Sweet how sweet it could be Sweet cheese how sweet it could be editorial

When someone says “”, what’s the first thing you think of? I’m sure plenty of homesick French travellers have asked that exact question, of no-one in particular. So what would it be? The Eiffel Tower and the French Revolution? Patricia Kaas and Gerard Depardieu? They’re all good answers. But one answer that always comes up is – cheese. General de Gaulle famously complained about how difficult it was to govern a country with 258 varieties of cheese; but even he was way off the mark. Let’s paraphrase. How can anyone fail to love a country with so many different kinds of cheese? There’s something for everyone: hard , soft cheeses, mild ones, mature ones, cheeses that are soft and runny inside, or have a sharp, flavourful rind. There’s something intriguing about it, enticing and delicious – and that’s why French products are popular all over the world. Cheese is thousands of years old, yet it’s all about now, about economics, tourism and culture. It’s a world of creativity, lived out by craftsmen and chefs. And that’s why we’ve put together this book. Because we want to touch on all this, and more; because in France, everything that happens, happens around the table. At home, in restaurants, cheese is constantly re-inventing itself, changing to suit today’s lifestyles, habits and trends, without compromising on flavour or authenticity. And here it is again, back on the table, but this time for dessert, in a series of Sweet Cheese recipes that lead us to expect the unexpected. To highlight the gastronomic links between France and the rest of the world, we’ve asked 10 chefs, from 10 different countries across 5 continents, to create a dessert featuring cheese – channelling their roots and their memories of childhood, their love of cuisine, and of course, cheese. Their recipes are full of imagination, and full of flavour. We think that to get along in harmony, the world needs cheese. Are you on board? Bon Voyage!

5 contents

1100 CchefshEfs 1100 ccheesesHEESES p. 20-21

chef anto A little slice of childhood Gabon p.22-25 cheesecheeSE Elsa Marie historyHIStORY Good things in Abondance inIN ttheHE France p. 26-29 makingMAKING SUGIO p. 8–9 YAMAGUCHI SAMUEL LEE SUM Tome and the Rising Sun a brief history Normandy rice ball China Japan of cheese p.30-33 p. 46-49 p. 10–11

the cheese YOUNGHOON HARRY route LEE CUMMINS p. 12–13 Comté Korea Roque around the choc Korea United Kingdom p.34-37 p. 50-53 don’t hold back p. 14–15 MATHEW BEATRIZ HEGARTY GONZALEZ Sweet and Blue Easy Briezy! Making of designer Australia Mexico p.62–63 cheese p. 38-41 p. 54-57 p. 16–17 Acknowledgements KRISTIN OMAR p.64–65 france FREDERICK KOREITEM at the centre Pear Belle Kristin A Levantine Dessert of the world United States Lebanon Credits p. 18–19 p. 42-45 p. 58-61 p.66

6 7 CHEESEc h E e S e HHISTORYI STO RY IINN THET H e MAKINGM a k I n g

Cheese is an iconic product, an integral part of the historic, cultural and culinary heritage of France. The extraordinary diversity of cheese varieties stems from variations in “terroir” (that intangible combination of soil, altitude, gradient and microclimate), native vegetation (used for animal fodder), local techniques and cultural traditions. To survive through the ages, cheese has had to change with the times, to re-invent itself constantly. But it all started with fermented milk…. A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHEESE

Ten defining moments for a French gastronomy classic the ultimate accolade. In 2010, cheese was included as part of the “Gastronomic

Meal of the French” THE INVENTION OF CHEESE Once an animal had been milked, that milk had to be From the milk of the first domestic on UNESCO’s stored and transported. In Neolithic times, people used animals to one of the cornerstones Intangible Cultural whatever they had to hand – in many cases, animal stomachs, which contained enough enzymes to curdle of French gastronomy – 7,000 years Heritage list. the milk. And the icing on the cake was that when the of adventure. AN ODYSSEY OF TRIUMPH were drained, the liquid that ran off was . In ancient times, cheese was not a popular food. In his TOWN AND COUNTRY ORIGINS Odyssey, written in the 8th century BC, Greek poet Between the 16th and 18th centuries, cheese struggled to EARLY USES We know that cheese has been part of French everyday Homer describes how it was central to the diet of one gain a foothold. The aristocracy and urban bourgeoisie In his treatise on agriculture written around 60 BC, life since Neolithic times. Small pieces of particularly unpleasant character – the merciless rarely ate cheese, and it was not until the latter half of Roman scientist Columella gave instructions on how to finely-perforated terracotta, discovered in Poland and cyclops Polyphemus, who “sat as always, milking his the 19th century that its popularity began to grow - a make cheese. First, one had to curdle the milk in the dating back to this period, were found to be fragments of and bleating […] then letting half the milk side-effect of the boom in dairy farming and its stomach of an unweaned calf or using the sap from a fig early cheese strainers; chemical analyses of the fat curdle, he set it carefully into plaited baskets.” (The corollary, the creation of . These were artisan to tree; then it had to be drained through rush baskets or residues coating the pieces show that the vessels were Odyssey, Book VI). start with, but soon became industrial in scale. perforated wooden containers. Lastly, adding salt dried used for cheesemaking. Things gradually changed, however, and what was once Transportation, both road and rail, developed rapidly, as it, preserved it and gave it flavour. Bon appétit! a food for “farmers and peasants’’ rose to become did preservation techniques. Cheese was now no longer PRESERVING MILK something of a delicacy. linked solely to self-sufficiency and local markets; it TO OR NOT TO BRIE? In terms of human history, cheese is a relatively recent “In Greek and Roman times, milk was seen as the food could travel. Prices dropped, and cheese products Would the Revolution have turned out differently were it creation. When it first appeared on the scene 2.5 million of savages, while cheese, having been processed by man, became more easily accessible and widely available for not for Louis XVI’s penchant for cheese? Historians still years ago, Homo habilis’ diet comprised mainly plant was in a different league – the food of the civilised,” everyone to enjoy. can’t agree. We know that the fugitive king was matter, supplemented with a little meat. Food was explains Agricultural Engineer, Sociologist and Food recognised in Varennes and subsequently arrested; what acquired by foraging, and later by hunting. However, Historian Eric Birlouez. OFFICIAL RECOGNITION is less well known is that he had stopped at Sausse, a before man could enjoy milk in his daily diet, he had to The 1920s saw the first rulings regarding provenance for famous grocery store, to stock up on Brie and red wine. invent agriculture – which happened some 15,000 years SPIRITUAL FOOD certain cheeses, being one; these were the And those were his last moments of freedom before the BC – then animal husbandry. This led to the In the latter half of the Middle Ages, cheese became part forerunners of the AOC (now PDO, the European reckless, greedy king quite literally lost his head. domestication of goats and sheep, beginning in the of the monastic diet, served in the simple silence of the protected designation of origin,) system. Terroir-driven, Middle East some 10,500 years ago. Domestic cattle cloister. Monks were often of noble descent, and by local cheeses at last had official recognition, and soon MILKING THE SYSTEM were introduced some centuries later - and that was enjoying a little of this popular food, they were better became the icons of . Did you know that cheese is said to have when our Neolithic forefathers started milking their able to keep their vows of poverty and humility – a And then – the ultimate accolade. In 2010, cheese was come about through tax evasion? The story goes that in animals. To make sure none of the fragile, valuable milk justifiable touch of self-indulgence. To ensure a constant included as part of the “Gastronomic Meal of the the 13th century, a feudal tax law dictated that cattle was wasted, they had to find ways to preserve and store supply, the monks made cheese themselves, in their French” on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. farmers in the mountain pastures of Thônes, today’s it, which was impossible in its liquid form. However, monasteries. This played a significant role in improving The meal itself is described as starting with an aperitif, Haute-Savoie, a French region, pay tax on the amount of when kept in a vessel made from animal stomachs (see production techniques and quality – just as it had for finishing with a digestif and comprising multiple milk their cows produced in one day. The canny farmers inset), the milk naturally fermented, making it curdle. Champagne and beer. To provide additional income for courses: starter, main course of fish or meat with only half-milked the animals while the inspectors were The curdled milk was pressed into a mould and formed their communities, surplus production was sold in local vegetables, cheese and dessert. But the story doesn’t watching, then resumed milking as soon as their backs into cheese. (The French word fromage derives from towns, where cheese proved particularly popular with stop there. New generations of consumers and chefs were turned. This was called ‘re-blocking’ (reblocher) – ‘formage’, meaning the forming process). the authorities. continue to drive the development of cheese, with new blocking was a term used for squeezing the udder – and uses and new recipes. The cheese show must go on! the creamy second milk was made into Reblochon.

10 11 1 6 11 the cheese NormandY Savoie Nouvelle-Aquitaine A prime site for breeding dairy A rugged landscape and a harsh From the farmlands of Poitou to the cattle, with a history of cheesemak- climate, but wonderful plant life, foothills of the Pyrenees, there are ing dating back to the 10th century. with wild herbs for the cows and as many cheeses on this Atlantic Route Leading producer of cow’s milk goats to feast on, giving its cheeses coast as there are terroirs. The cows cheeses with 25% of national very distinctive flavours. make butter; the goats and sheep Non-exhaustive lists of cheeses by region production. Reblochon make cheese. de Normandie Beaufort du Poitou Livarot Abondance Ossau-Iraty Neuchâtel Tome des Bauges Mothais sur feuille Pont-l’Evêque 12 2 7 Occitanie Île-de-France Rhône-Alpes Cheese, the main food of the local A densely populated urban region A land of contrasting landscapes shepherds, has always been made (12 million inhabitants), comprising and monastic tradition. Between in this region. Whether from cow’s 3 80% farmland. Around 60 cheeses the the and the Ardèche, the milk, ’s milk, or a mixture of hauts-de-france are produced here, from cow’s, Rhône and the Drôme, cows and the two, it’s as much about comfort goat’s and sheep’s milk. goats live here in perfect harmony. as it is about joy. Bleu du Vercors Sassenage Roquefort 1 Brie de Melun Laguiole Normandie 2 Coulommiers Saint-Marcellin Rocamadour Bethmale île-de-france 3 Hauts-de-France 8 13 Driven by the Nord and Pas-de- Provence-Alpes- Centre–Val de Loire 4 Calais départements, this region’s Côte d’Azur The northern part of this region 13 bourgogne 5 cheeses range from the very strong The weather and the diverse range features small herds of cows, and champagne centre– franche-comté to the mild; some are matured, of pastureland make this a paradise makes cheese with a coating of ash val de loire alsace-lorraine others not. They are largely made for goats and sheep. Their cheeses or leaves. The southern part is from cow’s milk. pair beautifully with local olive oil better known for its goats, and is Maroilles and raw honey. home to 5 PDOs. Bleu du Queyras Chavignol Boulette d’Avesnes Banon Pouligny-Saint-Pierre Sainte-Maure de Touraine 6 4 9 10 11 savoie Bourgogne- Corse nouvelle- 7 Champagne A mild Mediterranean climate and aquitaine rhône-alpes Wine and cheese make excellent a turbulent landscape, perfect Cheeses chosen for partners. These two winegrowing conditions for producing goat’s and Sweet Cheese recipes 2019 regions have plenty of space for sheep’s milk cheeses. They can be livestock farming, and produce 5 light or powerful, but are always PDO (AOP in French) : PDO cheeses: three from cow’s full of character. 8 Protected Designation milk, two from goat’s milk. of Origin provence-alpes– Epoisses Tommes corses 12 To be awarded PDO status, côte d’azur Chaource a product must be produced, occitanie 10 Langres processed and prepared within Charolais Auvergne an officially defined area, in keeping Volcanic soils give meadows rich with established, recognised 5 in plant life and animal biodiversity, traditions. This is the European Franche-Comté producing cow’s milk cheeses with version of the AOC. 9 Alsace-Lorraine unique texture and flavour. corse This is a land full of contrasts, Cantal PGI (IGP in French) : featuring mountains, plains and Fourme d’Ambert Protected Geographical valleys and a local cuisine known Bleu d’Auvergne Indication for its cow’s milk cheeses, both Saint-Nectaire A PGI product is an agricultural hard and soft. product or foodstuff whose charac- Comté teristics are closely linked to the Morbier geographical area in which it is either Mont d’Or produced, processed or prepared. Munster

12 13 DON’T HOLD BACK!

