French dinner

[BCinBC]

If you are going to serve individual cheese courses, maybe a stilton brulee to go along with it?

I served this one the other night.....(and in true Ling style, I ate a leftover one for breakfast the next morning ).

Clockwise from Stilton Brulee (in the small ramekins), pecan fruit crisps, Concord Grapes, Poplar Grove Ash Ripened Camembert, Fig Jam and Blue St Agur.

Regular creme brulee recipe, omit sugar and vanilla and add about 2 ounces of stilton, gorgonzola or camembert (add a bit more for the last two). I just add the cheese until it tastes right so I don't really know exactly how much to add. Cut down on the cooking time too as they're so small, they'll firm up pretty quick.

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Nice plate, Chef! I'm also quite curious about the stilton brulee. Looks like you've omitted the extra sugar caramelization on top too? One of my favourite things about (sweet) brulees is the crunchy top texture contrast, however I would love to try this version. I did have a nice apricot stilton in the UK, so maybe with a dollop of home-made apricot jam... Can jam be torched?? Anyway, great idea to change a cheese plate a little.

PS: nice bread - yours as well?

[Ling]

^I'm not Chef Metcalf, but she has Leslie Stowe's Rainforest Pecan and Rosemary crackers on her plate. Run out and get some! You can get them at Meinhardt, Les Amis, and Urban Fare, among other places. They are my favourite crackers.

(I don't think jam can be torched, but that's just a hunch. I'm thinking it would burn very easily.)

Edited October 17, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Chef Metcalf]

^I'm not Chef Metcalf, but she has Leslie Stowe's Rainforest Pecan and Rosemary crackers on her plate. Run out and get some! You can get them at Meinhardt, Les Amis, and Urban Fare, among other places. They are my favourite crackers. 

(I don't think jam can be torched, but that's just a hunch. I'm thinking it would burn very easily.)

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No Ling, there not Rainforest, they're better.

Pecan fruit bread, slice thin, slow oven. Same end result.

For the brulee, I just torched the top, sans sugar, for colour.

I think if there was a sugar topping it would end up with a soapy taste with the savoury filling underneath.

I did a few experiments with lobster brulee to find a suitable topping, sugar was a no-go, same soapy flavour.

Let me know if you want the recipe Brian.

Moonstuck Blue and Tiger blue Poplar Grove are two other excellent choices for cheese plates.

[Ling]

^You're right...I only glanced at the pic and didn't notice the shape of the bread. Did you make the bread yourself? Sounds so good! Terra Bread also has something similar to the Rainforest crisps...I like them both.

[Chef Metcalf]

I can't remember what bread company makes it, but you can get it at Wholefoods and a lots of other places in Vancouver. It's called pecan fruit bread.

I just buy a loaf of it and make the crisps myself in a slow oven.

I like the Stowe's brand, but I like the pecan fruit combo a little better to go along with cheese courses.

And fig jam you just have to try it with oozy stinky cheeses, a match made in heaven.

[Irishgirl]

^ That is Terra's Pecan Fruit Bread. I would recognize it anywhere! Been using it for years. You can buy it in crisp form sometimes as well. I bought it a few years ago for Christmas breakfast. Who needs muffins? Excellent with cheese and just good as a snack.....

Think I LIKE the stuff???

[makanmakan]

Let me know if you want the recipe Brian.

Moonstuck Blue and Tiger blue Poplar Grove are two other excellent choices for cheese plates.

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i'm not brian, but may i have the recipe? please and thanks!

off to dream of oozy stinky cheeses.....

[Chef Metcalf]

Stilton Brulee

3 cups whipping cream

2-4 oz stilton, broken into small pieces (gorgonzola, cambozola or any other blue cheese of your choice can be used but you may have to add a little more as the stilton is much stronger than the others)

10 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine cream and stilton in heavy medium saucepan.

Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; let stand 20 minutes and stir gently (so as not to end up with excess foam).

Strain cream into small bowl, pressing on solids in sieve.

