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Fortunately, we are able to enjoy the amazing produce of French farmers 12,000km away, thanks to my favourite airline Air France, which is transporting my cheese into CPT. This week in our French cheese range we have plenty of ripe Brie de Meaux which we are discounting, its runny and ripe. In our soft cheese range, we also have Camemberts, Delice, Reblochon, Pont l’Eveque and Vacherousse. In our goat’s cheese we have the buche de chevre log and the soft fresh crottins. In our sheep’s milk range, we have soft brie and firm textured Ossau Iraty. In our Italian cheese range this week we have replenished stocks of Gorgonzola dolce a soft gooey gorgonzola, 18 month’s aged Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano, the hard sheep’s milk cheese. In our raw milk alpine cheeses this week we have Comte aged 16 months, Gruyere aged 15 months, Appenzeller aged 6 months and Tomme de Savoie aged 6 months.

In our unique cheese shop this week we have received a large wedge of the aged Gruyere from Switzerland. This is the real deal, with an intense flavour and hard crumbly texture, a favourite cheese of our famous Conductor Bernard Gueller who popped into our shop, the day after the hugely successful opening Summer concert, of our own Philharmonic Orchestra with world famous pianist Olga Kern which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Ideal cheeses to take to picnics are the ones that are prepacked in individual boxes. Our Camembert from Normandie comes in a light wood 150g box, a 250g box and a 1 kg wheel. This unique and authentic PDO Camembert le Bocage from the dairy of St Hilaire de Briouze, is made with locally produced. raw milk from the surrounding farms of the dairy. The pastures are very deep which gives the cows’ milk the richness needed to produce this Camembert. I can also recommend the Pont l’Eveque as a good cheese for a picnic, it comes in a square light wood box. Also made in Normandie, named after the town of “Pont l’Eveque” (the bridge of the Bishop), this cheese resembles the shape of a “pave” a square cobblestone. The cheese is a wash-rind style, with a light orange crust and soft creamy centre. It has a more pungent aroma than Camembert.

In our cheese range we have everything in stock, if you are still entertaining and wish to make an evening meal with French cheese, we have Mont D Or which is great when heated in the oven and served as a fondue. We have Reblochon from the Savoie to make a Tartiflette (baked potato dish), we have Cantal from the Auvergne which is used to make a dish called Aligot. The Petit Cantal comes in a 10kg wheel from Cantal in the Auvergne in the heart of France. The cheese has a dry crust, a golden coloured centre, with a dense almost fudge texture. The tart taste is similar to Cheddar. It has been made in France since the Gallic tribes raised their dairy herds in the Auvergne.

Lots of parties are happening at New Year’s Eve and we have several requests for whole wheels of cheese to serve. Our largest wheels are the pasteurised Brie and unpasteurised Brie de Meaux, which come in 3 kgs. Then we have 2kg wheels of Delice triple cream, Vacherousse and Tomme de Savoie. Next, we have the 1 kg Camembert du Bocage from Normandie, the 1kg wheel of delice triple cream, 1kg epoisses and 1kg buche de chevre goat’s cheese log. Then the 500g wheel of Reblochon, then the 250g and 150gr wheels of Camemberts. All of these make a great centrepiece for a buffet table. In individual units we also have the Tete de Moine in a 900g head, the Mont d’Or in a 350gr tub, the Epoisses in a 250gr tub, the Pont l’Eveque in a 220g box and the Munster in a 125g circle. You can combine any of these units to make a cheese board that your friends will climb into.

In our cheese range amongst all our wonderful special cheeses such as Brie with Truffles, Mont D Or, triple cream Delice, and all the usual mob, we have a new baby, this is a Brebis Brie, a Brie style cheese made with Brebis (Ewe’s) milk. Delicate in flavour and much lighter in fat content, this cheese will appeal to all who want to try something less rich and soft in flavour or who are not able to eat cow’s milk cheese. Do ask us for a taste.

This week we received several hundred kilos of cheese for the Festive season. In amongst all the favourites such as Brie de Meaux, Delices triple cream and Vacherousse, we have received lots of individual units of special cheeses for the Festive feasts. Individual cheeses in their original boxes make great gifts at Christmas and you can create a cheese board with a selection of these.

This week we received some Crottins de Chavignol AOC. These are the famous, small white balls made from unpasteurised goat’s milk from the town of Chavignol in the Loire. They are dry and quite firm and have a distinctive flavour. As they ripen, they develop a blue grey crust which gets harder, and the flavour gets stronger. They pair well with the beautiful Comte Lafond Sancerre wine from the same Loire region. We also received some Sainte Maure. This is a small log shaped goat’s milk cheese which is dusted with distinctive ash powder. The texture is softer than the crottin and the flavour is gentler. This log is smaller than the regular Buche de chevre that we stock, which has a white crust and an interior with a chalky texture.