Trends and traditions SNACK ATTACK 3 One of the emerging trends opening up new horizons 3questions for Éric Birlouez for the cheese sector is snacking. A study published Agricultural Engineer, Sociologist by CREDOC in spring 2018 shows that for over a third of French consumers, snacking has become a habit: and Food Historian. 38% of the 1,182 respondents said they ate between meals at least once a day, as compared to 20 - 30% in What makes cheese result is that we opt for previous studies dating back to 2010. A further 35% so special? simpler everyday . say they eat between meals two or three times a Milk is man’s first food, The traditional meal has week. A new consumption occasion linked to the and has a symbolic changed beyond recogni- “Entre la poire et le fromage” – between snacking phenomenon is the rise of the aperitif significance; it has become tion. Today we want dînatoire, an informal drinks-and-finger-buffet party synonymous with life, creative, gourmet cuisine the pear and the cheese, a well-known to replace more formal dinners. Over 42% of French abundance, fertility and that breaks with conven- French saying with a hidden meaning. consumers host or attend such occasions, which take purity. Cheese, as one of its tion and pushes the It’s that relaxed stage at the end of a meal place mainly at the weekend, and are popular chiefly derivatives, has a similar boundaries. The trend when we can broach any subject, and by broadly similar throughout the developed world. with younger, urban consumers. This is where cheese status. Cheese is, in itself, towards less formal ways of Arguably the most significant shift is that in many really comes into its own – easy to prepare and one of the four courses of socialising, away from the extension, any casual moment between households, both partners now work. We spend longer delicious to eat. the traditional French meal table, is spurring the two events. It reminds us of the classic commuting and enjoy more leisure pursuits. Food is meal, an essential reintroduction of cheese French way of serving cheese - at the end geared towards individual consumption, and the CHEESE AND DESSERT component of a ‘proper’ for dessert. of a meal, after dessert. And that’s what tremendous choice of ready meals available in And now Sweet Cheese is here - to support the dairy meal in the eyes of many. supermarkets has a huge impact on our eating habits. As sector, whose flagship product is cheese. CNIEL, the The other 3 courses – start- What signs are there ‘Sweet Cheese’ is all about - going back to a result, we spend less time in the kitchen. To prove it, French dairy interbranch organisation, to whom the er, main and dessert – can that cheese is beginning our roots, in a world where cheese and the we just need to look at the success of ready-prepared, task has been assigned, has taken the classic choice of include a variety of to reappear for dessert? way we consume it is constantly changing. peeled and frozen foods. Expenditure on these “cheese or dessert”, and turned it on its head, different foods, but cheese For dessert these days, convenience foods as part of total food spend (excl. transforming it into “cheese and dessert”. All in one. can only be cheese. And as many chefs serve different In France, “cheese” in this context implies a cheeseboard desserts) has more than doubled in France over the last With inspirational input from chefs, this unique style if to prove its greatness, cheeses with fruit they – a well-balanced selection of cheeses served together. 45 years. of fare is already gaining ground. Ten chefs from ten cheese is named as an have crafted in some way, We love to have a good choice – soft and hard cheeses, different countries give us their own take on it in the essential part of the whether by marinating, , washed rind cheese - to keep those THE GENERATION GAP pages that follow. ‘Traditional Gastronomic reducing or preserving. wonderfully savoury flavours going just a little bit longer. Consumption trends are also generation-driven. Studies Meal of the French’, added Some – along with a It’s like a bridge between the savoury and the sweet: the fat by CREDOC, the Research Centre for the Study and in 2010 to UNESCO’s significant number of food in the cheese helps us move on to the sweetness which will Observation of Living Conditions, show that consumer sweet cheese, Intangible Cultural bloggers – have created refresh our palates. But these days, cheeseboards have behaviour around food is primarily driven by age, Heritage of Humanity list. new recipes which are no fallen out of favour. Over the years, our eating habits have generational habits and life cycle. Although conducted in SO WHAT’S longer limited to the changed and cheese has a new role in our culinary lives France, the research holds true across the world; younger IT ALL ABOUT? You talk about traditional, mild cheeses. – as an appetiser or snack in exciting new combinations, or consumers choose modern, international products, while Think mille-feuille made Nowadays, we’re discovering a taste for the “dessertification” as a cooking ingredient in all manner of recipes. those in the older age brackets opt for traditional, of cheese. with Parmesan or Comté unprocessed foods. The free movement of foodstuffs, mixing sweet with savoury, and our growing What do you mean? crisps, shortbread tart with increasing efficiency of transportation systems and enthusiasm for new flavours encourages In France, we’ve always blackberries and mild CHANGING HABITS burgeoning social networks have made it easier for chefs to combine cheese with dessert in a enjoyed eating savoury French Blue cheese (Pierre Staying with France as an example, people are simply young people in Asia, the Middle East, Australia and the foods alongside sweet Gagnaire), apple, coconut variety of new ways. And that is the concept eating less cheese at home, and more outside the home. Americas to learn about cheese, and to become familiar ones, and cheese was and cheese tart made with This is in line with eating habits in general. The amount with emerging trends and modes of consumption. They behind ‘Sweet Cheese’. The trend is set to traditionally eaten with goat’s cheese from we spent on eating out (as part of the household food may be committed to local products and traditions, but take off further in 2019, with 10 chefs of fruit at the end of a meal Valençay (Philippe budget) rose from 17% in 1960 to 33% in 2010 (INSEE). they are shaping a new world. And although cheese different nationalities taking on the – until the Renaissance Conticini), pear and In 1958, only one meal in twenty was eaten outside the producers might see these behaviours as a threat, they introduced us to Italian Roquefort ice cream, challenge to see who can devise the most home; fifty years later, that figure had risen to five meals are also an opportunity; because along with fruit, yoghurt pastries. In recent decades, Maroilles mousse, out of every twenty, with the most significant rise and fromage frais, cheese is one of the top three foods creative recipe, each more imaginative and our pace of life has been Camembert with dried occurring over the last 30 years. Lifestyle changes are most frequently eaten between meals. more delicious than the last. getting faster, and the fruit and caramel drizzle…

14 15 “WITH designer CHEESE, THE POSSIBILITIES cheese ARE ENDLESS!” Claire Griffon Interview with Claire Griffon of Fromagerie Griffon, Paris

Throughout its history, cheese has constantly had to reinvent itself, helped along by chefs and their creativity. This still happens, even in the 21st century. Cheese is an ingredient in its own right, and can be used from the main course right through to dessert. It’s not just an add-on for some quirky new menu, it’s an essential component, one How do you get your ideas? of the highlights of the score, a harmony to the chef’s own First of all, I look to the things I like. musical soundtrack. Some cheeses inspire me more than others. It’s the same with other ingredients: I think about them, Some like to serve it portioned up What would you say makes cheese absolutely not. If you put your mind imagine how they could work. I have on a plate, or with their own a product for today? to it, there are lots of things you can a whole library of flavours in my home-made relish; others use it to First and foremost, it’s familiar. do with cheese – all sorts of head, it all comes down to cook with, making it the star We’ve all got our traditional combinations you can put together, experience. I’m also inspired by ingredient in an imaginative recipe, memories of cheese, we’ve all all sorts of ways to transform it. It’s what I see during the day, the people What are your favourite acidity in citrus fruit can spoil the but like all the other dishes on the known farmers, we can picture the good because you can pair it with I meet, the journeys I make. I write it combinations? texture of a cheese. It changes the menu. But when it comes to dessert, fields surrounding our homes; but sweet or savoury foods. And people all down in a notebook or on a piece My absolute favourite is very simple, flavour, and I don’t like it. a chef can really dare to be different. cheese has changed to suit our are looking for creative hobbies – of paper, then throw it all into a big but I adore it. It’s called Cherry Bibi, And to prove it, we’ve teamed up modern lifestyles. We’re always in a well, working with cheese could be box in my office. And at times, when and it’s Fourme d’Ambert with sour What do you learn from your with 10 chefs, each a different hurry these days, we don’t take the one of them! A few weeks ago, we the ideas just don’t flow, I know I’ll cherries. It looks and tastes really travels abroad? nationality, but all working in time to cook any more, and using posted some videos to show how you come back to them; I’ll look at them good. The acidity in the cherries cuts France is still definitely the gold France, inviting them to dream up a cheese makes it possible to produce can revamp the classic cheeseboard. when I have time. I always start with through the fat in the cheese, giving standard when it comes to cheese. I Sweet Cheese recipe to best express a nutritious, varied lunch or dinner A couple of days later, a customer a diagram, a sketch which I keep for it a real kick. I also love Cantal with collect business cards from any their dual culture. (You can find the in very little time. It’s absolutely not came back to thank us: “I had such its sentimental value. Then we work radish, rolled up like sushi. It’s got international cheesemakers who recipes in the pages that follow). But a has-been! But we’re moving away fun with my daughter – it was as a team. We try, we fail, it’s good, colour and crunch, and it’s visually visit my shop. In France, we are the to have good cheese, we need good from the traditional cheese board, brilliant!” it’s not so good, it holds up, it falls very pleasing. Other combinations I only ones with such a wide variety of cheesemakers, and when it comes and eating cheese as an aperitif apart. We also have to find the right love are Camembert with apple, a different milks, such a wealth of to creativity, they just can’t be before a meal, or for brunch. And it’s So anything goes? tools – for our Damier Rose, for real classic, or my little Tome de terroirs and therefore such a wide beaten. Claire Griffon is one of the far from elitist: we don’t need Haute You have to stay true to the cheese. example. That’s a really unusual Brebis and black pepper ‘eggs’. I range of cheeses. But there are some best, so we sought her out. Claire Couture every day, although it’s You can create something visually combination of Roquefort, my originally made them for Easter, but wonderful things elsewhere. It’s Griffon is originally from good to know about it for when we stunning, but if the flavour’s not all-time favourite, and Biscuits then I couldn’t stop. People buy fascinating to see how cheese is Champagne. She fell in love with need to raise our game. For every great, there’s no point. I enjoy Roses from Reims, one of my them as gifts, like they would a box displayed in shops in other cheese when she was 80 m day consumption, we need dreaming up really stylish creations, childhood memories. And finally, we of chocolates. countries, how they unpack it and underground, visiting a Roquefort something we can make easily. in the moment – ones which make a have to find the right packaging slice it. There are often things we cave. In 2012, Claire set up her own good picture. But for the shop, we solution. It’s no good starting with a Do you like to pair cheese with simply hadn’t thought of. But in any shop in Paris – a treasure trove of How does cheese encourage have to think about whether it’s beautifully crafted product if you more exotic ingredients? case, everywhere I go, I see that cheeses, whose producers she creativity? easily transportable, whether it can then end up with a pile of goo! When I really like passion fruit; the tartness cheese in in fashion. It’s completely knows well. And while she loves With cheese, you get different be stored in the fridge, or sliced we find the right balance, we go for goes really well with Fourme natural, and an excellent product! cheese in its natural state, she also colours, shapes and flavours. The easily without falling apart. And if it it. Most of the time, our customers d’Ambert. It doesn’t mask the blue likes to create bold combinations, possibilities are endless. It’s not doesn’t look like cheese, it’s a like it; sometimes they don’t. We flavour, it brings it to life. I’ve also Fromagerie Griffon which are always lovely to look at, some outdated, dusty old product, failure. Off-the-wall ideas are all don’t all have the same tastes. You designed little skewers with fresh 23 bis avenue de la Motte Picquet but never lose that all-important like Grandma’s old Camembert de very well, but to make it work you see plenty of failures before you find and dried banana and Sainte-Maure. 75007 Paris cheese flavour. Normandie with its slight tang - have to set limits. a best-seller! On the other hand, I find that the +33 (0)1 45 50 14 85