Whisk yolks in medium bowl to blend.

Gradually whisk in warm cream.

Divide custard among eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups.

Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Pour enough warm water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake custards just until set in center when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.

Remove custards from water bath; chill uncovered until cold, at least 3 hours. Cover and chill overnight.

You can serve them warm up or room temperature.

Blow torch the top just prior to serving.

Serve warm as a vegetarian option with seasonal vegetables, etc for a main course, or at room temperature with a cheese course.

[Chef Metcalf]

^ That is Terra's Pecan Fruit Bread.  I would recognize it anywhere!  Been using it for years.  You can buy it in crisp form sometimes as well.  I bought it a few years ago for Christmas breakfast.  Who needs muffins?  Excellent with cheese and just good as a snack.....

Think I LIKE the stuff???

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Right, that's the one!

[BCinBC]

^Thanks for the recipe Chef, I'm having all sorts of menu ideas now. Cheers!

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Is Epoisee the really, really stinky cheese? If so, it might be a consideration. I served some and almost cleared the room when I brought the cheese plate to the table. But, they did eat almost everything on the plate. But wrap it very well if you have to put it back in the fridge.

[Wojo]

This is my first post. I've been lurking in the background avidly reading opinions, debates and recommendations. I've learned a lot. A couple of times I planned to post information, but someone beat me to the punch.

Anyway, I felt I could contribute to this discussion. Ling earlier mentioned Vacherin Mont d'Or cheese. I tried it last year and it's fabulous. I practically ate a whole wheel by myself in one week. This cheese is only available during November to January. Apparently there's a sign up list at Les Amis du Fromage. Last year I bought the cheese at Whole Foods in West Vancouver and it was quite a bit cheaper.

Regarding wine and cheese pairings, I went to a wine and cheese tasting last Sunday night and tried a beautiful sauterne wine (Chateau Guiraud 1st Cru, 1988) with a fairly strong blue cheese. It was a match made in heaven.

[DameD]

Well my progressive dinner was on Saturday and my cheese plate was a big hit, thanks to everyone here!

I went to Joe at Les Amis and with a list of cheeses from this thread and we put together a plate.

A St. Felcien for soft mild gooey goodness, Comte a definite hit St. Agur Blue with Stauds BeerenAusslese wine jelly (they were out of the reisling jelly) which was an amazing esp. with the Alsace Reisling. We also had Epoisse, which stunk up my fridge for a few days though totally worth it, and for a goat cheese, the Buche de Chevre.(Unfortunately the Vacherin Mont'dOr was out but they are getting it this week for those of you interested.) All Served with a french toasts and lesley stowe cranberry and hazelnut crisps , bosc pears and globe grapes. I also was in charge of dessert which I made Thomas Keller's Tarte au Citron.

Anyway after Les Amis, I sent my husband off to MArquis with a list of our cheeses and some wines which i thought would compliment it with my internet reasearch, unfortunately every bottle I chose was $80 plus. so the people at Marquis were a big help. The wines we got to match were: Christian Moueix 2001 Bordeux, Petit Bourgeois 2004 Sauviignon, Albert Mann Riesling 2004 and Domaine de Ferrand 2003 Cotes du Rhone. And I know not french but we all had a glass of of 21 year Shivas scotch to end the night.. it was oh all soo good, travelling to 4 homes for the different courses on a snowy night with madelyn peyroux in the back ground was lots of fun... though i must say at 4am the following morning i was feeling tad dehydrated

thanks everyone for your imput for a extremely successful eve

Edited December 5, 2005 by DameD (log)

[Lancelot]

Glad to see the feedback on the wines.

When I saw the list I knew some research had been done but it was going to be expensive. All it takes is some lateral thinking and a little planning. It's easy to help when the customer has a clear idea of what they are looking for and a defined budget.

David @ Marquis

[DameD]

Thanks alot David for helping the boys with the wines, it really complimented the cheeses and fit the budget ..a definite bonus. THANKS!!