Is cheese good for you?

Obviously Wensleydale works wonders for Wallace and Gromit, but for the rest of us is a daily dose of Brie a good thing for our health? It seems that the Australian health authorities have been setting guide lines and French experts were asked for their views.
Not surprisingly all the dieticians consulted agreed that cheese is not a health risk, but like most dairy products can be beneficial. It is recommended that about 40 gms of cheese should be a daily maximum.. But as cheese contains salt and saturated fats it can be unhelpful in keeping a healthy heart, on the other hand it usually contains the bacteria which keep our bodies healthy as well as calcium for our bones. There are ethical questions surrounding the production of  dairy products, but that is not usually a dietary question, except for vegans.
The advice is to check the levels of salt, saturated fat and calcium when buying cheese (look at the labels of packaged cheeses to distinguish them) and choose the ones with least of the bad things and most of the good ingredients. Then consume in moderation.

Fetons St Antonin this weekend

Lots happening in St Antonin this weekend.

 look out for estabuffettes lovely fruit tarts and homemade ice cream.

Look behind the restaurant menu

Following a trial in commercial catering establishments in Paris and Avignon, from 3^rd April 2017 hygiene checks carried out in the food sector will be published online on the site  www.alim-confiance.gouv.fr

This will cover restaurants, canteens, abattoirs, supermarkets, markets and other food outlets and the data will be available online for a period of one year from the date of the last inspection.

The website will have an interactive map of France allowing you to search for a particular establishment by name or address. It will also be possible to filter the results by category of establishment or to browse the map.
The result will show:
• the name and address of the business, • the date of the last inspection, • the level of hygiene with 4 levels: "very satisfactory", "satisfactory", "to improve", "to be corrected urgently". In the latter case the authority may order the closure of the premises pending corrective action.

John

New date to lunch with donkeys

Dear, dear friends

So for our next fundraising lunch for the Donkeys we now wish to invite you here to Lavolvene, 82150 Belveze on Thursday 6th October at 1 oclock to eat, aperitives from 12 oclock onwards. (not on the Wednesday now !)

Our menu will be

QUICHE LORRAINE, with a delicious vegetarian quiche aswell

MOUSSAKA, again with a vegetarian version served with mozzarella cheese

Flavour of the month, PLUM TART of course with cream, or

CHOCOLATE TORTE, which was so incredibly successful the last time we served it !

Please let us know if you can come along, we hope to have another successful Day. 17 euros a head for as much as you can eat and drink. 

Everyone tells us how they enjoy these days at our happy Donkey Sanctuary so please do come along and support us.

Many thanks

Jan Lemmy 

libertedesanes@gmail.com

American champagne

We are used to the idea that certain products identified by their "appellation" are from a given region, or made in a certain way. Thus "champagne" is a sparkling wine  made by a traditional method in a specific area in north east France - and no other sparkling wine may be called Champagne. Similarly many other food products from various parts of Europe are protected by their appellations. But American producers often take no notice of such labels and market their own goods under what they consider to be a generic brand - eg "American Champagne", or feta, or camembert with no indication of origin.
In trade negotiations the EU is trying to persuade the Americans to adopt around 50 appellations, but far from agreeing, the US agriculture industries want to market their products here, using these denominations. The transatlantic products are often a good deal cheaper than European originals hence EU insistance on protecting their producers who make their products to exacting quality and geographical standards.
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Cheese and wine at the market

The Moulin de Varen is organising, in the context of "local restaurants, local cheeses, local wines" being staged by various local restaurants, a wine and cheese tasting on Saturday week (13th June) at 10am. Why not try some local delicacies under the lovely terrace at the Moulin as you do your market shopping. Contact Martine or us if you would like to go (not a reservation, just an idea of numbers).


Martine Vorelle

Bonjour, nous organisons au Moulin de Varen sur la terrasse une matinée dégustation fromages de la région et vins de Gaillac samedi 13 juin de 10 h à 11h30. Pouvez-vous faire circuler l'invitation auprès de nos anglais varennois et nous communiquer le nombre de personnes (environ) ou passer nous voir pour en parler. Merci

Cahors Malbec and Truffle Festival

Put this date in your diary if you are interested in knowing all about Cahors wine and truffles.

 

Whisky in Tarn, oh

TAGlines has reported before on the practice of itinerant distillers, licensed to go around the countryside to turn local producers fruit into various "eaux de vie". The family Castan are in that tradition, but have now settled down at Villeneuve sur Vere, between Cordes and Albi.
In 2010 they added whisky to their production and all 450 odd bottles were quickly sold when marketed in 2013. It takes time to bring whisky to maturity and the distillery has 30 barrels in production, but only three are being put on sale. They intend to make three grades, and the 2015 "peat" variety is already completely sold out.
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Malc says: you wont get me off my favourite Irish whiskey unless it's an emergency!

Oysters off the menu

Some oysters and shellfish from the Bassin d'Arcachon have been declared unsafe due to toxins. It seems not unusual to have these bans and I assume these oysters will not make it to the market. Perhaps it's best to stick to the old adage on only eating them if there is an R in the month.
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Cafe Bras opens in Rodez

If you appreciate 3 star gastronomy, but find Michel Bras's Laguiole restaurant too far why not try the new Cafe Bras in Rodez. Brasserie type food and a bar service based on the Aubrac chef's menus are available at "reasonable" prices. Open from 9am for a breakfast snack it might make waiting for Ryanair a whole new experience.
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Réveillon arrosé, gueule de bois assurée...

