Bonjour French Market Friends,
In the National Assembly (parliament) in France this week the opposition parties voted against the proposed “Austerity” Bud
get to reduce the French public spending by 44bn Euros, presented by the Centrist party. This led to the resignation of the Prime Minister Bayrou, the 3rd PM in the last 2 years. On Wednesday President Macron chose Sebastien Lecornu (39) to serve as the new PM of France. One of the youngest of his allies, Lecornu has promised a profound break with past politics and called on all parties to compromise for the stability of the country. On the same day there were anti-government protests organised by a street movement called “Bloquons Tout” (Block everything) ac
ross the country, whilst these were visible in some city areas they were not as widely supported as they had wished. Lecornu has a challenging role ahead. (Image courtesy of Facebook)
In our Southern tip of the world this weekend, Cape Town hosts the famous Outsurance Gun Run, with multiple routes on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. Starting on the Atlantic seafront at Mouille Point, with cut off time sounded by the firing of our noon day cannon. There are several routes including a pet run to raise funds for the SPCA.
We 
can suggest some cheeses for the runners, because cheese is high in protein and nutrients. Here are some of our best suggestions for athletes. The rock stars are the aged mountain cheeses made with raw milk from cows that graze on real grass pastures. They are considered Superfoods as they are packed with Proteins. You can incorporate these cheeses into tasty meals or carry chunks of the cheese with you to snack on while you run.
Our Comte “Symphonie” is aged for 16 to 24 months in the old Fort St Antoine in the Jur
a mountains on the Swiss border. This old stone fort built into the mountain, is a perfect environment to allow the cheese to mature in an undisturbed environment because of its high altitude, thick walls and long tunnels. Acquired by Marcel Petite in 1952, the Fort has housed over 1 million Comte wheels. The aged Comte has a dense nutty flavour and firm almost crystallised crunchy texture. Our younger Comte has aged for 8 months and has a fruity flavour with a dense, smooth texture. Eat it with a fresh baguette and onion confit or cut in chunks with apples and walnuts. Pair this Comte with a Chardonnay such as the Louis Latour Valmoissine Chardonnay from the Vars region.
O
ur Gruyere from across the border from the Comte, in Switzerland, has been made in the region of Fribourg, around the town Gruyere since the Middle Ages. The current Gruyere in stock is aged for 6 to 9 Months, this has a rich, fruity flavour and dense texture. Whilst the two alpine cheeses are similar in production, there is a distinctive difference in the flavour of the younger Comte and this Gruyere. Make a picnic platter of slices of this Gruyere with grapes and pecan nuts. Pair this Gruyere with the Louis Latour Valmoissine Pinot Noir from the Vars region.
Our Parmigiano Reggiano is aged for 18 months and is a great example of this classic Italian hard cheese in the same way as the French Comte and Swiss Gruyere, milk must come from cows that are pasture raised in the northern region of Italy including Parma and Reggio Emilia. This cheese ahs a powerful flavour and salty, crumbly texture. It can be served thinly sliced over fresh salads or grated into an amazing pasta dish. Which are perfect dishes for b
uilding stamina. I suggest pairing this Parmigiano Reggiano with the Petite Sirene Rouge, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bordeaux region.
The classic cheddar that we stock is produced in Ireland and aged for 18 months. The flavour is tart and strong, the texture dense. This is a beautiful cheese and worthy of being included in the rock stars of the cheese world. Try pairing this cheddar with a Gustave Lorentz Riesling from Alsace.
Another firm textured cheese for those who have a lactose intolerance,
is the Renosterbos goat’s cheese, as goat’s milk has a lower lactose content and is high in Vitamin A and B2. This cheese is aged for at least 6 months and has a firm, crumbly texture and medium flavour. Pair this cheese with a fig preserve, or dates and hazelnuts. Wine pairing is definitely a Sauvignon blanc; we have the Cheval Noir Sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux and the beautiful Comte Lafond Sancerre from the Loire valley to offer you.
For fresh truffles, we have stock of the fresh black summer truffle from Italy. These coal black truffles have
a pale cream coloured core. Whilst they are milder in aroma than the black winter truffles, they still have plenty of flavour. Try them with neutral flavoured dishes such as pasta in a cream sauce, scrambled eggs, mashed potato or a slice of freshly baked bread layered with French butter. Current price is R20per gramme, average size starts about 25-30gr. We are keeping a small stock in the shop so do please pre-order, we can have them in the shop within 48 hours. We have also received new stock of the Peybere truffle flavoured mustard, this is delicious with a beef steak.
For this week’s recipe I decided to share a really easy dish using our ready-made vols aux vents from Holland and a creamy fish filling. I suggest pairing this dish with our dry rose from Languedoc made by Gerard Bertrand.
Our next batch of cheese has just landed and should be in the shop by Saturday, including the Truffle Brie.
I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the Gun Run,
Regards
Suzanne and The French Market Team