French Cuisine & Beyond

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A spice, also know as Jamaican Pepper and (in France) as poivre giroflee, that is ground from the unripe berries of Pimenta officinalis, a tree which grows in the Caribbean, Honduras, and Mexico. Allspice has a strong odor of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, which is why it is sometimes mistaken for a mixture of different spices. It is used to season sausages, salt beef, pork, pickles, sauces, soused herrings, stuffings, and even Christmas cake.

An aromatic umbelliferous plant originating in the East (India and Egypt). It was also known to the Romans, and was regarded by the Chinese as a sacred plant. The seeds (aniseed) were used in early European cookery in pretzels, girdle cakes, and knackebrot and are now used to flavour soufflés, biscuits (cookies), and cakes, especially gingerbread. Aniseed is also used in confectionery (Flavigny dragees) and in distilling (pastis and anisette). The chopped leaves may be used to season pickled vegetables, salads, and fish soup in the south of France.

The flavour of the many liqueurs known as anisette or anise varies according to which seeds are used - aniseed or star anise. These liqueurs are very popular as digestives. Well known in France are the anisettes of Bordeaux (especially that of Marie Brizard), but most liqueur houses make a version of anisette. The aniseed-flavoured Mediterranean drinks - pastis, ouzo, etc. - are drunk either diluted with water or with water as an accompaniment.

In the Middle East it is called Arak, or Raki; it's served in small glasses in which crushed ice is then added it is often accompanied with "mezze" which is 30-40 small plates filled with an assortment of entrees such as Tahini, Tabouli, Pasterma, Pita bread, Feta cheese, Shish kebab, Baklava, etc.. This kind of "mezze" dinner lasts for 2-3 hours & is a cherished evening.

The classic entrée, snails, are stuffed with butter, minced garlic and chopped parsley a la bourguignonne (snail buttered w/ garlic) and served piping hot in their shells on a special grooved dish, the escargotiere. They are eaten using a pair of tongs and a small two-pronged fork.

In the South of France, it's usually prepared in wine with bacon or ham, spices, garlic & olive oil. It is also included in tarts, pastries, turnovers and cooked in broth, fricassees, served on skewers or grilled.

From the old world comes this traditional hair coloring, Black & Red henna, which is made from natural herbs.

The fragrant flowers of the bitter orange, which are macerated and distilled, produce this orange-flavored water. Orange blossom water is manufactured on an industrial scale and is widely used as a flavoring in patisserie and confectionery. The essential oil of orange blossom, called neroli oil, is used in perfumery and flavoring foods.

Very much used in Indian cooking, Coconut milk gives a distinctive taste and smoothness to curries, sauces, and rice. In Polynesia it is used in soups, jams, and fish marinades. In Brazil & Venezuela coconut cream is poured over desserts & pastries, while in Vietnam and the Philippines, pork, beef, and poultry are marinated in it.

A soft cheese (45-50% fat content) made from cow's milk. Camembert is pale yellow in color and was invented in the Normandy region of France during the French Revolution by a certain Marie Hartel. This wonderful cheese is now famous throughout the world.

This best-known Greek cheese is made from ewe's milk or sometimes from goat's milk. Feta cheese contains 45% butterfat. It is made by traditional methods, used mostly in cooking, for gratins or feuilletes and is often crumbled over the top of mixed salads, or perhaps cut into cubes and served as a snack with olives & farmhouse bread.

An ewe's milk cheese made in the Rouegue district of France. The cheese is blue-veined, smooth creamy with a naturally formed rind, and has a strong smell & pronounced flavor. It's one of the world's oldest known cheeses .

A dairy product made from coagulated milk, cream, skimmed milk, or a mixture of any of these, drained in a mould (or forma in Latin, hence its French name, fromage). A distinction is made between soft fresh cheese (including cream and curd cheeses), fermented cheeses (which are more numerous and varied), and processed cheese.

Cheese-making goes back to the earliest livestock farmers: letting the milk curdle, then beating it with branches, pressing it on stones, drying it in the sun, and sprinkling it with salt, was an excellent way of converting surplus milk into a form that could be stored. In ancient Greece, a number of pastries were based on goats'- or ewes'-milk cheese; when dried, this served as a long-lasting food for soldiers and sailors. The Romans were masters of the art of cheese manufacture.

In France, some cheeses (such as Comte, Livarot, and Munster) are entitled to an appellation d'origine, which gives a guarantee of their origin, method of manufacture, and quality; others, for instance Tomme de Savoie and Camembert de Normandie, have a regional label.