In preparation for your Festive season
 treats, do think ahead to the cheese platter that you would like to serve. We have a range of individual cheeses which look very impressive when set out on a platter. I recommend the raw milk Camemberts, Pont l’Eveques, Munsters and pungent Epoisses. Combine these with slices of the classic Brie de Meaux, Comtes, Beaufort d Ete, Morbier, Tomme de Savoie and St Nectaire, complete this with a Bleu d Auvergne or Roquefort. During the week before Xmas we should receive additional speciality cheeses such as Mont D Or, Pouligny St Pierre and lots more.

We have received a small stock of Mont D Or and lots of the popular Brie with Truffle cream. This is such a delicious cheese made with a layer of creamy truffle filling sandwiched between 2 layers of brie. We also received lots of stock of all our regular cheeses. We have small and large sized Camemberts from Normandy, pasteurised and unpasteurised Brie. The Delice triple cream is back in as well as the popular Vacherousse. In our mountain cheese we have a new 6 month as well as a 16-month aged Comte.

One of the recommended cheeses to pair with a Beaujolais wine is the Comte from the Jura. This cheese is made with the rich milk produced by the Montbelliard cows that graze on the high pastures in the Jura. We stock Comte that has been aged for 16 months. This cheese has a dense texture and the crystals are starting to form in the cheese giving it a slight crunch. The flavour fills your mouth. We also have stock of other Alpine cheeses; the Tomme de Savoie which has been aged for 6 months has a medium taste and firm texture. The flavour is more subtle than the Comte and is often served at breakfast time. The Beaufort d’Ete which has been aged for about 10 months, comes from the Franche Comte and has a rich, dense texture. The Swiss Gruyere has been aged for over 15 months and has a unique deep flavour. Each one of these raw milk cheeses is special in its own right and can be enjoyed on their own, or you could make a platter with a slice of each one and compare their unique flavours.

This week we received another large shipment of cheese. Back in stock are many favourites including Vacherousse, the very creamy cheese from the Jura region. The Delice triple cream cheese which is so popular and the great classic gold medal winning Brie de Meaux made by Donge. One of the lesser known cheeses that we stock, is the Ossau-Iraty. This sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region has a dense texture and a subtle flavour, similar to Manchego which is made from across the border in Spain. We have lots of Comte from the Jura and Beaufort d’Ete from Franche Comte. Still in stock is our aged Gruyere from Switzerland. We also received some Tete de Moine from Switzerland this week. This unmistakable cheese is cut with a rotating blade which makes beautiful floret shaped slices of the cheese. I have been busy placing orders for cheese all the way up to Christmas, so please let me know if you wish to reserve some of the specialities in advance such as the Tete de Moine or Mont d’Or!

We are having a busy weekend at the shop. We have received a large stock of cheese from France, including Delice triple cream, Vacherousse and loads more. Do come in and treat yourselves. The fresh white truffle from Italy has also just appeared at the start of the season. There will be a small stock coming in to ZA this weekend, pre-ordering is essential, if you would like some please let me know. Lastly, the artichoke season has finally ended and we are now getting in a few fresh porcinis.

In our shop this week, we have received a new stock of French cheese. We have some pungent, creamy Epoisses from Burgundy that has been washed in the Marc de Bourgogne, the brandy made in Burgundy. We have a range of raw milk camemberts. Lots of delicious unpasteurised Brie de Meaux and the gentler flavoured and soft, Brie Maubert. We have raclette in slices, wheels of Morbier, Tomme de Savoie, St Nectaire and Reblochon, points of 16 months matured Comte and raw-milk Emmental. There is goats Buche de Chevre and little fresh Crottins de Chevre, also sheep’s milk cheese Ossau Iraty. We have cheeses to suit all the different palates.

Our cheeses are selling well with the Triple cream delice and Vacherousse contending as most sought after of our stock. I think it is the decadent rich creaminess that makes them so popular, the Vacherousse has a little more tanginess in the flavour. In our Farm to Table range we are continuing to get stock of the super jumbo free range chickens’ eggs. Many have double yolks and the yolk is a beautiful golden colour. They are so large, one client jokingly asked if they were mini ostrich eggs. With the current shortage of mass produced eggs, we are selling out almost every day.

Our stock of cheese is flying out the door, especially the Brie de Meaux, it is so runny it needs scraping up with a spoon, and it tastes amazing. The Beaufort d’Ete is a mountain cheese from the area of Beaufortrain in the Savoie Alpine region. It is one of the most sought after of the French mountain cheeses. Produced from milk of the Abondance and Tarentaise cows which graze on the alpine pastures during the summer. This gives a rich creaminess to their milk. The Beaufort has a more pungent aroma than the Comte produced in nearby Jura region. Beaufort has a distinctive shape with an indented curved back which is created by pressing the cheese wheel during its production by tightening a beechwood mould around the edge of the wheel of cheese.

