts and wursts, smoked fish, and eggs. I must say, this is my favorite style of breakfast, hands down, and probably gained 5 pounds just from that! These cheeses were very good quality, but pedestrian - certainly better than American equivalents, but nothing to stir your passion, like Dave's recent photos. The 2 exceptions were very interesting: At a market square in Weimar, there was a man selling artisinal tilsit. It was a revelation - he makes small batches with his own milk. The cheese was pungent with a full round flavor - it made the more commercial tilsit a distant memory. Beautiful funky rinds as well. I bought some to take and once it got to room temp, my travelling companions were dying from the smell - more on that later. The other was more interesting than delicious - it was a weird little cheese served in Cologne called Mainzer. They were about 3 oz discs, but almost transparent - not opaque like most cheese. Could this be some kind of whey cheese? They had an almost gel kind of texture - cumin seeds on top like many cheeses from the Alsace. Strong full flavor - weird enough to be interesting. It was also possible to easily get raw milk French cheeses when we were in most market squares, so I scored camembert, crottin chavingnol, epoisses, and muensters. That's when the travelling crew mutinied - all the usual wimpy complaints about how it smelled like dirty feet or old socks. I tried to explain that is not a bad thing in raw milk cheeses, but to no avail. Anyhow, I can't say I found too much new, but was impressed at the overall quality of their cheeses. Anyone know anything about the Mainzer?

I'm on my way to a 2 week trip to Germany. I don't hold their cheeses in very high regard, but am interested in whether they keep their better cheeses for themselves and not for export. Does anyone have suggestions on excellent German cheeses? I plan to visit KaDeWe in Berlin, which is supposed to be one of the best "feinschmecker" i.e. gourmet departments in Europe. I'll update on my findings when I return.

I have had aligot in France and it is very rich and delicious. I think it would be worth making and I was also drawn to the recipe w/the horseradish in it - I think it would add a great tang. Some people could have problems finding Lagioule, and I have heard that Cantal can be subbed, altho it will not be as traditional. So, yes, I think it is a regional classic and would be work trying to recreate in your kitchen. It's pretty heavy, so it would be great in the colder months with some grilled meat and a green salad - and a nice red wine, of course!

Tallegio and pecorino toscano - from the young and soft to the aged and hard, they are all great!

Good info, Carolyn, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled here on the East Coast.

Wake up, cheeseheads - this thread has been oddly quiet lately! Lindsay - this one is for you - I have been at a food show in Chicago for 3 days and saw Judy Schad from Capriole. I told her that she and her cheeses were a much-discussed part of this cheese thread and she was intrigued. So when you see her at the farmer's market next time, introduce yourself and explain that you are part of this cheese discussion board. I was tasting out Australian cheeses - Roaring 40s and Seal Bay triple cream were the big hits. People also liked the bandage-wrapped aged cheddar and the smoked cheddar. Breda Maher, a wonderful Irish cheesemaker, was tasting out her wonderful Cooleeney soft-ripened cheese, as well as a beautiful new one called Daru. It has a grey funky rind with a yellow crumbly paste that is buttery and delicious. Also noted the wonderful blues from Rogue River Creamery - we have discussed these already, but every time I went by their table, I had to have a taste of the Smokey Blue. Yum! What cheeses are people into these days?

Very impressive, Bueno...a worthy choice!

Good description, Kris, especially the funky rind. Crayeuse means "chalky" in French and the center of the paste often stays drier and, well, chalkier, than the more ripened area under the rind. It is not easy to find here in the US, but a great cheese.

If you are satisfied with several thin slices stacked on the sandwich to equal one thick slice, a cheese plane is the way to go. Also, even tho the "rule" is to leave cheese out to reach room temp before it's eaten, cold cheese is much easier to slice in one piece. So slice and put on a plate loosely wrapped with wax paper or saran?

When I was a kid and we played the game of "what would you bring to eat on a desert island if you could only bring one food?", I would always answer "CHEESE!!!". I've been selling cheese now for over 25 years, so that is still true. There are just too many good ones to choose...so many types of cheeses, so little time...

Ugh - I sell a ton of that Wdale w/cranberries and I can't believe people buy it! It is horrible. I visited Hawe's Creamery last year and tasted their blue wensleydale. It is a unique and delicious cheese - funny, but now that I think about it, I am not sure I have ever seen it for sale here in the States. Someone should get on that.

That article about the webcam is a hoot!

Oooo - yes, that is a great cheese. I believe the correct pronounciation is ee-dee-ah-THA-bul - of course that is the Castillian thing with the z being a th. I was pronouncing it differently and was corrected by a Spaniard. I just love Spanish cheeses!