Many cheeses can be used in cookery, as a basic ingredient or to add flavour. They can either be used raw (in mixed salads, canapés, pastry, and on bread) or, more often, cooked (for soufflés, omelettes, sauces, pancakes, puff pastries, pizzas, and soups). There is a large variety of dishes based on cheese: flamiche, fondue, keshy yena, Welsh rarebit, raclette, gougere, croque-monsieur, croutes, patranque, goyere, truffade, imbrucciata, aligot, etc. Fresh soft cheese is used more in patisserie.

A sweet and sour condiment, made of fruits or vegetables (or a mixture of both), and cooked in vinegar, sugar & spices, and may contain exotic fruits like: mango, coconut, pineapple, tamarind, etc. Some are reduced to a puree, others retain recognizable pieces, and all are highly spiced. They enliven dishes, mainly cold chicken, fish, ham or leftovers.

A food product consisting essentially of a mixture of cocoa and sugar, to which milk, honey, dried fruits, etc., may be added.

In 1778 the first hydraulic machine for crushing and mixing the chocolate paste appeared in France, and 1819 Pelletier built the factory to use steam. It was at about this time that the famous family businesses were set up in Europe: Van Houten in the Netherlands (1815) - C.J. Van Houten discovered a method of solubilization in 1828 (now known as 'dutched' in English); Menier en France (1824); Cadburyt and Rowntree in England; and Suchard, Nestle, Lindt, and Kohler in Switzerland. Docteur Peter, a Swiss, was responsible for the invention of milk chocolate in 1818. After 1850, the chocolate industry was developed throughout the world.

Chocolate is not only used in confectionary but is also an essential ingredient of numerous cakes, pastries, desserts, etc.

A good chocolate is shiny brown, breaks cleanly, and is free of lumps, tiny burst bubbles, and white specks. It melts on the tongue like butter, has a true aroma of chocolate rather than cocoa powder, and is neither greasy nor sticky.

Chocolate is a basic flavouring for ices, ice-cream desserts, and cooked custard creams. It is also used in various charlottes, soufflés, and mousses.

A very popular French dish, originally from Languedoc, it consists of haricot (navy beans) cooked in a stewpot with pork rinds & seasoning. A garnish of meats, which varies from region to region, and a gratin topping are added in the final stages.

A Lebanese specialty made of bulgur mixed with aromatic herbs, tomatoes, onion, mint, sweet peppers & lemon, served as a cold entrée. It is traditionally wrapped in romaine lettuce leaves and eaten with the hands.

A Greek dish, the main form of which comprises a vine leaf stuffed with cooked rice & minced lamb, rolled into a cylinder, and braised in a little stock with olive oil and lemon juice added, and it is usually served cold as hors d'hoeuvres.

Snail (Escargot)

A terrestrial gastropod mollusk characterized by a spiral shell. Some species are highly prized in gastronomy. In France, two native species are most commonly eaten.

The Burgundy snail, also called vineyard snail or large white, is 40-45 mm (13/4 in) long. It has a slightly mottled or veined body and a tawny-yellow shell streaked with brown; the aperture of the shell is smooth or barely rimmed. It has a slow rate of growth, taking two to three years to reach maturity. Rearing them is difficult, but wild snails are collected, especially in Burgundy, Franche-Comte, Savoy, and Champagne.

The petit-gris is 26-30 mm (1 in), with an unpatterned body and a brownish shell with a spiral of fawn-grey; the aperture has a rimmed edge. It is found mostly in Provence and Languedoc, but also in Charente and Brittany. Its flesh is delicate, fruity, and slightly firm.

Gastronomy

All the regions of France have their own name for the snail; it is called cagouille in Saintonge, lumas in Poitou, caracol in Flanders, carnar in Lorraine, carago or cacalau in Provence, carcaulada in Roussillon, and cantaleu in Nice. In the South, it is usually prepared in wine, with bacon or ham, spices, garlic, and olive oil; it is also included in tarts, pastries, and turnovers, cooked in broths, fricassees, or on skewers, or grilled (broiled) on a wood fire (see cargolade). But for the classic entree, snails are stuffed with butter a la bourguignonne (snail butter) and served piping hot in their shells (or in tiny individual pots), six to twelve at a time, on a special grooved dish, the escargotiere; they are eaten using a pair of tongs and a small two-pronged fork. For Joseph Delteil, the quanta de consommation (i.e. the quantity normally consumed per gourmet) is about a hundred: "No fewer may be swallowed.

