Our Made In France Family Feast | Thriftanista in the City

10.04.2017

Our Made In France Family Feast

I don't know about you but by the time Friday rolls around I am done and over cooking. I like to call it "eat whatever you can find in the fridge" day. It's a self serve day even for Violet. I start pulling out of the contents of the refrigerator early and we just nibble throughout the day. She loves it and she has taken to calling it the Feast. 

Feast meals consists of finger foods usually cheese, meats, dips, and crackers. My charcuterie board got an upgrade last with the high quality made in France products I received.

made in france
Cheese is normally the star on feast day. I once heard a person say they didn't like cheese and that just seems unfathomable to me. A good cheese satisfies all palates. 

If the cheese is not on point then the whole feast is ruined. 

This was my first experience with my star cheese -- Istara's P'tit Basque. It's 100% pure sheep's milk cheese produced in the Basque region in the Pyrenees Mountains. The flavor is smooth and sweet with a nutty finish.

We sampled it with meat, with fruit, and with preserves. My favorite concoction included a dab of peach preserves on a cracker.

p'tit basque sheep's milk cheese

We also received some outstanding President butter made in the heart of Normandy. Butter is good. It makes everything tasty whether cooking, baking or just spreading on bread. President unsalted butter gives all of your culinary creations an upgrade. It's rich and savory with a nutty taste and smooth texture.

french butter

The chocolate was so delicious. I gave it a taste before deciding on a better purpose for it. The Valrhona Dulcey 32% baking bar and the Orelys 32% baking bag were made for baking and tasting. I'm not much a baker and since it was feast day I decided to whip up a batch salted caramel butter on the stove. It's great on bread, in coffee, on ice cream and by itself right off of a spoon.


Salted Caramel Butter

Ingredients: Valrhona blond chocolate (the Orelys melt faster), can caramel evaporated milk, tsp honey, tsp fleur de sel.


chocolate for tasting and bakingDirections: 1. You must use Valrhona blond chocolates. I have never tasted anything like it. The ingredients are simple and the flavors are intense. It's not too sweet and has a creamy texture. The Orelys are equally as tasty with notes of licorice and molasses. 2. Melt together on low heat. 3. Add honey, caramel evaporated milk, and salt. Stir and continue to heat until all is melted. 4. Pour into jars and allow to cool.


salted caramel butter made with blond chocolates from France

Wine is my very special Friday night treat. I like reds in fall and whites in summer but seeing as how we still have the heat on in these parts, I sampled the Guilhem Rosé first. Rosé wine has been my go to for  the entire summer. 

mas de daumas gassac wine

It did not disappoint. It has red fruit and berry aromas. It's fun, approachable and vibrant flavors from Syrah and Carignan grapes. 

My next taste was the Mas de Daumas Gassac White with four noble grape varieties - Viognier, Petit Manseng, Chenin Blanc, and Chardonnay. It's clean, fruity and well balanced.

bordeaux wines

I sampled the Château Bonnet White from the Les Vignobles André Lurton winery next. It's medium bodied and fruity with aromatic notes of peach and lemon with floral underpinnings.

Last but not least, I tried the Bonnet Red. It was fruity and oaky with smoky, vanilla aromas. The 50/50 mix of cabernet and merlot is well balanced and food friendly. 

This entire feast night was spectacular from beginning to end due to the high quality and flavorful food and wines made in France. Everything was easy, fun and kid friendly too (minus the wine, of course).

What do serve for a quick "no cook" meal?

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