16 17 AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD

The French Cheese Sector – Facts and Figures % %Cheese statistics 57,000 The number of dairy farms in France, for a total 85% 3.7 million dairy cows The proportion of (an average of 65 cows exported cheese sold to per farm) Europe (EU and non-EU). France is the world’s third largest cheese exporter, A WORLD OF CHEESE behind the If we broaden our focus, we can see that all over the PDO (French: AOP) and Germany. world, cheese consumption is closely linked to local Protected Designation 300 French milk production currently stands The number of companies conventions, and thus the local economy. Consumption of Origin at 24 billion litres, accounting for 15% making up the French levels vary from country to country. In terms of cow’s As a country, France has the largest number of official 83% dairy industry, with a total The proportion of cow’s of total European production and around milk production (by volume) in 2017, Europe came top Protected Designations of Origin, and this applies as turnover of 30 billion milk cheese as part of total 3% of the global total. Milk destined for with 224 million tonnes, followed by Asia with 212 million much to cheese as to any other product. With 45 Euros. cheese sales turnover in tonnes, then North and Central America (125), South PDOs (a European accreditation) and 1 AOC cheese production makes up a significant France. America (65), Africa (39) and lastly Oceania (31). As for (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, a French quality proportion of this figure, thanks largely different perceptions of cheese – that very much depends credential recently awarded to Brousse du Rove), 6 23,900 to the high-quality image French cheeses on where you live. In Asia, it’s seen as a health food, good PGIs (Protected Geographical Indication) and 6 enjoy throughout the world. for growth and linked to sophisticated eating choices, Label Rouge (red label quality standards), French million The number of litres of while in Brazil, Russia and Australia, the main drivers cheeses are right up there with and its 50 PDO cow’s milk produced in 40% As we’ve read, when it comes to cheese, it’s all about are variety and their suitability as a snack. In the US, cheeses. The concept of recognising the provenance The proportion of soft France in 2018. (For goat’s what you want, when you want it. Once upon a time speciality cheeses are made to be sandwich-friendly, can of a product started in France. Roquefort was the first cheeses as part of total milk the figure is 480; cheese was just for dessert, then came the cheeseboard; be eaten at any time, and are also seen as a sophisticated designated area name to be officially approved for cheese spend in France; 288 for sheep’s milk). 39% now anything goes – appetisers, snacks, main courses, a food choice. commercial use back in 1925. It wasn’t yet an AOC – followed by cooked pressed is made into cheese. ‘little something’ after a meal – you name it. Whatever it for Roquefort, that came later in 1979 – but it wasn’t cheeses (30%), uncooked looks like, wherever it’s from, cheese is an integral part of LET’S HEAR IT FOR CHEESE! far off. It was around this time that the AOC system as pressed cheeses (23%) and our daily diet, not only in France, but across many parts So as cheese sees unprecedented growth worldwide, it’s we know it first became established, the brainchild of 26 kilos blue-veined cheeses (6%). of Europe and beyond. Every country, every culture is clear that the French dairy sector’s ‘Made in France’ cam- Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié, a Châteauneuf-du- Annual per capita cheese different in terms of the produced and paign has enjoyed success well beyond its own borders. Pape winegrower; he designed it to protect consumption in France, consumer preferences. In Ireland and Northern Ireland, In 2018, 40% of French milk was exported, mostly to consumers against the type of fraud occasionally the highest in the world. It +13% The growth in exports of cheese is enjoyed as a snack or in sandwiches at any time the EU, and then to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North perpetrated by his colleagues. He and the then is estimated that 19 kg are French cheese (worldwide, of day, often served after a meal with grapes, chutney America, Oceania and South America, in that order. To Agriculture Minister Joseph Capus, battled to consumed as is, either with by volume) between 2007 and maybe even a glass of port. It’s also an essential part be even more specific, France produces over 1,200 variet- establish the Comité national des appellations bread, or cooked in and 2017. of the famous ‘ploughman’s lunch’, a popular pub meal ies of cheese, with a total production of almost 2 million d’origine des vins et des eaux-de-vie (National , or gratin, in the UK, comprising bread, cheese (usually Cheddar tonnes. Of this, 38% is exported. French cheeses are now committee for appellations of origin for Wines and while the remaining 7 kg is or Stilton, but it could also be a local speciality cheese), firmly established in the US, Middle East, China and Spirits) in 1935, which became the Institut national eaten as ‘fresh’ or ‘young’ +320% ham, salad and pickle, often washed down with a beer. Brazil markets, and popularity is growing year by year in des appellations d’origine des vins et des eaux-de-vie cheese, the creamy, soft The growth in exports of In Lebanon, Labneh - balls of soft made Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and India. Whatever the in 1947, and subsequently extended its scope to white cheese often used in French milk to Asia from cow’s or goat’s milk and preserved in olive oil - is market situation, French cheeses are known throughout include all French products. Roquefort was not the desserts. between 2007 and 2017. an iconic food, central to many mezze dishes. It’s soft the world; in Brazil, the US and Russia, consumers can first to be recognised under the new system; that and spreadable, and a popular choice for breakfast or spontaneously name at least two French cheeses. Brie honour went to in 1977. It was just a (Sources : CNIEL www.filiere-laitiere.com ; Eurostat dinner. In Argentina meanwhile, cheese is used almost is popular, as are Camembert and Roquefort. French matter of ratifying a court decision made in… 1935, https ://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/fr/ exclusively as a cooking ingredient, for instance in the cheeses are also spontaneously linked with good taste, a which had already detailed the exact nature of this home ; Directorate General for 92% Agriculture and rural development Argentinean take on grilled bread or crackers (for break- wide variety of flavours and a strong character. There’s particular cheese, defined the area within which it The percentage of French https ://ec.europa.eu/info/ fast or as an afternoon snack), on pizzas, in sandwiches, still plenty of scope for French cheese, in all four corners could be made and established a full set of consumers who enjoy departments/agriculture-and- empanadas, tarts and pasta dishes. of the globe. production specifications. cheese at least once a week. rural-development_fr)

18 19 1100 chefsc h e f s 101 0 RECIPESr e c i p e s

Our chefs all live in France, but come from all four corners of the globe. Let our 10 chefs - 10 different nationalities from across 5 continents - take you around the world of Sweet Cheese in 10 recipes. Their cultures may be different, but they share the language of good food. We have set them all a challenge – to create an original dish combining cheese and dessert. And each chef has added a little something of themselves, their roots and their history, while showcasing the delicious versatility of French cheese. gabon

chef anto “sweet cheese? TWO CHALLENGES IN ONE!”

Officially, her name is Antompindi Cocagne; but to everyone who knows her, this thirty-year-old mother of a 4-year old son is simply Chef Anto. Anto was born in France and brought up in Gabon, the eldest daughter of an engineer and a nutritionist. After passing her Baccalaureate (in Economics and Social Services), she persuaded her parents to let her return to France to study cookery. She graduated from the Ferrandi school in Paris and found work as a private chef, cooking for individuals, organisations and businesses; she also hosts cookery programmes for Canal+ Afrique.

What are your childhood How did you feel about coming Say “Sweet Cheese”! memories of cooking? to France? We don’t make cheese in Gabon. When I was 9, my mother told me France is the natural place to learn to The only cheeses I knew from home that I’d be the one to replace her cook – it’s the only place to go. My were those little cubes of cream when she was no longer around. So I parents saw cooking as more of a cheese spread, and pasteurised learned to cook very early on, in the maid’s job, but I promised them I’d Camembert. And as a rule, we’re kitchen with my grandmother, my make them proud, and I couldn’t let not particularly big on desserts aunts and my cousins. I always loved them down. It was very hard at first. either; we mostly eat fruit. If there that environment. We’d gossip and It was cold, it was a completely are pastries, you know you’re sing, and the mothers would hand different culture, and I’d left my celebrating something very special. down advice to their daughters – not roots behind. And the food was So to create a dessert made with just cooking tips, but about life in different too – there was no little pot cheese was really two challenges in general, especially married life. of chilli on the table in the college one! I thought I’d use that good old That’s when I decided to become a refectory! I was the only black cream cheese spread, and combine chef. I knew it would be fun. African at college and on my work it with some typically African placements. But I kept going, thanks ingredients – baobab powder with Were you a foodie? mainly to my teachers and mentors; its milky texture and tart flavour is I’ve always had a healthy appetite. I’m thinking particularly of Eric Pras, particularly good with dairy My mother used to wonder how I a 3-star Michelin chef, now at Maison products. I made it into a cream to stayed so slim; she’d ask me where I Lameloise, in Bourgogne. serve with Pain Perdu (a sort of put it all! Mostly, I was curious to French Toast) soaked in a mixture understand why we cooked food the How do you see your culinary of eggs, sugar and condensed milk way we did, and wanted to learn identity? - a Gabon classic which I then about combining different flavours. My cooking is Pan-African, but not coated and cooked in Mbouraké, My favourite dish at the time – fusion. My ingredients are all which is a mixture of breadcrumbs, actually, it’s still my favourite - was African, but I cook and present them peanut butter and milk. Every wild boar with dika. Dika is the in a gastronomic style. My aim is to Gabonese child’s favourite treat! kernel of the wild mango tree, which take people on a journey around we roast and grind into a sauce. In Africa - to reveal its treasures to www.lechefanto.com France they call it ‘native chocolate’ those who’ve never been, and to +33 (0)6 22 08 53 32 because it looks and smells like remind those who already know it chocolate, although the flavour is what they’ve left behind. totally different. It’s perfect with full-flavoured meat like game.

23 GABON CHEF ANTO

SPREADING Method Make the caramel sauce THE LOVE Dissolve the sugar in a frying pan to OF CHEESE make a dark caramel. Heat the peanut butter and cream in the microwave Spreadable cheese is exactly what it for 30 seconds, add the caramel and says. It’s made by melting one or reduce. Remove from the heat and more cooked, pressed cheeses – not add chilled butter to halt further too mature – and blending with milk, cooking. Chill. cream or butter. Spices and other flavourings can also be added. The Make the ice cream result is a soft, creamy, spreadable A Little Slice Split the vanilla pod into two cheese with aromas of fresh cream of Childhood lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with and hazelnuts and a relatively mild — a knife. In a bowl, whisk the cheese flavour. Spreadable cheeses are Serves 2 with the sugar and vanilla seeds until pasteurised, and available in a Prep time: 2 hours soft. Continue to whisk, adding the variety of formats including Cooking time: 10 mins evaporated milk, cream and baobab triangles, rectangles, cubes and tubs. powder. Churn in an ice cream maker. Everyone has come across them at Ingredients When solid, spoon into a freezer- some time! They’re perfect for For the peanut and caramel sauce proof container. Add half the caramel sandwiches, verrines, rolls, cheese 50 g sugar and peanut sauce and stir in gently. pastries, wraps and samosas. They 1 tbsp peanut butter Freeze for 2 hours. keep well and are easily 100 ml double cream transportable, making them 20 g butter Make the Pain Perdu especially good for travel. They’ve In a food processor, whizz the made it all the way to Africa, where For the ice-cream Mbouraké ingredients - Panko they are particularly popular – as 120 g spreadable cheese breadcrumbs, brown sugar, peanut Chef Anto reminds us in her recipe. 120 ml evaporated milk butter and evaporated milk - until 30 ml double cream smooth. Beat the egg and evaporated 1 tbsp baobab powder milk together in a shallow bowl and 30 g icing sugar dunk the slices of bread in the 1 Madagascan vanilla pod egg-and-milk mixture one by one, making sure both sides are soaked. For the Mbouraké Coat the bread on both sides with the 100 g Panko breadcrumbs Mbouraké. Heat the oil in a frying pan 40 g peanut butter and add the butter; fry the slices until 10 g brown sugar golden on both sides. Keep warm. 20 ml evaporated milk To assemble For the Pain Perdu Arrange the slices of Pain Perdu on 2 slices stale bread (2cm thick) 2 plates. Just before serving, top each 1 egg slice with a quenelle of cheese and 60 ml evaporated milk baobab ice-cream. Sprinkle with 20 g butter crushed toasted peanuts and drizzle 1 tbsp sunflower oil with the rest of the peanut and 10 g toasted peanuts caramel sauce.

24 france elsaElsa marieMarie “FOR ME, CHEESE IS LIKE AN ADDICTION”

From an early age, Elsa Marie loved to eat – her love of cooking came later. With her hastily-assembled bun and youthful looks, Elsa Marie looks as if she’s come home at last. After a long time spent on the other side of the world, she’s back in Paris, and is now chef at La Vierge, “a warm, relaxed, affordable place to eat, and where you can eat well – because it’s possible to have both” she says. Elsa Marie is fully committed to sustainable agriculture; she chooses her ingredients with care, cooks vibrant lunch-time dishes at very reasonable prices and leaves the evening’s sharing platters and tapas to her husband Julian. For Sweet Cheese, she steered us back to Abondance – and we’re not complaining!