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Spices

Unsweetened coconut

The pulp of the coconut is rich in fat and has a high caloric value- 630 cal. per 100g, dried. It also contains phosphorus, potassium & carbohydrates. Used as food in Southeast Asia & Polynesia, the coconut was "discovered" by Marco Polo.

Saffron

The saffron comes from Valencia in Spain, and it is also cultivated in Italy, Greece, Iran & South America. Saffron has a privileged place in cookery, particularly in bouillabaisse, paella, chicken soup of Perigord, curry, risotto, and some recipes of mussels, white meats, and tripe. In desserts it is used to flavor rice cooked in milk, semolina puddings, and some brioches. Saffron should be blended into hot liquid foods, never fried quickly in very hot fat.

Vegeta

Made from the finest dehydrated vegetables, herbs & spices, Vegeta is an essential ingredient for all your cooking. And with it's own gourmet quality, Vegeta enhances the taste of all dishes.

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Hudson Valley Foie Gras

Fresh raw refrigerated duck parts for your cooking pleasure.

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French Cuisine

The French like nothing better than to sit around a table with friends to dine and to chat, often to discuss the merits of the food before them.

Today, French cuisine is one of contrasts, between its Gallic and aristocratic origins, its openness towards foreign influences and a return to the authenticity of regional produce, between artistic creativity and cost awareness, the secrets of preparation and the passing down of recipes and skills through the generations. French bread and French wine, are now exported all over the world, the French have many ways of satisfying there consuming passion French cuisine is not only an art in itself but also a major economic factor, occupying a privileged position in France.

Indeed, every region of France is proud of its Cuisine, wines and regional produce, its traditional dishes and innovative chefs. One thing is certain: France is the country par excellence for fine wining and dining, a paradise on earth for the food connoisseur. But where does this Gourmet attitude, this veritable cult of good food and good wine actually come from? Why and how has gastronomy flourished in France to the point of becoming a universal standard of reference? Well, you can blame it all on the Gauls, the Church and Louis XIV.

This explains why gastronomy plays such a crucial role in France, the historian Jean-Robert Pitte, in his remarkable Gastronome française, has no hesitation in going back to the ancestors of the French, namely the Gauls. And not simply for argument's sake because "in Gaul, good food is inseparable from political and social life", a principle which is at the root of France's gastronomic tradition. From the very dawn of the Christian era, the Greek geographer Strabo and the Latin traveler Varro confirmed "the excellence of the food in Gaul", particularly its famous charcuterie. After the Romans conquered Gaul, the reputation of the geese from northern France was such that servants shepherded entire flocks of them to Rome, often on foot. Gaul has also exported cheese since those days. This "rustic and lavish way of eating became more refined under the influence of Rome," notes Julia Csergo, a university lecturer specializing in regional French cuisine.

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It remains that, according to J.-R. Pitte, "it is not absurd to formulate the hypothesis of a relation between the keen interest of the Gauls in food and French gourmandise". Famous for indulging in joyful drinking and eating bouts, they developed a formidable appetite and handed down to the French that tradition of table hospitality that has survived through the centuries. There is undoubtedly a link between the customs and habits of the Gauls and those outdoor picnics and peasant weddings that last to all hours. This sense of celebration, which became more refined, more polished after the Gauls came into contact with the customs of the Romans, did not change during the Late Middle Ages and the Germanic invasions, which began in the 5th century A.D. "On the contrary, says J.-R. Pitte, "they accentuated the idea of freedom through the preparation of food, and the pleasure to be gained from drinking and eating bouts was heightened accordingly."

A tradition seated between conviviality and prestige

With regard to taste, the extremely ancient custom of consuming wine, either to accompany food or in sauces, while not specific to France, is an important factor in the education of one's palate. a wine sauce presents a complex balance of acidity's that demands perfection. What's more, wine is an appetizer and makes the food even more palatable. France excels in the quality of her wines, the development of which went hand in hand with continual technical progress from the 17th century onwards, under the influence in particular of the clergy and monastic orders. In fact, it is thanks to them that viticulture was able to endure during the periods of invasion in the Late Middle Ages.

