killer French dinner....

[shroomgirl]

Last night a dear friend of mine invited 8 of us over for dinner and a "raw French cheese" light dinner to meet his French amour who is in the USA for the first time and does not speak english.

Amazing. She has this amazing touch with food.....using no recipes or Roubuchons.....simple yet incredible.

Started with gougere, these were tender and simply
Anchovy Olive oil dip and a creamy peppercorn herb dip with crudite


Veg soup.....all of the roots where perfectly diced.

Morel Tart with a flakey crust that she had whipped up the night before with no measurements.....cooked cream and morels baked into this lucious double tart shell.

Wine buddies had brought some good wines from their deep cellars
1988 Talbout was the hit of the night.

Salad greens with a shallot tarragon white wine vinager dressing....parsley leaves in with the greens.

Then the cheeses......6 chevre.....most with mold on them, some covered in mold. 2 cows milk....one blue and one just stinky. I'll get their names.

Francois had whipped up a raisin walnut and an apricot loaf of bread. They were recommended for the cheeses by Roubochon.

Dessert......light genoise with chantilly and strawberries.....light, tender and just the nicest touch to a fabulous meal.

It's rare to have such a deftly prepared meal. The flavors were clear clean, some were bold but nothing muddled. Today is moving day, but I'll get Pat to e-mail the cheese and wine names. Francoise promised to show me how she makes this amazing dough.

[cape chef]

Sounds like a wonderful meal, simple,but great ingredients properly executed. What else could one ask for?

[chefboy2160]

Ditto to what cape chef said! What a fantastic meal shroomgirl. These are friends to enjoy life with for sure..................

[mrdelicious]

Love your simplicity -- ever try a mushroom consume? Clear veggie stock with HEAVY mushroom flavors (criminis work well)

Add heart shaped carrot cuts to make very romantic. Make it delicious!

[shroomgirl]

cheeses direct from France....all raw.....fromagier's in ()

Valencay (de Quiecout) chevre....younger cheese in pyramid shape

Valencay (de Lasnier) chevre....older pyramid with a lot of dark mold and dense texture

Maroilles (de Lasnier) vache......stinky, no mold, strong flavor

Bleu des Causses (de Berthelemy) vache....one of the favorite of the evening, it was strong, creamy and lucious. Not like any blue cheese I've had.

Coeur Magali (de Berthelemy) chevre....

Picodon (de Quiecout) chevre

La Couronne de Touraine chevre

le Charalaise de Bourgogne (de Quiecout) chevre

They went well with the raisin walnut and apricot breads.