Where does your love of cooking restaurants in Paris. They had a Say “Sweet Cheese”! come from? very different attitude. They were For me, cheese is like an addiction. I grew up in the countryside. My much more human, they trusted Abondance is one of my favourites, mother worked, but she also cooked, me and gave me more freedom. I although I had forgotten it a bit It’s and we ate very well – always a worked with them for two years at similar to Comté, but fruitier and starter, main course and dessert. I’m Pères Populaires, and now I’m at creamier, with a more persistent sure that had an effect on me, but their latest restaurant, La Vierge. flavour. I’ve used it to create a I didn’t start cooking myself until I multi-textured dessert, adding it to was 18. I was studying by then (Elsa But in between, you jumped ship whipped cream and ice cream and Marie read Humanities) and mum for a while… using it grated. I’ve also used didn’t cook for me anymore, so I Chefs always end up going around in poached pears and rosemary started making food for myself and circles, we always think the grass will crumble – I love that bitter rosemary my friends. It became a bit of an ob- be greener somewhere else. I was taste. I’m in two minds about session, and I decided that was what I nearly 30, I wanted to go somewhere combining sweet and savoury. There wanted to do. I spent just a year at the far away, somewhere hot, where was a time when anything could pass Ferrandi school. I thought of carrying life would be easy. So, I packed my for dessert – foie gras sorbet for on, but I’d already had 3 years of post- rucksack and headed for Australia. example. I wouldn’t normally use school education, and wanted to get I did a bit of cooking, but mainly I cheese other than in its natural state, stuck into the real world. was interested in permaculture and but this seemed like a really exciting biodynamics. challenge. When I was creating the Was it easy to start with? recipe, there were some excellent After 3 weeks, I decided that this was So where does cheese come in? pears around, including Louise not for me. I had a dreadful job with In Australia, I met my husband Bonne, Comice and Conference, and impossible hours. The pay was poor, Julian, who’s also a chef. He had just it all came together straight away. I and we were treated horribly. But returned to Australia from France, needed fruit to counterbalance the at the same time, I loved the work. but wanted to go back to Auvergne strong flavour of the cheese. It was the only place where time for the cuisine and the cheese. He’s seemed to fly, and I was learning always wanted to make cheese, but La Vierge something new every day. I could it’s never worked out all that well. 58 rue de la Réunion easily have stopped then though, tak- Now whenever Julian and I talk 75020 Paris en time out and done more writing. about where we’re going to live, we www.alaviergedelareunion.fr both agree it’s got to be somewhere +33 (0)1 43 67 51 15 So what made you carry on? where they have cheese! I met Gregory Bach and Florent Ciccoli, who have a number of

27 france elsa marie

Good Things in abondance — ABONDANCE Serves 3 IN THE ABBEY Prep time: 1½ hours Cooking time: 45 min The Monks of Abondance Abbey began making their own cheese in Ingredients the 11th century. They oversaw every For the poached pears step themselves, from raising the 250 ml water cows to crafting the product. The 1 sprig rosemary Abbey cheese quickly became 100 g unrefined sugar popular, and was even served to Pope Zest of 1 lemon (unwaxed) Clement VII in Avignon. Centuries 2 Bonne Louise pears later, in 1990, from Haute-Savoie was granted AOC For the Abondance mousse status, followed by PDO (Protected with rosemary Designation of Origin) status in 1996. 40 g Abondance (rind removed) It has retained all the traditional 20 cl double cream features of its early monastic days. 2 - 4 sprigs rosemary The cheese is made from the milk of Frosted Abondance Abondance, and comes in flat, For the frosted Abondance The night before, place the cylindrical mill-wheel shapes with a 40 g Abondance (rind removed) Abondance in the freezer; this will soft, amber-coloured rind. Milk from make it easier to grate. the evening milking is mixed with the For the crumble following morning’s milk; rennet is 50 g flour Crumble added, the resulting is cut and 20 g sourdough breadcrumbs Preheat the oven to 170°C. In a bowl, the temperature raised to between 45 40 g unsalted butter rub the flour, breadcrumbs, unsalted and 50°C. The whey is then racked 1 pinch of salt butter, salt, sugar and rosemary off, and the curds transferred to a 10 g unrefined sugar together with your fingers, to the mould and labelled with a casein 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped. texture of fine sand. When all the identification disc. The band around butter has been incorporated, spread the mould is tightened with a Method the crumble over a baking sheet hammer. The cheese is pressed for 24 Poach the pears lined with parchment paper. Bake for hours, plunged into a brine bath and Place the water, rosemary, sugar and 10 minutes, turn the crumble with a matured for a minimum of 100 days. lemon zest in a saucepan. Whisk spatula and return to the oven for together and bring to the boil. Peel another 20 minutes at 160°C. When the pears and lower them gently into the crumble is golden-brown all over, the syrup. Turn down the heat. Poach remove from the oven. Cool and the pears for 15 minutes until tender. leave to set on the baking sheet. Cool in the fridge, in the syrup. To assemble Abondance mousse with rosemary Place a little of the rosemary crumble Finely dice the Abondance. Place in a in a dessert bowl. Add the saucepan with the cream and bring Abondance mousse. Cut a slice from to the boil, whisking until the cheese the bottom of each pear so it stands has melted. Add the rosemary, cover up, then place at the centre of the the pan and remove from the heat. bed of mousse. Grate a generous Allow to infuse for 10 minutes. amount of Abondance over the pear. Remove the rosemary, and pour the The pear could also be sliced, cream and cheese mixture into a arranged on the crumble and whipping siphon. Charge with 2 gas covered with Abondance mousse cartridges; shake and place in the and grated Abondance to give a fridge to cool. monochrome effect.

28 china

samuel lee sum “DO IT ALL WITH PASSION”

Samuel Lee was born in Hong Kong, and very quickly became immersed in a world where traditional Chinese cooking was a top priority. The memory of family gatherings around the table, with all the attendant delicious food aromas, inspired him to seek out a career as a chef. He took the traditional catering college route, later joining the team at the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Beijing under the tutelage of chef Bobby Lo. This turned out to be a memorable encounter, reigniting a burgeoning - and soon to be all-consuming – passion for cooking. In 2014, he was invited to work in Paris alongside executive chef Christophe Moret (2 Michelin stars, earned at l’Abeille) running Shang Palace, the only Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant in Paris. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

What are your childhood of the ingredients, choosing them Say “Sweet Cheese”! memories of food? carefully and not over-seasoning When I lived in Hong Kong, I only The first picture that comes into my them. I’m proud that I can introduce ever ate one type of cheese, and that mind is of my mother cooking in the French diners to Cantonese food. was Cheddar. The first time I ate kitchen. I remember the smell of Coming to Paris is every chef’s Camembert I found it a bit strong, fried rice, and of pan-fried fish with dream, and it’s been a great opportu- but after a few tries, I began to see a egg and tomato. For Chinese New nity for me. milder side to it. That’s why I chose it Year, the whole family used to gather for my recipe. The elegant savoury at our house. There would always be What’s your relationship flavour works well with Chinese- 15 or 20 of us around the table, enjoy- with cheese? style desserts, coming through softly ing food cooked by my mother. In China, we really only have cheese on the finish. I wanted to create an in the northern regions. Everywhere element of surprise, so I went for Where did you train? else, milk is either used as a liquid, several layers of flavour – rice flour I studied cookery, then at 18 I went or powdered. When I arrived in dough, cream, Camembert, out to work. My first job was at the France, I discovered blue cheese, mascarpone and fresh fruit. I don’t Hong Kong Jockey Club of Beijing, Camembert and Comté, and I love know any Chinese chefs who would where chef Bobby Lo taught me them! My wife and I often have use cheese in their desserts, so this much more than just technique; cheese at home. was a good challenge for me. I might he taught me the philosophy of add it to my tasting menu. cooking. He showed me that for a chef, attitude is all-important. Stay Shang Palace motivated, always give it your best, 10 avenue d’Iéna and do it all with passion. I went on 75016 Paris to work all over China, in Shanghai, www.shangri-la.com Tianjin and Wenzhou. I learned +33 (0)1 53 67 19 92 various Chinese cooking styles (there are as many styles in China as there are regions) including Sichuan, Shanghai and Cantonese.

At Shang Palace, the style is Cantonese. What makes it different? The essence of Cantonese cuisine is to showcase the unique flavours

31 china samuel lee suM

LADLING IT OUT A statue of Marie Harel stands in the Place de Mackau in Vimoutiers (Orne), but Marie (born Marie Fontaine in Crouttes in 1761) probably owes her moment of glory to refractory priest Father Charles- Jean Bonvoust, who came either from Brie or Pays de Caux, we no longer know which. Following his advice, Marie improved and extended production of a particular speciality cheese from Camembert, which we know already existed in the Method late 17th century. This soft, bloomy- Make the Dough rind cheese – awarded PDO status in Mix 550 g of rice flour with the corn- 1996 – is known today as Camembert flour and sugar, add the milk and de Normandie. The cheese is made stir until you have a smooth dough. by heating milk to a maximum Steam the dough for 40 minutes, temperature of 40°C and adding then leave to rest at room tempera- rennet. The resulting curd is sliced ture. Roll the dough into a long vertically and ladled into moulds; sausage shape and slice into pieces of this process is repeated 5 times to 2-3 cm. Warm the 100 g of rice flour drain the curd completely, giving a in a frying pan and use to coat your smooth, supple-textured cheese. Normandy hands. Using your hands or a rolling Camembert de Normandie is then rice ball pin, roll out the pieces of dough. salted with dry salt and left to mature — Make the filling in an hâloir - a well-ventilated room Serves 2 Combine the cream, sugar and mas- between 10 and 18°C – for a Prep time: 1½ hours carpone, and whisk until stiff. Cube minimum of 21 days. Cooking time: 45 min the Camembert, mango and melon.

Ingredients Fill the balls For the dough Take a piece of dough and place a 550 g + 100 g rice flour teaspoonful of the whipped cream 150 g cornflour in the centre, followed by a mix of 150 g caster sugar Camembert, mango and melon. 1 l milk Holding the dough by the base, press the filling firmly into the circle and For the filling close the ball carefully by pinching 500 g 35% fat cream from above with your thumb and 130 g icing sugar index finger. Using both hands, care- 50 g mascarpone fully shape it into a ball. 1 Camembert 1 mango To assemble 1 melon Arrange two balls at room temperature on a plate, and garnish To cook with fruit. The Normandy rice balls 100 g rice flour should be eaten within 24 hours.

32 korea Younghoon Lee “EXPRESSING MY PERSONALITY”

Younghoon Lee is originally from Pyeongtaek just south of Seoul, Younghoon’s love for all things culinary comes from his grandmother. As a child, Younghoon dreamed of being an architect or designer, but failed his university entrance exam and turned to cooking. He went to catering college, then worked in Seoul for French chef Florent Lescouezec (Café des Arts), where he first heard the name Paul Bocuse. 4 years later, he set off for Ecully, near Lyon, to study at the Institut Paul Bocuse. He learned the basics at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, (three Michelin stars), then at Lasserre in Paris, which then had two Michelin stars. And suddenly there he was, ready to start his own venture. In 2014 he opened a small gourmet restaurant, Le Passe Temps. There are three cheeses on the menu, which he chooses himself, having learned that in Lyon a meal without cheese doesn’t quite hit the mark!