At that time, French Cuisine did not yet differ a great deal from the cooking of other countries in Europe. True, the differences that separated them were more of a social than a geographic nature. There are, for instance, certain similarities in the pre-aristocratic courts of the towns in the Carolingian Empire. Most of the food eaten in the area then defined as France was vegetable in origin; bread was eaten stale and formed the basic ingredient for a sort of soup or "gruel", with chunks of lard added on special occasions. By contrast, cheese was extremely widespread and its use so commonplace that it does not even feature among the choice dishes such as peacock or swan served at festivities. Mediaeval cooking was characterized by the contrasts of sweet and salty, bitter and mild, non-fatty and spicy.

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With the Renaissance and the discovery of new continents, vegetables from the Americas began to appear in Europe. Starches replaced pulses, particularly in France, during the 16th and especially the 17th century. The sudden emergence of new products, starting with the "turkey-cock" which, by the end of the 16th century, relegated the peacock to obscurity, also led to a revolution in table manners.

If "gastrolastry", synonymous with gluttony, so dear to Rabelais, the author of Pantagruel (1532), began to fade from the 16th century onwards, the notions of gourmandism and, later, of gastronomy, began to take shape around the central idea of the pleasures associated with good food consumed around a friendly table.

The excesses of drinking and eating must have been fairly strong to withstand the awakening of the individual, pessimistic and austere conscience that swept over Europe with the Reformation at the beginning of the 16th century. But it is precisely because gourmandism acts as a safety valve for other vices, deemed more serious, that the Catholic church showed a certain tolerance in France with regard to this "sin". At the same time, the development of the printing press meant that a large number of books dedicated to cookery became widely available, even if it was not until the 19th century that they contained precise indications on cooking times and proportions.

But, in reality, the real boom in French cuisine took place first and foremost within a political context: that of an absolute and centralist monarchy, which reached its peak under Louis XIV in the 17th century. The one-upmanship in dishes and preparations was a reflection of the pyramid structure of politics, with the king firmly installed at the top. Lavish meals, stage-managed to great effect, became a means of glorifying the sovereign while in Italy, for example, where the centuries of political decision-making remained regional, fine dining was restricted to the duchies and to Venice, the Serene Republic.

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In France, Louis XIV and the 17th century established the importance of etiquette (the set of rules defining the procedures and hierarchies in force at the court) and good wining and dining. Saint-Simon, the chronicler of life at the court, paid tribute to this monarch with the vast appetite, who encouraged service in the French manner (where all the dishes are served at the same time, with guests arranged around the table according to a precise table plan), amidst an unbelievable amount of decorum. It was then that La Varenne published Le Cuisinier français, of which 100,000 copies were printed, followed by Massialot, who structured the recipes and proposed a French model transposable to the dining rooms of the middle-classes and foreign courts. In the opinion of the historian Anthony Rowley, there is no doubt that Louis XIV gave gastronomy its national supremacy. He was also responsible for cultivating the art of conversation at table, for, in France, people appreciate not only the pleasures of fine dining but also that of talking about it, a practice that often surprises visitors from other countries.

Up until the Revolution of 1789 (and even well after), the Court of France was the crucible for la grande cuisine, with dining becoming a means of government and of exercising political influence. That has always been the case, from the amazing banquet given by François I, in 1520, at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, to impress Henry VIII of England in view of an alliance against Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, to the Napoleonic festivities delegated to the politicians Cambacérès and Talleyrand, who did not hesitate to declare to the chefs: "Gentlemen, France has been saved by you!" Even today, through diplomatic receptions, the art of fine dining and fine French cuisine contributes towards the political process.

Paris, the capital of gastronomy The other great revolution in gastronomy goes back to the 18th century and is due to the French cook Beauvilliers who, in 1765, opened a "bouillon", the first restaurant, in Paris. Customers were seated at small tables, which were covered with tablecloths. It became a success, amplified between 1790 and 1814, when the great cooks from the aristocratic houses found themselves out of work once their masters had fled abroad, so they decided to open their own restaurants. That is how, under the influence of the French Revolution, la grande cuisine made its way to the general public.

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Where taste is concerned, French flavorings (shallots, spring onions) but also anchovies and, above all, truffles began to replace spices from the 17th century onwards. The contrast between savory and sweet (the latter having been introduced into French cuisine in the 16th century under the influence of Italy) remained one of the main characteristics of French taste until the 20th century. But it is first and foremost the use of butter, first used in Italy in fine cooking, that became the distinctive trait of great French cuisine.

