Bonjour French Market Friends,
In Paris this week, preparations for the Olympic Games continue with security being a key focus, as 15 
million tourists are expected to visit Paris during the Olympic Games. Over 10,500 athletes from 206 countries will compete over 2 weeks from the 26th July. The 329 events will be hosted across Paris with the main events at the Stade de France. The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held on the Seine River.
This weekend Paris weather is forecasted mild and sunny, which is ideal for the players competing in the French Tennis Open at the Roland Garros Stadium, which has now reached the semi-finals stage, with the world’s top tennis players competing at the finals on Sunday.
Back here in our lovely city we can hardly see the mountain, due to the thick rain clouds hanging over our heads. It is cold and wintery. To cheer you up, we have lots of beautiful French cheese for you to enjoy. I always have great pleasure in sharing a cheese platter with my friends. I find that the flavour of each French cheese is so unique that it is a gourmet meal all on its own.
I am often asked about what types and quantities to serve. Depending on how many guests you are expectin
g and also what else is being served, I recommend the starting point is 3 cheeses, (for some reason the French serve uneven numbers so 3 or 5 or 7 for a large group). Start with soft and creamy such as Brie de Meaux or Camembert, plus a medium firm such as Morbier or Tomme de Savoie and a firm cheese such as Comte or Beaufort. For a larger platter add another two such as a washed rind cheese, which has an orange crust and pungent aroma such as Epoisse, Munster or Pont l’Eveque, and a blue cheese such as a Bleu d’Auvergne or a stronger blue such as a Roquefort. For a larger group add another two cheeses such as a triple cream Delice and a firm Ossau Iraty sheeps milk or a goat’s milk cheese. The cheese should be served at r
oom temperature as this allows the flavour to be enjoyed at its best.
In France, the cheese platter is served after the main course and before the dessert, as the savouriness of the cheese pairs better with the meat course, and the sweetness of the dessert rounds off the dinner plus you serve dessert it with less dry wines or champagne. You would often serve the red wine that accompanied the main course, with the cheese. The French tend to eat their cheese just with a fresh baguette, you can also add walnuts or pecan nuts to pair and fresh fruit such as apples. I recommend the beautiful Tours de la Roque wine from Bordeaux.
New cheese in this week is the Tomme Jurassienne flavoured with black summer truffle. This alpine 
cheese made from creamy cow’s milk produced in the Jura region, and black summer truffles, has a firm texture and a lovely depth of flavour, there are flecks of truffle in the cheese. We also received butter from Bordeaux made with salt crystals from the Ile de Guerande. If you like salted butter then you should try this, just spread on a baguette and eat it. We also received a good stock of Le Gruyere aged 15 months and Appenzeller aged 10 months from the Alps in Switzerland,
For my recipe this week I decided to share one of my favourite desserts for a home-made cake. I have memories from my earliest childhood of my mother’s freshly baked cakes. My daughter Nicky has followed in her footsteps and makes a whole variety of wonderful cakes picked u
p from her travels and cooking with chefs from all over the world. This recipe is really easy to make. Originally from Spain, this almond cake is a dense, crunchy cake with great flavour and moist texture. The flavour of the lemons and almonds plus the moisture provided by the olive oil are typical of Spanish food. What I like is that it is not smeared with a layer of sweet icing but is just accompanied by a bowl of crème fraiche or thick yoghurt. The cake is easy to digest after a rich meal. I suggest serving it with a glass of Mailly Grand cru champagne as this pairs well with the flavour of the cake.
If you are trying to reach me next week, please Whatsapp or email me as I will be in a different time zone. I shall be visiting Nicky in LA and catching up on some sunshine. My wonderful team will be looking after the shop and will take care of you. Have a great weekend and stay warm and dry, eat lots of delicious French cheese.
Regards,
Suzanne and The French Market Team