What are your childhood How has Lyon treated you? Say “Sweet Cheese”! memories around food? The early days at Le Passe Temps When I first came here, I used to eat We ate well at home, but it was the were difficult. I remember a woman bread and cheese with a glass of red food cooked by my grandmother coming in and insisting on ordering wine. Then one day, someone served that I loved most. Then one day, sushi. My wife had to explain that me cheese with honey, my mother was going out to meet I was a Korean chef who cooked and marmalade. It was so good! some friends and asked me to make French food. Over the years, I’ve Later on, I had goat’s cheese sorbet something to eat. I’ve always had tried to add a touch of Korea to my in a gourmet restaurant. When Sweet an artistic bent; I wanted to work in cooking; one of my signature dishes Cheese called, I really wanted to take the creative industries, to have the is foie gras in a soya broth. part, to create something that chance to express my personality – worked well even in my culture. so I took this opportunity to add my And where does cheese come in? Korean food uses a lot of spices, so I own little touches to the instructions In Korea, we don’t use butter, cream looked around for a spice that would I’d been given. And it was really or milk at all in our cooking, and we go well with Comté and came up good. When I was at catering college don’t eat cheese. I had tried a few with cinnamon. Then I needed a in Seoul, I felt the same pride when Italian cheeses back home, but the Korean recipe that uses cinnamon, I saw people enjoying the food I had first French cheese I tasted was a and thought of sujeonggwa, a drink cooked. blue one. What a revelation! we often have in the summer months made with water, ginger, cinnamon, How did you feel when you got to pine nuts and dried persimmon. I France? added morel mushroom powder to It was very hard at first. It was the complement the Comté, a hint of sea first time I’d ever left my country, salt, and meringue to give crunch. and I didn’t speak French. I traded my experience in the French restau- Le Passe Temps rant in Seoul for language lessons. I 52 rue Tronchet realised that I knew very little about 69006 Lyon French cuisine; it wasn’t really avail- www.lepassetemps-restaurant.com able to Koreans at the time. I thought +33 (0)4 72 82 90 14 it was all about novelty and creativ- ity, but now I see that tradition is an integral part of it all.

35 korea Younghoon Lee

For the pine nut crumble 30 g T45 flour (cake flour) 15 g sugar 15 g ground pine nuts YOU CAN 25 g butter COMTé ON IT! For the French meringue 1 egg white When the sugar has dissolved, Comté was granted AOC status in 25 g caster sugar reduce the sujeonggwa over a 1952, and upgraded to PDO in 1996. 25 g icing sugar medium heat until you have around It is the top French cheese in terms 30 g. Cool in the fridge. Whisk the of production volume – 65,650 To finish cream into the reduced sujeonggwa, tonnes of it were made in 2017, 1.5 g sea salt pour into a siphon and close. Charge crafted entirely from the milk of 5 g morel powder with one or two cartridges depending Montbeliarde and French Simmental how full your siphon is; tip upside cows in the 3 départements of Jura, Method down, shake and chill in the fridge Doubs and Ain. The milk is delivered Make the Comté ice-cream for at least 3 hours. daily to over 150 fruitières all over Bring the milk and cream to the boil the Jura Massif, where it is skimmed, and remove from heat. In a bowl, Make the pine nut crumble heated to 30°C and left to rest for 30 cream the egg yolk with the sugar Place the flour, sugar and ground minutes. Rennet is then added along and salt until pale and smooth, then pine nuts in a bowl. Add the diced, with the previous day’s whey, to pour over the warm milk and cream chilled butter. Working quickly coagulate the milk, and the curd is mixture, little by little, whisking as before the butter becomes too soft, cut into tiny pieces the size of a grain you go – gently at first, then more rub the butter into the other of rice. These are heated to 55°C, and vigorously. Tip the mixture into a ingredients with your fingers until it the whey is drawn off. The pressed clean saucepan and heat, stirring has the texture of coarse sand. Set cheese is turned into moulds and constantly with a wooden spoon aside in the fridge. Preheat the oven matured, in the fruitière for 3 weeks, until you have a smooth custard to 170°C and bake for 10 minutes. then for a longer period in one of the which coats the spoon. (Be careful ageing cellars. Young or mature, not to let the mixture boil; the Make the French meringue there’s a Comté for every taste. temperature mustn’t rise above Preheat the oven to 83°C. Place the 83°C). At this stage, remove the pan egg white in a mixer bowl and whisk from the heat. Add the grated Comté to soft peaks, adding a third of the Comté Korea and let it melt completely. Cover caster sugar. Add the rest of the — with cling film and leave to cool. caster sugar and continue to whisk Serves 2 When the mixture is completely cold, for 1 minute. Check that all of the Prep time: 2 hours churn in an ice-cream maker. sugar has dissolved. When the egg Cooking time: 4 hours whites are stiff and glossy, gently add Make the sujeonggwa foam the icing sugar and whisk again for Ingredients Peel the ginger and slice thinly. Place 4–5 minutes. The meringue should For the Comté ice-cream in a saucepan and add 150 g water. be smooth, very white and very 75 ml milk Bring to the boil, turn down the heat dense. Arrange the meringues on 22 g cream and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Rinse parchment paper and bake for 1½ 1 egg yolk the cinnamon, place the pieces in a hours. Remove from the oven and 5 g sugar separate saucepan and add 150 g leave to cool. 1 g salt water. Bring to the boil and turn the 40 g Comté heat down. Simmer gently for 40 To assemble minutes–1 hour. The colour of the Release the foam from the siphon For the sujeonggwa foam water should change. When the time into a shallow bowl or plate and 12 g fresh ginger is up, drain the ginger pieces, arrange a quenelle of ice-cream on 150 g water reserving the liquid in a bowl. Repeat top. Sprinkle with pine nut crumble 20 g cinnamon for the cinnamon. Mix the two and a pinch of sea salt. Grate the 150 g water liquids together, in a saucepan, Comté over the ice-cream and top Brown sugar adding sugar according to taste, and with the meringue. Finish by 5 cl cream (35% fat content) heat for 10 minutes. sprinkling over the morel powder.

36 australia Mathew Hegarty “BEING IN FRANCE IS A DREAM COME TRUE”

Mathew Hegarty was born in Australia, in a small city about an hour’s drive from Sydney. Since 2015, he has been chef at Le P’tit Polyte, Chalet Mounier’s gourmet restaurant in the ski resort of Les Deux Alpes (Isère). Just one year after he arrived, Mathew’s cooking skills earned him a Michelin star. His style is influenced by his Australian background, and inspired by Asian cuisine. He came to the public eye in 2018 as a contestant in season 9 of Top Chef TV programme (M6). When he first arrived in the country in 2010, Mathew trained under Yannick Delpech in Toulouse; he then did his own mini Tour de France, taking in Corsica, Brittany and Haute-Savoie before settling here for the duration. Mathew was brought up in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. For Sweet Cheese, he’s cooking Bleu d’Auvergne, at 1,600m above sea level. A real case of back to his roots!

What are your earliest memories of shocked. But actually, I quite enjoyed Say “Sweet Cheese”! food? the military strictness of it all; it was There are a few Australian cheeses, At home, we didn’t really cook much, a challenge. If I wanted to stay, I just Tasmanian Blue being one of them, my father usually brought home had to do the same as everyone else. but they’re quite unusual and very pizza or some other take-away. My expensive. People don’t eat them at brother had a job in a restaurant, How did you acclimatise to Les the end of a meal, but more as an and when I was 13, he suggested I Deux-Alpes? appetiser, maybe with oysters. When join him there; but it was really so When I arrived, it was as the first I got the call from Sweet Cheese, I could do the washing up while he time I’d ever seen snow. But I’m from I thought it would almost be too easy. did the cooking! Ultimately though, a surfing, skateboarding culture, so I I’ve never been part of that whole although I went to art school, I’m the bought myself a snowboard, and now French cheese culture, so I’ve always one who has ended up in the kitchen, I’m in love with the mountains. felt free to do my own thing – and while my brother joined the army. that includes dessert. My tasting My father is always happy when I And cheese? menu always features a cooked come home to cook for him. He loves I’m still not that familiar with all the cheese dish, maybe a crème brûlée it when we barbecue together and I French cheeses, but I love the blue made with the local Bleu du Vercors- show him new cooking techniques. ones. They’ve got real character. Sassenage and served with chicory sorbet. For Sweet Cheese, I used Why did you come to France? Bleu d’Auvergne to make For Australians, France is the land and ice-cream, but I added a few of good food. Everyone knows the touches of home – eucalyptus, French make the best cooks. They Tasmanian pepper, wattle seeds and don’t eat to live, they live to eat, and I wood-sorrel leaves. As a dessert, it’s love that. Being in France is a dream both powerful and fresh. come true. Le P’tit Polyte What happened the day you 2 rue de la Chapelle arrived? 38860 Les Deux Alpes It was like a comedy show. That www.chalet-mounier.com first day, I worked from 7am to 3pm, +33 (0)4 76 80 56 90 then left, saying I’d see everyone tomorrow. Someone answered “à t’taleur” (“laters”). I didn’t know what that meant, and when I realised I had to be back at 5pm, I was totally

39 AUSTRALIa Mathew Hegarty

Make the cheesecake Heat the milk, the agar-agar and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, and add the Bleu d’Auvergne and wattle seeds. Tip the mixture Sweet into a large bowl. Whisk the 50 g of and Blue cream to soft peaks and fold into the — milk and cheese mixture. Turn into 8 Serves 4 silicon half-sphere moulds, each 3 cm SINGING Prep time: 1 hour in diameter. Chill. THE BLUES Cooking time: 3 hours Make the eucalyptus jelly Antoine Roussel was a peasant Ingredients Heat the water, sugar and eucalyptus farmer who lived some 40 km For the shortbread base leaves in a saucepan. Remove from outside Clermont-Ferrand. Around 100 g breadcrumbs the heat, cover with cling film and 1855, he stumbled on the idea of 15 g sugar leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain, seeding the milk from his dairy herd 1 g Tasmanian pepper reserving the liquid only. Boil, with the mould found on rye bread, 40 g white chocolate stirring in the agar-agar and leave in then piercing the curd with a knitting 60 g butter the fridge to set for 30 minutes. needle to introduce air. The result Blend with a stick blender to a was Bleu d’Auvergne, which achieved For the cheesecake smooth, gel-like texture. PDO status in 1996. Bleu d’Auvergne 20 g milk is the most famous of the blue- 1 g agar-agar Make the Bleu d’Auvergne ice-cream veined cheeses produced in the 30 g sugar Mix the egg yolks and sugar together Massif Central; the production area 120 g Bleu d’Auvergne in a bowl. Bring the milk to the boil. extends from Puy-de-Dôme to 1 tbsp wattle seeds Pour the boiling milk into the eggs Cantal, and includes Aveyron, 50 g 30% cream and sugar, whisking all the time. Corrèze, Haute-Loire, Lot and Pour the mixture back into a sauce- Lozère. It takes 20 to 25 litres of milk For the eucalyptus jelly pan and simmer over a gentle heat, to produce a Roquefort which weighs 100 ml water stirring constantly, without going 2 to 3 kg after being aged for a 15 g sugar over 83°C. Add the diced Bleu d’Au- minimum of 4 weeks. Penicillium 30 eucalyptus leaves vergne. Blend, transfer to a Pacojet Roqueforti is added to the milk in the 1 g agar-agar or ice-cream maker and freeze for a initial stages, but forms its familiar minimum of 4 hours. blue veins during maturation, when For the Bleu d’Auvergne ice-cream: the salted cheese is pierced by hand 6 egg yolks Make the Bleu d’Auvergne chips using needles. This makes it creamy 100 g sugar Preheat the oven to 90°C. Heat the and full flavoured – the hallmarks of 300 ml milk water, sugar and Bleu d’Auvergne Bleu d’Auvergne. 300 g Bleu d’Auvergne in a saucepan. When the cheese has melted, blend in a food processor For the Bleu d’Auvergne chips and spread over a sheet of baking 150 ml water paper. Leave to set for 2-3 hours, then 100 g sugar break up to make chips. 300 g Bleu d’Auvergne To assemble To finish Remove the half-spheres of cheese- Wood-sorrel leaves and caviar lime cake filling from the fridge. Arrange two discs of shortbread on each Method plate, and top each with the cheese- Make the shortbread cake filling. Using a spoon, carefully Combine the breadcrumbs, sugar position a quenelle of Bleu d’Au- and pepper in a bowl. Melt the choc- vergne ice-cream between the two olate and butter together in a sauce- . Sprinkle the cheese- pan and add to the dry ingredients to cakes with Bleu d’Auvergne chips; make a smooth dough. Using a 3cm decorate with piped eucalyptus jelly cookie cutter, cut out circles to form and garnish with wood-sorrel leave- the base of the cheesecakes. sand caviar lime.

