DID YOU KNOW?

Thanksgiving is a great time to indulge! The extraordinary richness of French cheese making is rooted in France’s geographical diversity. This richness is maintained by that lively interest in the good things of life that is the mark of French culture. French cheeses encompass virtually all of the cheese types produced in other countries and hundreds more besides.

The Romans encouraged the French taste for cheese and did much to support its diversity. They returned home from France with stories of the excellence of French cheeses, especially Roquefort. Charlemagne championed the cause of cheese making and the often vegetarian monks of the Middle Ages protected and preserved, for all posterity, the art of making cheese. During the Renaissance, soft-ripened cheeses became particularly fashionable among the rich. Aged, hard, strong cheeses were thought to be food for peasants.

Prince la Fontaine is one of the best French soft-ripened triple crèmes. The triple crème category of cheeses includes those cheeses whose butter fat content is 70% higher… but don’t have a heart attack… this percentage when modified by moisture content is more like 40%…

The taste of Prince la Fontaine is equivalent to solidified whipped cream. It is great with champagne and wonderful as a dessert cheese when paired with Carlino’s Chocolate Infused Balsamic Vinegar.

Prince la Fontaine is the perfect holiday offering, so we are offering it to our members as our Cheese of the Month! Please stop by our Cheese Department throughout the month of November to receive your 20% discount on Prince la Fontaine.

 

FEATURED CHEESE: Cantal

Cantal is probably the oldest French cheese and dates back to approximately 2000 B.C. It is made in the Auvergne from the milk of Salers or Aubrac cows and is often thought of as the French Cheddar. It has a smooth, close-textured, yellow paste with a nutty flavor that gives it a Swiss-cheddar dimension. Cantal is a great “melter” so it is a special addition to any family recipe for Macaroni and Cheese or Au Gratin Potatoes. When shredded it is a great string bean or salad topper.

 

JUST ARRIVED! – Brie Le chatelaine

Brie Le Chatelain is made from pasteurized, hormone-free cow’s milk and comes from the pastoral countryside of the Vosges Mountain region of France, notorious for its free range herbs. The use of mesophilic lactic fermentation helps create a more pronounced ripening curve and a richer, more traditional flavor.

Hence, it has a big French “nose” and lush creamy linger!

CHEESE GOES WITH:  Infused Balsamic

When in France we realized the perfect pairing with lush French cheeses is the wonderful infused balsamics of Modena, Italy. The pairing of French cheeses with the Italian infused balsamics makes for the perfect Thanksgiving host/hostess gift! Visit the “Grove” at Carlino’s of Ardmore or stop by our West Chester Cheese Department for a bottle of infused goodness!

Our cheese specialists have recommended the following cheese and balsamic pairings:

Brie Couronne… Double crème, soft-ripened— Paired with: Black Currant Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Belletoille…Triple crème Brie—Paired with: Raspberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Pierre Robert…Triple crème fortified with Crème Fraiche—Paired with: Chocolate Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Brillat Savarin Affine… Soft-ripened triple crème—Paired with: Cranberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar

L’Edel de Claron…Wrapped in fir bark so that the flavors and smells of the forest envelop the cheese—Paired with: Date Walnut Infused Balsamic Vinegar

St. Andre… Firmer triple crème—Paired with: Fig Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Delice de France Camembert…Classic double crème cousin of Brie—Paired with: Green Apple Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Fromager d’Affinois.. Double crème fortified with vitamins—Paired with: Cranberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Port Salut…Archetypal monastery cheese—Paired with: Cherry Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Bucheron…Goat with dual consistency—Paired with: Fig Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Fol Epi Emmenthaler… Nutty tasting and beautifully impressed with wheat sheaths—Paired with: Black Currant Infused Balsamic Vinegar

Delice de Bourgoyne.. A triple crème with exceptional taste—Paired with: Chocolate Infused Balsamic Vinegar

*This is a sampling of the many wonderful French cheeses available at Carlino’s Markets.

 

RECIPE: Potatoes Cantal

A sure way to make your guests thankful is by including the following dish as part of your Thanksgiving feast!

Serves: 6

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices

¾ pound Cantal Cheese, cut into tiny cubes

2 large eggs

2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Arrange in a well-buttered baking dish layers of potato slices alternating with cubes of Cantal Cheese.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the potatoes.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 75 to 90 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and potatoes are soft.

*All items included in the above recipe are available at Carlino’s Specialty Markets.

 

Thanksgiving Cheese Board 

Share your interest in cheese with friends and family this Thanksgiving by offering a Cheese Board as part of the feast. When trying a selection of cheeses always begin with the mildest. A classic French Cheese Board begins with a mild Goat Cheese, followed by a bloomy rind Delice de Bourgoyne and proceed thru with Cantal, Comte (French Gruyere), Roquefort (sheep milk blue) and end with Epoisse (French Munster) or Brie Le Chatelain. (All of which are available at Carlino’s Markets).

CLICK HERE to visit our Thanksgiving Menu!