Cheese for Everything

It's been over a month and I'm still dreaming about France.  And cheese.
I apologize for the lack of posts lately (though something tells me all 7 people who check this blog haven't minded...or noticed?)  From the morning we arrived to the afternoon we left I could not get over the fact that the French seem to eat cheese with every meal.  Every meal !!!
Without further adieu, I give you,
du fromage

For breakfast...

...for lunch...

...for snacks...

...for apps.

And then my favorite... Our 18 year old waiter in Aix-en-Provence knew more about cheese than anyone I've ever met (this was a theme amongst those we came across in France).  However, our language barrier was just enough so that while ogling the massive cheese plate below (my dessert choice was a selection of 4)...

...he confused my inability to make a decision for me actually choosing to try all of them.


I did not correct him.

Fromageries even make it easy to take cheese home as souvenirs.  So we did.

French Cheese.

Bonjour!

We have just returned from a week and a half trip to France (the trip of a lifetime, to say the least).  While I recover from the jetlag and continue to delve through the over 1000 photos we took (including many cheese, creamery/ fromagerie photos that I plan to share here), I wanted to first share with you my favorite cheese from the trip:  Saint-Marcellin.  

It's a soft cow's milk cheese with some bite to it, made in Lyon, the second stop on our trip.  Below are pictures of the packaged cheese in a fromagerie in Paris, and another one as it was served at our hotel cafe in Lyon.  I brought some back (thank God for vacuum sealing!) and enjoyed it last night -- it had more kick than I remember, perhaps because of the aging, but I wasn't going to argue.  So good.

Garden Pesto.

In an effort to keep up with my garden (the arugula continues to grow out of control - I put way too much in too small of an area), I clipped a ton more this weekend along with a handful of basil and made arugula and basil pesto.  Then added shredded chicken, goat cheese, and tossed with rotini pasta (I used whole wheat). 

So easy and a great summery dish to enjoy outdoors.

Arugula & Basil Pesto (nut-free)

•1 handful fresh basil leaves

•2 handfuls fresh arugula leaves

•1/2 Cup (ish) Parmesan cheese

•1 T minced garlic

•Olive Oil

Sauté garlic in olive oil to take some of the bite out of it.  Pour in food processor.  Throw in the rest of the ingredients, douse in olive oil, blend!  Add salt / pepper to taste.  

Toss with cooked pasta, chicken and 1/2 cup (or more) goat cheese crumbles (or blue cheese - I'm sure that would also be great). 

Done and done!

Farmers' Market Goat Cheese

I love Farmers' Markets.  I also love goat cheese.
Given these two factoids you can imagine my excitement upon discovering a goat cheese stand at my neighborhood farmers' market 2 weeks ago.
Even without the taste we were given (it was delicious) I was sold by the line, "The goats were milked four days ago." 
Of course it took me a week to actually use the jarred goat cheese (making it just 12 days old), but it was worth the wait and just as tasty. 


I decided to use it as a spread over a toasted baguette and it did not disappoint.

We leave for France in ten days and I hear their cheese shops have entire WALLS of just goat cheeses.  CAN. NOT. WAIT.