40 41 united states

Kristin Frederick “I FELL IN LOVE WITH FRENCH CUISINE”

California-born Kristin Frederick came to France 10 years ago to learn about gastronomy. Now, with her Camion qui Fume food truck launched in 2011, she has become a pioneer of Parisian street food, serving gourmet burgers featuring real French cheese. “In the past 7 years, I’ve used so many different cheeses, including Fourme d’Ambert, Gruyère, Saint-Nectaire and Comté,” she tells us. Kristin currently runs 2 food trucks and heads up 3 restaurants, including Camion qui Fume, a Chinese street food restaurant named Huabu, and GreenHouse , a nature-centric bistro-style restaurantmodelled on Kristin’s own vision of healthy eating. She also finds time to help larger restaurant chains improve their quality. They’re in good hands.

What is your food and restaurant Tell us about Greenhouse, Say “Sweet Cheese”! background? your latest venture. I love cheese, I could eat it all day: in I was born in Los Angeles. My mother This is my dream project, part of my the mornings because I like a savoury managed a chain of restaurants, and own personal growth. It’s how I eat, breakfast, at lunchtime because I’m my father was a maître d’hôtel. I and how I see things, ecologically happy with a simple grilled cheese, remember when I was 4 or 5, my speaking; it’s about eating less meat and in the evenings when I eat a piece mother used to carry me on her back and more vegetables. We’ve got a after dinner. At Greenhouse, we often as she showed customers to their kitchen garden right in front of the include cheese-based recipes. Last tables. Neither of my parents wanted restaurant, and that sort of thing is spring, we made an asparagus me to work in this business, they completely new to me. I’ve never got tempura with Comté, and it was were adamant I should go to my hands dirty in quite that way superb. When Sweet Cheese university. So I studied marketing, before! I’m learning every day. We contacted me about creating a and worked as a sales clerk in a bank. supply the restaurant, and any cheese-based dessert, I was a bit But somehow, I couldn’t get cooking surplus we give to the daunted because I’m not really a out of my system, so off I went to neighbourhood. pastry-chef. But of course, I thought France, just to learn the basics. I of cheesecake, creating a recipe that never thought I’d end up being a chef, Has cheese always been part was outside the box. I chose Brillat- but I fell in love with French cuisine. of your life? Savarin, which I love. It’s so creamy, When I was growing up in the US, and so much better than the How did Camion qui Fume cheese wasn’t a big thing. My mother American cream cheese normally come about? worked in an Italian restaurant, and used. It’s not too strong and not too In 2011, food trucks were all the rage the first cheese I ever came across mild, and the flavour is far more in California, and I couldn’t was Parmesan. I also remember elegant. understand why there weren’t any in Cheddar, and something we called Paris. It wasn’t easy to start selling Munster, but it was nothing like the Greenhouse hamburgers from the back of a real thing. I had such fun discovering 22 rue Crespin du Gast truck, but I felt it could work. The all the cheeses when I came to 75011 Paris French are relatively easy to please France, and now I’ve got lots of +33 (0)9 80 48 79 47 – if it tastes good, they’re happy! It favourites. But I still like the cow’s was important, though, to use good, milk ones best. local ingredients – terroir-driven produce. The word terroir doesn’t even exist in English. I’m stunned by how successful it’s all been. I’m still reeling!

43 united states Kristin Frederick

Pear the crème Belle Kristin de la crème — Serves 6 Brillat-Savarin is a relatively recent Prep time: 2 hours invention, created in 1930 by Cooking time: 1 hour 20 mins pioneering cheesemaker Henri Make the cheesecake the day before Androuët, who set up his own Ingredients Heat the cream and agar-agar in a creamery in 1910. The new cheese For the base saucepan. Combine the Brillat- was named in tribute to the great 65 g Fourme d’Ambert Savarin with the chestnut puree, and 18th century French gourmet Jean 145 g blanched almonds add the cream and agar-agar mix- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. It is 90 g walnuts ture. Add the whipped cream little known as a triple-cream, a cheese 180 g muesli with dried fruit and nuts by little. Spoon onto the baked bases enriched by the addition of extra 130 g brown sugar which have been placed in individual cream, and has been called the 120 g butter circular moulds. Chill in the fridge ‘foie-gras of cheese’ for its delicious, for 24 hours. unctuous smoothness. Flavours are For the cheesecake fresh and milky with a light tang of 100 ml full fat cream Make the pear jelly acidity. Brillat-Savarin was granted 4g agar-agar In a saucepan, infuse the pear juice PGI (Protected Geographical 400 g Brillat Savarin with the two sticks of cinnamon for Indication) status in January 2017. It 250 g chestnut puree 30 minutes, then add the agar-agar. can be eaten young or well-ripened 330 ml whipped cream Top the cheesecakes with the jelly, - matured for 1-4 weeks to give a and chill for a minimum of 6 hours. snowy-white down and a rind with For the pear jelly earthy, mushroomy flavours, and is 1 l pear juice Poach the pears available in a variety of sizes, usually 2 sticks cinnamon Place the water, sugar and vanilla 100 g – 300 g - but up to 500 g for 4 g agar-agar pods in a saucepan and boil to make the true aficionado! a syrup. Peel the pears. Add the pears For the poached pears to the syrup and poach for 10-15 min- and fried pear slices utes. Cool the pears; dice one and 1 l water leave the other whole. 250 g sugar 2 vanilla pods Fry the pear slices 2 pears Take the whole pear and slice it very thinly with a mandoline. Fry the slic- Method es in a deep fat fryer at 180°C, until Make the base the day before crisp and golden. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Dice the Fourme d’Ambert into small pieces. To assemble Mix all the ingredients together Before turning out the cheesecakes, (except the butter) to give a smooth, chill on the freezer for an hour. If even texture. Melt the butter and they don’t come out easily, warm the add. Mix again, then roll the dough outside of the moulds with a cloth out on a baking sheet. Cut out six soaked in hot water. Arrange the circles with a cookie cutter and bake poached pears and fried pear slices for 5 – 15 minutes until golden. on the cheesecake.

44 japan

Sugio Yamaguchi “I LIKE CHEESE WITH CHARACTER”

As a child, Tokyo-born Sugio Yamaguchi didn’t eat much. “My mother was a good cook, but I hated the school canteen, and I’d never finish what was on my plate,” he remembers. “It probably wasn’t because I didn’t like eating, but because what I was given didn’t taste good.” At the age of 16, Sugio found a job with a Korean chef, who taught him how to cut up meat, slice vegetables and make sauces. By now he was becoming more enthusiastic about food; the French variety though, rather than sushi. After Catering College, he worked for two years to earn enough money to take him to France, a country that would change his life. Sugio opened his restaurant, Botanique, in 2015.

Do you remember arriving in I was introduced to French cheese Say “Sweet Cheese”! France? when I was 20, in one of my classes For Sweet Cheese, I wanted to make Yes, very well. It was September at college. There were around 10 a dessert that wasn’t too sweet. 2008; definitely autumn. It was very cheeses, but they weren’t particularly Sweet flavours go well with cheese, hot in Japan, and very cold here. I good quality, I don’t think, and were although for me, serving it with arrived wearing just a t-shirt, and all at the wrong temperature. The marmalade was a bit much. I call this carrying two 30-kg suitcases. I left only one I liked was Morbier. That my ‘digestif cake’ – you can have it for Jurançon straight away, to work was very nice, and easy to eat. But before, with, or after dessert. I used a in a 2-Michelin-Star restaurant. The now I love cheese, and eat a lot of it. Morbier AOP aged for 120 days, chef there used to go to the market When I’m hungry, I’ll have a piece simply because I love it. It’s naturally every morning, getting back around of Comté, Salers or Saint-Nectaire. I quite full-flavoured, but can be used 10 o’clock. By 10.30 we’d have a like a cheese with character. for all sorts of things. It works well menu. There was a lot of preparation with aromatic herbs, not surprisingly, to do and it was hard, but it was Does cheese pair well with because that’s one of the things the fun. I’ve got good memories and I Japanese ingredients? cows eat. That’s what gave me the learned a lot. I realised that in French Very well. In my sweet cheese recipe, idea for this recipe. For the filling, I cuisine, ingredients are key. for example, I use yuzu, a fragrant used Tome des Bauges, which I citrus fruit which can be very mild discovered on a trip to the Jura. It How would you describe if you only use the zest. In Arbois, I melts well, then has a good texture Botanique, your restaurant? was once served cheese with a citrus when it cools. I wanted to have the I opened it together with my asso- marmalade. It was nice, but a bit too two textures together – cooked and ciate Alexandre, but we didn’t want acidic. Acidity and cheese don’t go uncooked. anything too rigid. And actually, we well together. do as we please. On the ground floor Botanique there’s a bistro serving traditional What place does cheese have 71 Rue de la Folie Méricourt French food, while upstairs we’ve got in your restaurant? 75011 Paris a Chef’s Table where we serve gour- I don’t just want to cut it up and www.botaniquerestaurant.com met cuisine, everything bursting with serve it – I’m a cook! So, I’ll make +33 (0)1 47 00 27 80 flavour, inspired by my travels. something like winter root vegetable risotto with Bleu d’Auvergne - for How did cheese become part France, that’s quite unusual. I like of your life? to be a bit different. In Japan, we I know a few Japanese cheeses, but like our vegetables to have a bit of they’re not a big thing. Nobody in crunch, but this works well with Japan is really interested in them. cheese. It gives more flavour, a richer, tastier feel.

47 japan Sugio Yamaguchi

For the tartlets: 60 g Tome des Bauges For the coconut mousse: 150 g coconut milk, 2 egg yolks, 15 g sugar, 1 leaf vegetarian gelatine THE TALE For the Italian meringue: 3 egg whites, 35 g sugar, 3 tbsp water, 100 ml cream OF MORBIER For the herb jelly: 200 ml water, 2 tbsp yuzu juice, 8 g agar-agar, 20 g sugar, Make the Italian meringue Once upon a time, all dairy farmers Herbs (lemon balm, basil and mint) Make a sugar syrup by heating the in Franche-Comté produced and For the lime sauce: 100 ml water, water and sugar to 115°C. Beat the supplied milk to support production Herbs (lemon, basil and mint), 20 g egg whites to stiff peaks. Pour the of Comté cheese. However, those sugar, 8 g pectin, Juice of 3 limes syrup slowly in a steady stream over who lived in the outlying areas For the herb sauce: 5 sprigs sorrel, 10 the egg whites. Cool for 3 minutes. were vulnerable to the vagaries of mint leaves, 2 tbsps salted water, Stir the Italian meringue into the the weather, and were sometimes 3 tbsps lime sauce (see above) coconut mousse, followed by the unable to make it to the nearest dairy To finish: 240 g Morbier, 60 small cold whipped cream. Transfer to (fruitière). So they began to manu- mint leaves, 60 small basil leaves. half-sphere moulds and chill in the facture their own cheese, calling it freezer. After 15 minutes remove, Morbier after the village in which it Method make a hollow in each half-sphere was first made. Morbier is instantly Make the pastry using a spoon, return to the freezer recognisable by the black band run- Combine the butter, sugar, pinch of and freeze until set. ning horizontally through its middle. salt and egg yolks, adding the flour Make the herb jelly Nowadays, the band is made from at the end to make a dough. Chill in Boil the water with the yuzu juice vegetable charcoal, but tradition- the fridge for 2 hours, then roll out and sugar and remove from heat. ally the black layer had a practical and use to line individual tartlet tins. Whisk in the agar-agar. Simmer on a purpose, protecting the evening curd Bake blind, with pie weights (rice low heat for 5 minutes, stirring all the overnight until it could be covered or lentils), for 18 minutes at 140°C, time. Leave to cool. Cover a baking by curd from the next morning’s then a further 12 minutes without sheet with cling film and spread the milking. Farmers originally used the weights. chopped herbs on it. Pour on the soot taken from the pot in which the Make the crème patissière cooled liquid so it does not scorch evening milk was heated. In 2000, Heat the milk. Meanwhile, cream the herbs. Chill until set, about 5 Morbier was awarded AOC status, the sugar with the egg yolks and mins. Use a cookie cutter to cut 12 followed by PDO (Protected Desig- cornflour. Pour the boiling milk onto rounds, and cut the rest into strips nation of Origin) in 2002. Morbier is the cornflour mixture, return to the for decoration. made from the unpasteurised milk of heat and stir until thickened. Cook Make the lime sauce Montbeliarde and French Simmental the spinach in boiling salted water, Boil the water with 10 g of sugar and cows, and cellar-matured for a mini- whizz in a food processor and sieve infuse with the herbs (lemon balm, mum of 45 days at 7 - 15°C. to extract the chlorophyll. With a basil and mint) to make an herb syr- stick blender, mix the hot crème up. Boil the water with the herb syrup Tome and pâtissière with the spinach and the and lime juice. Mix the pectin and the Rising Sun pistachio butter. the remaining 10 g of sugar, add to — Make the spinach and herb the liquids and whisk for two mins. Makes 12 tartlets crème pâtissière Make the herb sauce Prep time: 3 hours Cook the spinach to a purée and strain Chop the sorrel and mint, and blanch Cooking time: 1½ hours through a very fine cloth. Mix all the for 30 seconds in boiling salted ingredients (crème pâtissière, spinach water. Blend to a very smooth con- Ingredients and herbs) gently with a spatula. sistency in a small food processor. For the sweet pastry: 100 g butter, 25 g Bake the tartlets Season with the lime sauce. sugar, 25 g icing sugar, 2 egg yolks, Spread a layer of the herb crème To assemble 125 g flour , Pinch of salt pâtissière in each of the cooked tart- Fill the half-spheres of coconut For the crème pâtissière: 100 ml milk, 1 let cases, topped by a layer of plain mousse with the herb sauce. Place egg, 2 egg yolks, 35 g sugar, 5 g crème pâtissière. Finish with diced the rounds of herb jelly over the top cornflour, 25 g single cream, 10 g Tome des Bauges. Bake in oven for 12 of the hollows to close. Turn the fresh spinach, 12 g pistachio butter minutes at 170°C. half-spheres over and decorate with For the herb crème pâtissière: Make the coconut mousse jelly strips, diced Morbier and the 150 g cold crème pâtissière (500 ml Bring the coconut milk to the boil. small mint and basil leaves. Just milk, 120 g sugar, 4 egg yolks, 30 g Pour the hot liquid onto the creamed before serving, place the decorated flour), 45 g chopped mixed herbs sugar and eggs and cook over a low half-spheres in the crème (tarragon, lemon balm, dill, corian- heat. Soften the gelatine in cold pâtissière-filled tartlet cases. der, chervil and basil), 60 g fresh water and drain; mix into the warm Arrange each tartlet on a plate, on a spinach. cream. Strain. ring of herb sauce.