Our French patisserie range keeps flying out the door, I keep increasing the quantities to match the demand. This week I will tell you the story of one of my favourites, the Mille Feuille pastry (thousand layers), one of the most famous French pastries. Records first show this pastry being made in 1651 by Chef Francois-Pierre de la Varenne from Burgundy, in his book Cuisinier Francois, which was one of the most influential cookery books of early modern French gourmet cuisine. The Mille Feuille is made of three layers of multi turned puff pastry, interspersed with two layers of crème pâtissiere, topped with a sugar glaze and frequently decorated with streaks of chocolate. Nowadays there are many versions of this amazing pastry, as each chef develops the recipe according to their preference. Please remember to pre-order if you would like some, as we have a limited stock.

We have just received new stock of raw milk Camemberts from Normandie and Pont L’Eveque. These traditional square shaped cheeses have a soft centre and a washed rind which gives them a tangy flavour. We also received washed rind Munster from Haxaire, cheesemakers for over 100 years in Alsace, this has a more pungent aroma than Pont l’Eveque and is often served with cumin seeds. We have a new stock of Buche de chevre and sliced raclette which is most popular in this cold weather, especially when it is melted over potatoes. We received more Reblochon from Savoie which is another favourite, melted over potatoes baked in cream. There is always plenty of cheese available and it is fun to try something new.

In our cheese range this week we have the beautiful Comte from the Jura. This cheese has been aged for 16 months and has a great depth of flavour and slight crystallisation. I like to serve it with fresh apples and walnuts. Also from the Jura we have a new stock of Vacherousse. The name means a russet coloured cow, after the beautiful Montbeliarde cows which produce the rich milk for the Comte cheese. Vacherousse is very soft and creamy inside and has a light orange coloured crust, which has a tangy taste.

I am receiving great feedback on our new French patisserie range and have a selection of individual chocolate cakes, coffee cakes, opera cakes, pastries, eclairs, madeleines, financiers, and macarons. The quality of the chocolate and other ingredients used in making the cakes, by our French master baker, is what makes such a difference to the taste. I really have great difficulty in resisting the temptation to eat them all. The cakes are usually in stock on Friday, please let me know if you wish to pre-order.

Here in our little cheese shop, we are getting requests for French cheese platters for clients who are watching the matches in their homes with their friends, and want to have a taste of France, while they enjoy the games. We have plenty of cheese from all the different regions of France in stock. We have raw milk Brie de Meaux and small Camemberts from Normandy; creamy Vacherousse and firm textured, 16 months aged Comte from the Jura. Tomme and Reblochon from the Savoie. Firm textured sheep’s milk Ossau Iraty from the Basque region; Buche de chevre from the Loire; Fourme d’Ambert and Bleu from the Auvergne to mention just a few.

To celebrate Spring, I am starting a new line at my French Market shop. I am launching a new Patisserie range at the shop. I have a selection of small pastries and cakes made by the best French pastry chef in Cape Town Cedric Touzard. Cedric trained at the top gastronomy school in France, Le Notre, brought his skills to Cape Town and is well known in the French community. He supplies the pastries for the main French events when I supply the French cheeses. I have made a selection of typical small pastries and cakes that you would find in the bakeries in France, such as Madeleines, Financiers, Canelé, Macarons, Tartlets, Profiteroles, and quiches.

This week in our shop, in our fresh produce range, we have received a new stock of violet artichokes. They are such a treat as they are quite delicate in texture compared to the larger globe artichokes. I boiled a couple this week, which I served with a plain mayonnaise dip and they tasted amazing. And, back in stock are the popular, locally made, Saucisson sec, we have the plain traditional ones and we have the truffle flavoured ones. Lastly, in our cheese range this week we are seeing a continuing demand for Raclette cheese as the weather is so cold and wet outside, this is a perfect cheese to melt and serve over some boiled potatoes accompanied by some crunchy cornichons and thin sliced prosciutto.

Other cheeses that are back in stock today include Brie de Meaux and pasteurised Brie Maubert. Lots of small Camembert, Pont L’Eveque, Munster, Reblochon, 16-month aged Comte, 6 months aged Tome de Savoie and plenty more. We also have fresh produce from local farms including violet artichokes. Our wood fired sourdough, fresh baguettes are working well, people find them very tempting as they walk past!

In our cheese range this week we have a good stock of the buche de chevre. This is a log shaped goat’s cheese which is very popular in France. The crust is white and the centre has a chalky texture, the flavour is not too strong, You can serve the buche naturally with fresh bread, or you can toast it lightly on a slice of bread then drizzle with a little honey and crunchy toasted walnuts.