...dit le proverbe. So if you drink too much on New Year's Eve you will have a hang-over. "gueule de bois" means literally a mouth like wood - though "gueule" is more "gob" than "mouth". I think most of us know what they mean. France Culture radio this morning gave a "chronique" on this proverb, with many remedies, from "hair of the dog" to complete abstinence, though they did admit it was too late for the latter. Any readers having a sure fire remedy please let us know.
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Foie gras stolen

40000 euros worth of foie gras was stolen from the Lauzerte producers Auguste Rey yesterday, so if you see cheap produce on the markets it may be hookey (but good quality? is it worth the risk?).
Not according to Christophe Latrille the director of Les Delices d'Autrefois, who reckons you cannot beat the Caylus producer for quality. In the village for over 100 years they now employ 20 full time staff and 15 seasonal workers.
They pride themselves on the quality of their produce "a l'ancienne" and there is a factory shop for direct purchases.
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Cooks within the area will be interested in this.

Jessie Kirkness Parker | award winning author  A TASTE OF ARABIA

Middle east flavour consultant ‣ food stylist

Having had a home here for many years, and being  passionate about her garden, as about her food, you may be interested to look at Jessie's website. Practically makes your mouth water looking at some of the recipes and I see you can order the book.

 www.jessie-parker.com   

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"Poule au sol " is what ?

I bought today at HyperU a nice sized "poule au sol" . I asked a French lady at the counter what it was, but she did not know. I always buy a  free range chicken ( poulet elevage en  plein air) so thought perhaps it was a hen for boiling. Googled it to find I think that it has something to do with one of the new European  rulings where hens have to have more space in their cages, so they can perch and scratch around. So the hen is still locked up but has more room in one of those big sheds. A step forward but still not what I wanted. I am prepared to pay a bit more to eat a chicken that has been raised properly.
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Baguette and butter pudding with a difference

Gordon Ramsay' s recipe, I seem to have got off  to a fine art without any trouble. Today I am doing the same recipe but in the style of Nigel Slater, using up things in the cupboard . As a present from a Dutch friend I was given " jopie appelstroop" which is apparently made from apples, delicious on pancakes.  From a French friend I was given "pain d'epices au miel" so I have made my own version using these products. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, I will let you know!
It worked and was scrummy.
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Anne Alassane expecting a baby in February

La Pays'Anne and Anne Alassane

Many of us now have sampled the delights of the former Masterchef's  Restaurant at Montauban. After winning Masterchef and setting up her own Restaurant, Anne suffered a terrible tragedy when two of her small children were killed in a fire. We are happy to hear life is moving on for her and she is expecting another baby in February. For those who have not been to the ''Auberge paysanne''  a bit of information below, grace a la Depeche.

Situé à 5 kilomètres de Montauban, en pleine campagne, la ferme-auberge «La Pays'anne» propose de savoureuses recettes concoctées à partir de produits de qualité issus du terroir. Aux fourneaux, Anne Alassane mitonne des gratins de volaille au potiron, des ravioles de chèvre, du foie gras poêlé, des grenadins de veau, de la volaille roulée aux fruits secs…

Ouvert tous les jours, sauf mercredi et jeudi. Ouvert le 24 et 25 décembre à midi, le 1er janvier à midi. Menu : 18 € le midi (entrée + plat ou plat + dessert, apéritif et café compris), formule Pays'Anne à 28 €, formule dégustation à 45€. Tel. 06 87 39 17 72.

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Frederic Raffi , Maitre - Restaurateur de France

Frederic Raffi chef at Le Carre des Gourmets  St.Antonin Noble Val ( Pink Hotel to some of us ) has gained the prestigious title  " Maitre - restaurateur de France"  There are 5 others in Tarn And Garonne  with this title.
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Grive de Draines , how to cook in the Almanach des Gourmands.

Just watched the local news to see  Aveyron  chasseurs discussing catching " Grive  de Draines" and displaying a collection just caught and killed.
I asked Malc "why on earth would they want to do that. " The answer to eat them , oh !  no. Sadly the answer  is "oh, yes",  recipes can be found in the Almanach  des Gourmands.
And what are grive de draines ?     Thrushes.
In England the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 , made it an offence to intentionally kill or injure thrushes ( wild birds generally ) But as Malc says, different country, different rules and England does not  agree with bullfighting but here in  France they do.
Please do NOT send recipes for a delicious dish, you interested cooks.
The ortolan bunting, a small sparrow like song bird is now an endangered species but  although it is illegal to trap, it is still caught, fed maize then drowned in brandy, cooked and eaten bones and all. If  you want to see something totally disgusting,  Jeremy Clarkson can be seem on U tube enjoying eating one in a restaurant.  The disgusting bit is Clarkson.
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Restos de Coeur

Literally meaning  "Restaurants of the heart"  start collecting today in Supermarkets etc. The main activity is to distribute packets and tins of food and hot meals to the hungry and needy. It was founded by the comedian Coluche in 1985
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Val says
Read the post above and then this one and does it make you think there is something wrong in a world where a person could swill a bottle of wine at  more than a £1,000 when other kindly folk are collecting tins of beans for the hungry and often homeless [ Vals thought for the day!]

The French love chocolate

Top four in the list of French favourite desserts
1.  Chocolate Fondant
2.   Chocolate Mousse
3.  Crepe .. . trad. not with chocolate
4.    Iles flottantes
The healthy fruit salad came out 12th
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