48 united kingdom harry cummins “GOOD, FRESH AND SIMPLE”

Harry Cummins grew up in London, moving to Bath in the south-west of England when he was 13 years old. His mother was a single parent, raising her three children by herself. They rarely went out to restaurants, and ate a diet of spaghetti hoops and sausage and mash with frozen peas. But Harry’s Italian grandfather introduced him to a different food culture, Harry was to reacquire this early taste for good food when at 15 he took a job in a restaurant, Harry returned to London for a spell at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, where he met Gregory Marchand. In 2011, Harry joined Gregory in Paris for the opening of Frenchie’s Wine Bar. From 2013 to 2018, Harry and his partner, sommelier Laura Vidal, travelled the world with their Paris Popup before finally settling in Marseille and opening their own restaurant, La Mercerie. Their food is technically sophisticated, but bistro-inspired and affordable, with cheese as a pivotal ingredient.

What are your earliest memories What’s the concept behind your Say “Sweet Cheese”! around food? Paris Popup? English cheese is experiencing a I remember meals with my grand- In London, restaurants open seven revival, thanks in no small part to the parents, and also at a friend’s house; days a week. When I came to Paris, I efforts of Neal’s Yard Dairy. And here his parents had this wonderful place couldn’t understand why they had to in France, I’ve seen some amazing in Camden, not far from our little close for two days, so we asked some cheese shop window displays! In the flat, where they would host dinners. of our chef friends if we could cook restaurant, I tend to eat cheese every They’d serve roast chicken, and on their premises when they were day. We keep it by the passage way, there was always a slice of cucum- closed, maybe once a month. It went next to the bread. I love Comté, both ber and a sprig of mint in the water down so well! Then when my grand- the winter and summer variations, jug. And that’s where I discovered mother died in early 2013, I decided both ripe and less ripe. I also adore cabbage braised with orange. It was I wanted to travel the world, the way blue cheese. For Sweet Cheese, I’ve good, fresh and simple, and that’s she had done when she was in the paired Roquefort with chocolate - what I’ve been aiming for ever since. Army. So, we took our Popup idea to they’re both fermented products Montreal, New York, San Francisco, with good acidity and underlying What cheese did you have as a child? Kyoto and Fez. It was magic. We flavours of coffee and black cherries. Cheddar! I grew up in Bath, which were made to feel so welcome, it I was aiming for a multi-textured is only about 40km from the village really restores your faith in human dessert, with the salty, tannic of Cheddar and the limestone caves nature. flavours of Roquefort to give it a kick. where the cheese is matured. Combine it with chocolate mousse and it takes on a creamy texture and Did you find restaurant life easy? a much lighter feel; the beetroot I loved the atmosphere in the restau- sorbet gives a fresh edge, quince goes rant where I first worked for a bit of well with blue cheese and the tuile pocket money. I had never been par- adds a bit of crunch. ticularly confident, I’d always felt a bit inferior, actually. But in the kitchen, La Mercerie we were equals. I realised that what it 9 cours Saint Louis took to get ahead was hard work and 13001 Marseille talent, and that made me grow up. I www.lamerceriemarseille.com got tips, and I ate well. My boss ran +33 (0)4 91 06 18 44 the local football club. I’d keep my football boots in his car, and he used to pick me up every Sunday. It was like having a second family.

51 united kingdom harry cummins

For the chocolate and Roquefort foam SOLID 20 ml milk AS A ROQUE 60 g cream (35% fat content) 10 g chestnut honey Make the chocolate and It’s said that Charlemagne (742-814) 35 g 75% chocolate Roquefort foam loved it, and we have reliable 20 g Roquefort Boil the milk, cream and butter. Pour evidence that in 1411 Charles VI 1½ egg whites onto the chocolate and whisk until declared it a rich treasure from a melted and glossy. Add the Roque- barren land; Roquefort cheese has its For the semi-dried beetroot fort, and continue whisking. Add the roots in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, and 60 g of the beetroot prepared egg whites and pour into the siphon. is made in caves underneath the for the sorbet Charge with 2 cartridges. Chill in the Combalou Plateau, in the depths of 5 g Roquefort fridge for abour 1 hour. the rocky scree bordering the Grands 15 ml water Causses. With protected status since 15 g caster sugar Make the dried beetroot 1925 and PDO status since 1996, this Peel the cooked beetroot and chop famous blue-veined cheese is For the poached quince into fingers. Place the Roquefort in manufactured in a precisely-defined 500 g quince a bowl. Boil the water with the sugar area which includes the Aude, 100 g caster sugar and pour onto the Roquefort; leave Aveyron, Gard, Hérault, Lozère and 400 ml water to cool. When cool enough, strain Tarn, from the milk of Lacaune through a sieve or piece of muslin. sheep. The unpasteurised whole milk For the cacao tuile Once the beetroot has cooled, soak is heated and curdled; after cutting 5 g unsalted butter the fingers in the Roquefort syrup, and stirring, the firm curd is seeded 5 ml water place on a baking tray and dry in the with penicillium and turned 5 times a 7½ g cacao nibs oven at 60°C for 4 hours. day to drain. It is then salted, pierced 5 g flour with needles and finally matured for 15 g icing sugar Poach the quince a minimum of 3 months, spending at Peel and core the quince and cut into least 14 days unwrapped in the Method wedges. Boil up the syrup and add natural caves at Roquefort. Make the beetroot sorbet the quince. Poach until tender and Wipe the beetroot and place in a leave to cool in the syrup. deep, ovenproof dish. Add water to Roque around 1/3 of the way up, then season with Make the cacao tuile the Choc salt and sugar, cover tightly with alu- Place the butter and water in a sauce- — minium foil and roast in the oven at pan and bring to the boil. Pour over Serves 2 170°C for about an hour, until tender. the dry ingredients (cacao nibs, flour Prep time: 2 hours Cool, and rub off the skins. Setting and icing sugar). Whisk together Cooking time: 1 hour aside 60 g for the semi-dried beet- until smooth then place teaspoon- root, puree the remaining 250 g and fuls of the mixture on a baking tray Ingredients chill. Place the dextrose and caster and bake in the oven for 7-8 mins at For the sorbet sugar in a pan with the water, heat 200°C. 310 g beetroots to 40°C and sprinkle on the stabilis- 270 g water er, whisking constantly for around To assemble 30 g dextrose 5 mins. Heat to 84°C. As soon as it Dice the quince and dried beetroot 125 g caster sugar reaches temperature, remove from and place in a small bowl. Add a 2 g stabiliser (of vegetable origin) the heat and cool. Add the pureed scoop of beetroot sorbet and top 50 ml beetroot juice beetroot, beetroot juice and sugar with Chocolate and Roquefort foam. 85 ml lime juice syrup to the lime juice. Freeze. Arrange the cacao tuile on top.

52 mexico Beatriz Gonzalez “I LOVE SMOOTH CREAMINESS OF BRIE”

Beatriz Gonzalez has all but lived in kitchens since she was 7 years old. The first was her parents’ kitchen on the paradise island of Cozumel off the eastern coast of Mexico, where, after leaving the armed forces, her father gave up his previous life to open a top-flight restaurant. Beatriz also threw herself into the new venture. But everything changed when she was 17 and her father sent her to France to study at the Institut Paul Bocuse. She fell in love not only with French cuisine, but also with Matthieu Marcant, who went on to become her husband. He is also her business associate in the two restaurants she now runs in Paris, Neva Cuisine and Coretta. Having trained under Pierre Orsi in Lyon, Alain Senderens at Lucas Carton and Frédéric Robert at La Grande Cascade, Beatriz favours a gourmet bistro style of cooking. Between services, she often snacks on cheese – a piece of Salers, or Comté. A true Mexican, fashioned by France.

What are your memories What was it like to leave Say “Sweet Cheese”! of childhood? your roots? When Sweet Cheese called me, I was My parents’ restaurant in Mexico was In Mexico we have big families, so to thrilled because I love challenges, on two floors, and when you went be all alone at school, not speaking but it also gave me the chance to upstairs, you had to go past the the language, was very tough. But work as part of a team. Without a kitchen. I can still see the enormous even in my first placements I realised good team behind them, a chef is extractor hood in there, and smell all that when I was told to ‘do this, fetch nothing. We all chipped in, but the those delicious smells – meat and fish, that,’ I had to do it. I had to learn and pun was my husband’s idea. As a the spicy tomato sauce being stirred understand, or they would simply child, my two favourite desserts were in huge pots, ready to be poured over replace me. crème caramel and rice pudding – fish cooked in banana leaves, and the although in Mexico we don’t make it fried tortillas we call tostadas. How would you describe with cinnamon like in France, and your cooking style? we add candied fruit or citrus. How did your parents react It’s a blend of my background and all Mathieu’s play on words gave us the when you told them you wanted the flavours I’ve encountered in my idea of replacing the milk and sugar to be a chef ? life so far. People who know me all with Brie. I like all French cheese, My father was astonished. Why know my food has a bit of a kick to it. but I really love the smooth would I want to have the same job as They’re not your everyday flavours, creaminess of Brie. It coats the rice they did, when I never used to see but they’re very precisely structured. as it cooks, giving it a lovely sheen. I them and I’d have to come down to could have served it in a bowl, just to the restaurant to spend time with How is cheese used admire its glossy appearance; but I them? But he knew I had made up in Mexican cuisine? thought I’d refresh it with apple in my mind, and that I could be People do eat cheese, but it isn’t as three different textures – raw, dried stubborn! Then one day he asked me tasty as the French product. We have and jellied. Any Mexican would eat if I still wanted to be a cook, because some fairly neutral cheeses, used this without a second thought! apparently a famous chef had mainly for garnish or melted; for opened a cookery school in Lyon – instance in quesadillas, the Mexican Coretta one of the best, he said. He thought savoury snack of choice. 151 bis rue Cardinet that I would come back and take over 75017 Paris their restaurant, but I fell in love with www.restaurantcoretta.com France. My father has always +33 (0)1 42 26 55 55 supported me in everything, and encouraged me to open my own restaurant when I would have just carried on working for the big names.

