Domaines and Terroirs

For those of us in the 'food' industry Domaines and Terroirs (provenance and soil) are very important. Whether it be Cheese, Wine, Tea or Chocolate the quality of the product will often stem back to region and soils in which it came from. For cheese the link is very important to recognise. A Camembert made outside of Normandie, for example, won't have the rich, full bodied flavours if it weren't for the great care taken not only to the animals but to the grass they eat and the soil they live on.

Debbi Barron, one of our La Cave experts, has created tours which will take you through various 'Domaines' of France. Exploring the best of not only the Cheeses and Wines that each region has to offer but also an unforgettably journey through the beautiful gastronomical, historical and visual feasts France is known for.

For more information please go to her website!

http://www.domaines-terroirs.com/

The Queen of Tea at La Cave

The Rare Tea company comes to visit La Cave next Thursday for a 'rare' (excuse the pun) but exciting culinary joining of beautiful teas and our artisan cheeses.

The Queen of Tea herself, Henrietta Lovell, will be here to take us on a journey through her world of extraordinary teas. The rare tea company became a reality in 2004 and has grown to include customers like The Fat Duck, Soho Hotel and Selfridges. No shirker of adventure and high jinx, together with small artisan producers she has travelled to India, darkest Africa and the Fu Jain mountains of south east China in her quest to bring the finest, most delicate teas to England.

**Tailor made Cheese and Wine evenings**

Here at La Cave a Fromage we are known not only for our vast range of Europes finest cheeses and great selection of breads, but also for our fantastic fortnightly Cheese and Wine functions. We are please to announce that we are now available for private functions. Whether it be for a birthday, wedding celebrations, or an end of year Christmas wrap up party, we are happy to tailor the perfect event to suit your needs.

For more information or to book an event please contact us either on 0845-10-88-222 or via email at angiem@cheese.biz.

Chef Raymond Blanc visits La Cave a Fromage!

We recently had the pleasure of hosting a Cheese and Wine evening with the renowned Chef Raymond Blanc. Best known for his Michelin starred restaurant "Le Manoir aus Quat 'Saisons" and his chain of brasseries, 'Brasserie Blanc', of which there are 8 in the UK.

Mr Blanc is currently in the process of filming his next BBC series and was kind enough to choose our shop for the part relating to cheese. It was a delight to meet him and be a part of the whole process. Keep an eye out for us in his upcoming series!! We will let you know when we have a 'go to air' date.

Cheeses to warm up with this winter

The warm weather is over, its time to get the fireplace going, pull out those winter duvets and head down to La Cave a Fromage to warm up with our fabulous range of 'winter' warm cheeses.
What better way to warm up than with a hot Raclette served on a bed of baby potatoes with a selection of charcuterie and cornichons (we do have raclette machines for sale and to hire..)?
Or perhaps a Reblochon, a cheese with a soft nutty flavour that melts in your mouth as you taste it?
Here is a little taste of some of our favourite winter cheeses, all of which are available here at La Cave. For enquiries, recipe suggestions or if you have any recipe suggestions (we are open to ideas) please contact us here at the shop.

COMTE: Arguably one of France's most sought after cheeses, Comte is the product of over a thousand years of tradition. Generally produced in the mountains of the Jura, Comte is a versatile cheese with a strong nutty flavour and firm pate. At the moment we have three types of Comte at La Cave. Comte Fruitiere (12 months affinage), Comte Reserve (18 months), and Comte Grand Reserve (24 months). Come in and taste the difference!!

REBLOCHON: 'Reblocher' translates to "to pinch a cows udder again", and refers to the rich milk the Reblochon is made from. Originating from the Savoie this cheese has a moist, smooth and velvety pate. The flavour continues after the first taste and lingers with a warm nutty aftertaste. Reblochon is commonly used to make a dish that is very well known in France called Tartiflette. Layers of potato, onion, bacon and creme fraiche baked with strips of Reblochon lying on top... Need I say more? VACHERIN MONT D'OR: This highly sought after cheese is generally only available in the heart of the winter season. Popular for its creamy, light and buttery texture, and distinguished by the wooden box in which it lies, Vacherin Mont D'or is made in the Franch-Comte. Although for some years there were disagreements over the origins as the Swiss also lay claim to it. It can be served simply with a baguette, heated in the oven and served with potatoes and crunchy bread, or with a glass of wine poured over the top and cooked in the oven for 15 minutes...
RACLETTE: 'Racler' means to 'scrape' in French, which is exactly what tradition calls for. Served melted over a bed of hot seasoned baby potatoes and cornichons, alongside a plate of charcuterie, Raclette is a great dish for the whole family to enjoy. Whilst the cheese itself is silky and full of flavour it is definitely best known served up hot.. Come in and try it out!!
STILTON in PORT: Made in Nottinghamshire here in England, Stilton is definitely one of Britains most popular cheeses. This particular Stilton is made by Cropwell Bishop and is washed and injected with Port wine. Normally made as a christmas specialty we endeavour to have it year round but it is certainly at its best this time of year. It also makes for a fantastic gift!

It's (almost) that time of year again...

'Tis (almost) the season to be Jolly, and here at La Cave we think the best way to acheive Jollyness is with a platter of perfectly ripened and selected cheeses teamed with a nice big glass of wine.

As you can imagine we tend to get very busy around the Christmas season so I'd like to remind you that we can take orders in advance to avoid you missing out!! Whether it be cheese platters, gift hampers, whole cheeses or wines we are taking orders early to help ease the last minute rush. So if you have any queries or requests please contact us so we can arrange your orders for you.

Our contact details are as follows:

0845 10 88 222

angiem@cheese.biz