friday fromage

Bonjour and bon vendredi à toi! This Friday I am thinking about fromage. I have to say, as much as I appreciate all the different varieties of cheese, brie is definitely my favorite. It was the first “real” french cheese I tried and fell in love with. A bite of the bloomy rind with the creamy, rich, buttery center tastes so special, so Parisian to me. We have had several cheeses on heavy rotation here chez Barton: brie, Gruyère and burrata.

brie vs camembert

First, what is the difference between brie and camembert? Both are very similar, but what makes them different is how they are made. During the cheese making process cream is added to brie, but in camembert it’s not. Therefore brie has a higher percent milk fat which gives it a milder buttery flavor while camembert has a more savory, earthy flavor. Brie is more runny and made to be eaten immediately, camembert can be ripened for 6-8 weeks. Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun are the only two official brie recognized by the French government. I do enjoy a good camembert, but I am partial to brie, my first love.

gruyère

Gruyère is very important to French cuisine. Think of croque monsieur, french onion soup, fondue, gratin dauphinois… As I’v mentioned several times before, I’m loving David Lebovitz’s book Drinking French. He includes a recipe in his apero snacks chapter for gougères, a savory chou pastry made with Gruyère. My next drinking adventure is going to be his French Martini which he pairs with these, and so will I!

burrata

We have really been on a burrata kick. It might have started on our last trip to Paris. We went to Alimento for Friday night pizza and ordered the burrata as an appetizer – Friday fromage! – we were hooked. Recently we doctored up some grocery store burrata with my pistachio pesto – magnifique. I can’t wait to try this burrata recipe from Goop – it looks magical.

american fromage

I’ve been blessed to visit great cheesemongers on both coasts and I’ve tasted some excellent cheeses. Cowgirl Creamery in San Francisco has Mt Tam, a beautiful triple cream cheese. Murray’s Cheese in NYC has some delicious brie, and we’ve also ordered their burrata several times. We also love to send their cheeses to family for Christmas. During my last trip to Columbus to visit my mom we stopped by the Black Radish Creamery shop at the North Market and brought home some wonderful cheese, including a french mimolette and a Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery. Next time I am looking forward to trying their own artisanal cheeses.

tartine du dimanche soir

“Invite your friends over for dinner to stave off the Sunday evening blues. If they don’t come, eat a tartine of Camembert accompanied by a bottle of excellent Bordeaux – also to fight the Sunday blues.”

—How to Be Parisian Wherever you Are (from the section How to Spend a Parisian Weekend)

Baked brie is so delicious and there are so many variations but I prefer it at room temperature, or slightly warm with a good french baguette. This potato gratin with brie and gruyere looks cozy for a Sunday evening dinner, or Friday fromage, but a brie tartine with a bottle of good french wine sounds simple and perfect. À bientôt!

Brie Tartine du Dimanche Soir

serves 2

1 fresh french baguette
1/2 wheel (4 oz.) brie, sliced
salt, pepper, thyme
truffle oil

Cut or tear the baguette in half, then slice one half the long way, as if you would for a sandwich. Preheat broiler, position an oven rack approximately 6 in. below the heat. Place baguette slices on baking sheet and divide brie on each slice. Place sheet in oven for about 2 minutes, turning pan once to cook evenly, until brie is slightly melted. Remove and top with salt and pepper, a pinch of fresh thyme and maybe a dash of truffle oil. Serve immediately with a good bottle of french red.