55 mexico Beatriz Gonzalez

Easy Briezy! — Serves 4 Prep time: 1½ hours Cooking time: 45 min

EASY Ingredients BRIEZY! For the apple tuile 1 Granny Smith apple Apple glaze There isn’t just one type of Brie – Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 there are plenty of variations. Brie de For the lime powder mins to soften. Remove the softened Meaux (which can be truffled) and 1 lime gelatine leaves and drain, gently Brie de Melun are the best known, squeezing out any excess water. and the only two to have PDO (Pro- For the rice pudding Dissolve over a low heat and set tected Designation of Origin) status; 1 l milk aside to cool. Heat up the water and but there’s also Brie de Montereau, 5 tbsps sugar apple juice and add the dissolved Nangis or Provins, not to mention 250 g Brie de Meaux gelatine. Cool. the distinctive Brie Noir (Black 100 g Arborio rice Brie), which is aged for 6-12 months. Make the tuile batter The two PDO Bries are made from For the apple glaze Blend all the ingredients in a Pacojet whole, unpasteurised cow’s milk and 40 leaves of gelatine (professional grade ice-cream manufactured in the eastern part of ½ litre water maker/blender), or whisk together in the Paris basin - Seine-et- and ½ litre apple juice a round-bottomed basin to make a part of and for Brie de smooth dough. Spread over a Melun, and part of Marne, For the tuile batter non-stick baking mat and with a and Haute-Marne for Brie de Meaux. 2 egg whites cookie-cutter, cut out 4 circles, 4 cm The milk is seeded with rennet, 65 g butter in diameter. and the resulting curd is cut, sliced 125 g icing sugar or stirred to bring the whey to the 65 g flour Milk foam surface, then cast into moulds and Strain the cooked, cooled rice (step 2) drained. After draining, the cheese To assemble through a sieve. Set the rice aside, is turned out. The wheels (27-28 cm (Quantities to taste) and place the milk into a siphon. for Melun and 36-37 cm for Meaux) 1 Granny Smith apple Charge with 1 cartridge to make soft are salted with dry salt, sprayed with Olive oil clouds of foam on the plate. Set aside. penicillin to give a bloomy rind, and 1 lime matured for 4-8 weeks (Meaux) or Salt Make rice pudding spheres 4-12 weeks (Melun). Pepper Use a mould to make spheres of rice 1 punnet pea shoots pudding. Prick the spheres all over Edible tagette flowers with a cocktail stick and place in the freezer. When frozen, soak each Method sphere individually with the apple The day before, make the apple tuile glaze at 23°C. and lime powder Using a mandoline, slice the apple To assemble thinly, place on a baking tray and dry Arrange 3 rice spheres on a plate to in the oven overnight, at 50°C. make a semicircle. With a peeler, remove the lime zest Add 2 circles of tuile batter, one and dry in the oven overnight at 50°C. between the spheres and the other placed against the middle sphere. Cook the rice pudding Slice the apple using a mandoline. Boil the milk with the sugar and the Season with olive oil and a few drops Brie. Add the rice and lower the of lime; add a pinch of salt and pepper. heat. Simmer over a gentle heat Top with apple chips and apple slices. until the milk in the pan is level with To finish, garnish with pea shoots the rice. Cool. and tagette flowers.

56 lebanon Omar Koreitem “CHEESE IS PART OF WHO I AM”

Omar Koreitem was born in Lebanon, but came to France as a baby. He discovered a passion for cooking at the age of 31 and took his first culinary steps in New York under Daniel Boulud. As a commis chef coordinating canapés, he would often prepare a thousand or more items for each service. It was a case of in at the deep end – but a very good way to learn the basics and to understand the rigour required. Discipline was no more relaxed under Gordon Ramsay in London, where Omar stayed for two years before returning to France with his wife Moko, lawyer-turned-pastry-chef, who had also embarked on her new career relatively late. In 2015, they opened Mokonuts, a high-end lunch destination where the cuisine is spontaneous, combining the influences of both partners. Cheese is a popular ingredient in Lebanese cooking, and has a very special place here.

What are your childhood touch of Japan – but it’s not fusion. Say “Sweet Cheese”! memories of cooking? It’s more a market-led cuisine; it When I was asked to use French I arrived in France in 1975, when I changes from day to day, according cheese to create a dessert reflecting was one year old. My food memories to what’s in season, and to what we my country, I immediately thought are a bit of a mixture; my sisters and like ourselves. of Halawet El Jibn. It’s even the I ate French food at school and Leb- Arabic for Sweet Cheese! In Lebanon anese food at home. My father loved What role does cheese play in your they use Akawi, or the cheese of making traditional Lebanese dishes native country? Saint Jean d’Acre, which looks a bit with plenty of spice. There aren’t many cheeses in like but is less salty and Lebanon. They’re usually imported melts easily on cooking. I’ve replaced How did you become a chef ? from Cyprus, Armenia, Turkey or it with Mont d’Or, one of my personal Even though I was immersed in a Bulgaria. The cheeses we do have favourites. It has a very distinctive culture where food was very im- are often used in sweet dishes, like flavour when you heat it – which we portant, I came to cooking quite late the dessert I’ve re-imagined for often do in France, before adding in life. I was 31, and after studying Sweet Cheese, or in knefeh, a double truffles, nuts or honey. I like the Political Science, I worked at City layered cheesecake – cheese topped texture it has also when it’s cooked. Hall in New York. That’s where I with a semolina crust, baked in the The Lebanese are generally very met my wife Moko, who’s originally oven and doused with syrup. open to new flavours but don’t like from Japan. She was a lawyer at the tinkering with tradition, so as long as time, and it was food that brought us Are you a cheese lover? we don’t call it Halawet El Jibn, together. At 31, I decided to become a There’s always cheese in our home. they’ll love it! chef; at 36, she became a pâtissier. I go to Japan with Moko quite often, and French cheese costs a fortune Mokonuts Tell us about your restaurant there. Not many Japanese people 5 rue Saint-Bernard At Mokonuts it’s just Moko and me eat it. After a week I miss it so much 75011 Paris with two kitchen assistants. We’re I practically come out in a rash! It’s +33 (0)9 80 81 82 85 open during the week, from break- a deep-down need, it’s part of who fast through to early evening. Our I am, and I need to eat it regularly. I idea was to create a warm, casual love all cheese. Gruyère is my favou- environment like you’d have at rite to cook with, but I like strong, home, but then add our experienc- runny cheeses with subtle flavours; I es of fine dining. Ultimately, we love Mont d’Or, Saint-Marcellin and cook the things we like to eat. We Saint-Félicien. add something of ourselves, of our own tastes – a touch of Lebanon, a

59 lebanon Omar Koreitem

BOXING CLEVER Mont d’Or has been made in the Haut-Doubs area since the end of the Middle Ages, although the first written evidence of its existence – a letter signed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau – stems from 1764. Originally called “wood,” “cream” or “boxed” cheese, it eventually became known as du Haut-Doubs, or Mont d’Or (not to be confused with its Swiss cousin Vacherin Mont d’Or, or simply Method Vacherin). Mont d’Or is a soft To assemble cheese, awarded AOC status in 1981 250 g cow’s milk curd and PDO in 1996, made from the 1 grapefruit milk of Montbeliarde and French Ground pistachios Simmental cows grazing in Dried edible rose buds mountain pastures some 700m above sea level. It is only made Make the grapefruit syrup between September 10th and May Peel the zest from the grapefruit and 10th. Rennet is added to the milk, cut into fine strips. Blanch the zest 3 curds are formed and the times in boiling water, changing the temperature is raised to 40°C. The water each time. Place the sugar and curds are cut and stirred, then filled grapefruit juice in a saucepan over a into cylindrical stainless-steel low heat. Add the strips of zest and moulds for pressing. The pressed simmer until candied. curd is turned out of its mould, sliced into wheels and bound, by Make the dough hand, with a strap (sangle) of spruce In a saucepan, gently heat the sugar, bark. The straps are harvested by water and saffron until the sugar is A Levantine specialists known as sangliers. completely dissolved. Without re- Dessert moving from the heat, add the semo- — lina to the syrup, whisking as you go. Serves 2 Add the Mont d’Or and continue to Prep time: 1 hour stir, this time with a rubber spatula, Cooking time: 15 mins until you have a smooth dough sim- ilar to choux pastry. Turn the dough Ingredients out onto non-stick kitchen paper and For the grapefruit syrup roll out into a rectangle half a centi- Zest of 1 grapefruit metre thick. Set aside to cool. 100 g sugar 200 g grapefruit juice To assemble Cut the dough into 8 cm wide strips. For the dough Pipe or spoon the curds and diced 200 g sugar grapefruit into the centre of each 350 ml water strip. Roll up the dough to make a 2 g saffron sausage shape; glaze with the grape- 130 g semolina fruit syrup, and sprinkle with ground 250 g Mont d’Or pistachios and edible dried rosebuds.

60 1 2 3 4

5 6 7

8 9 10

1 Kristin Frederick 4 Chef Anto 6 Sugio Yamaguchi 9 Omar Koreitem

2 Harry Cummins 5 Mathew Hegarty 7 Samuel Lee Sum 10 Beatriz Gonzalez

3 Elsa Marie 8 Younghoon Lee

62 63 Acknowledgements

At PopSpirit agency Isabelle Lebaupain, Charlotte Ferran-Vincent, Marianne This book would not exist Waquier, Aurélia Thorlet without our 10 brilliant, passionate Sweet Cheese chefs: Stéphane Méjanès Beatriz Gonzalez (Coretta), Chef Anto (Private chef ), Atelier Marge Design Elsa Marie (La Vierge), Harry Cummins Let’s Make it and Laura Vidal (La Mercerie), Julien Gripon, Kristin Frederick (Greenhouse), Aurélien Desettre, Mathew Hegarty, the Mounier Julien Bortuzzo family and the team (Le P’tit Polyte), Photographers and Food Stylist Omar Koreitem and Moko Julie Limont, Hirayama (Mokonuts), Nathalie Carnet Samuel Lee Sum and Pauline and Garlone Bardel Thomann (Shang Palace), Sugio Yamaguchi (Botanique), Bordeaux Food Club Younghoon Lee (Le Passe Temps) Lucile and Fanny Arnaud A big thank you to everyone involved in making Sweet Cheese a reality: Our thanks also go to: Escourbiac Printers Sweet Cheese has been a unique culinary Éric Birlouez, Agricultural Alain Escourbiac, Sophie and editorial experience a way Engineer, Sociologist Langlade and Eugène Dubois of bringing French cheese into the sweet and Food Historian world of dessert, inspired by the Claire Griffon of Fromagerie creativity, vision and personal stories Griffon of our contributors. These passionate, hugely talented food professionals, And the production/ artists of word and image, have taken coordination teams: a fresh look at our perception of mealtimes, At Cniel Sweet Cheese, an event, a book especially the role played by our own Marie-Laure Martin, Nina Bayer, and an adventure to explore online. wonderful French cheeses. Clare Greenhalgh, Christophe ohmysweetcheese.com And in doing so, they have started Boussamba, Christophe Spotti, #OhMySweetCheese a whole new chapter in their history. Jean-Baptiste Olivier @oh.my.milk

65 Published by CNIEL Maison du Lait 42 rue de Châteaudun 75314 Paris Cedex 9 Tel: +33(1) 49 70 71 11 — Publishing Director Laurent Damiens (Cniel)

Editorial Coordination and Revision Marie-Laure Martin (Cniel) and PopSpirit agency

Graphic Design Atelier Marge Design

Content Development Stéphane Méjanès

Food Photography Nathalie Carnet

Food Styling Garlone Bardel

Chef Portraits For free distribution. Photo Features All rights reserved. Julie Limont Content may not be reproduced or transmitted, Press Contact in whole or in part, PopSpirit agency without the express +33 (0)1 42 93 44 56 written permission [email protected] of the copyright holders.

66 howh o w sweets w e e t iti t couldc o u l d beb e

www.OhMySweetCheese.com #OhMySweetCheese