This holds true of the rich, bourgeois cuisine under the Third Republic (1870-1940), consisting of never-ending banquets and menus, a tradition that carried on through to the seventies until the emergence of "nouvelle cuisine", with its health and dietary focus. In 1973, two food critics, Christian Millau and Henri Gault, drew up their ten commandments, calling upon chefs to innovate, lighten their sauces, preserve the flavor of the produce and be more receptive to foreign cuisine's. In less than fifteen years, this minor revolution spread to society as a whole and throughout Europe. Its principal architects were the likes of Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers, Alain Chapel, André Pic... At the end of the eighties, after one generation and some excess, French cuisine at the highest level initiated a return to authentic regional produce, without for all that abandoning the lessons in finesse taught by nouvelle cuisine.

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One could make a whole tour around France with its delicious cheeses which are so numerous and have various tastes. As for the quality and the diversity of ducks, it is not less impressive. Emblematic, quite fabulous dishes : duck or goose foies gras (Gers, Alsace) ; soupe au pistou (vegetable soup flavoured with basil), pissaladière (onion and potato tart garnished with anchovies or sardines and olives), ratatouille (fried tomatoes, aubergines, onions and pimentoes), pan bagnat (in the Provence area) ; cotriade (fish soup), scallop-shells, poached turbot with white butter (Bretagne) ; aligot (Auvergne) ; Burgundy snails, meurette eggs, pochouse (fresh water fish dish), Bresse capon and chicken fricassee (Burgundy, Bresse) ; mouclades and eclades (Aunis, Vendée). The Poitou Charente lamb is bred under its mother, and so is the Limousin lamb. And let us not forget the Perigord black truffles, the Jura morels and the cepes which are to be found in very famous dishes.

French people have always known how to mix spices : this eminent know-how, together with the quality of the raw material, is one of the secrets of our gastronomy. So to say, delicacies reflect the landscape : there are mirabelle plums only in Lorraine, black cherries garnish tarts and batter in Limousin, greengages in Touraine, which is the garden of France. In Burgundy, blackcurrant is the king, like nuts in Dauphiné, almonds and fruits in Provence. Hence many most tasty desserts.

But France does not magnify only its own products. The best example is chocolate. Brought in the luggage of Ann of Austria who married Louis XIII in 1615, chocolate had at once a great success. There are no cacao trees in France, but there were many in the West-Indies and in French Guinea. From the very beginning, with Poulain, Meunier, the transformation processes gave very good results. Energetic and nutritive, chocolate became a luxury produce, but everyone could get it. Since then, chocolate-makers contrived to diversify the tastes and presentations. .Chocolate, a delicate and fragrant drink, the symbol of snack, becomes a sweet, coats the cherries, delights people as a " ganache ", gianguja , nougat : it can accompany all kinds of desserts : cream, mousse, éclairs, profiteroles, liquor or icing. Each area gives it a shape and a name : white thistle in the Alps, stick near the woods, reeds in watery areas, praline cork in the Champagne and Bordeaux areas, snails in Burgundy. Still today, French chocolate makers compete to and innovate for our greatest pleasure. Recently at Arbois, one of them invented chocolates to accompany the wines of the Jura area : one with a liquorice basis for a Domaine de la Pinte " pinot noir " ; the other with nuts, almonds and curry for a " Château-Chalon ", or cristallised orangettes for a straw wine... Madame de Sévigné would have been delighted.

At the time of international competition, of standardization of nutriments, the inheritance of our traditional products is one of our most precious goods.

Rachel Ginsburg President of the FGTPA (French Gastronomical and Touristical Press Association)

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Monks and religious people played a most important part. They did not only spend their time praying, they also devoted themselves to farming and handicrafts, so as to feed and heal the poor, to provide for their own needs, to cultivate their estates. We owe to them numerous kinds of cheese , vineyards, the champagne wine, some beers, liquors and many a recipe.

A religious man belonging to the monastic order of Saint Benoit imported the prune from Palestine into the Dordogne area, and thus he was at the origin of the famous " pruneau ". Some nuns of the Blessed Sacrament order, who were forbidden to eat meat, invented the macaroon. As for the noblemen, through their ostentatious tables, they used to show their power and wealth as much as a sublime refinement and love for good food. They often raised up their cooks’ talents ( the bouchée à la Reine -chicken vol-au-vent-, the rum baba of the Lorraine court) . Then, great cooks took over. They try to get the feeling, the know-how of the former cooks, they modulate them without betraying them, thus securing their everlastingness at the time of universality. Nowadays the vineyards, either issued from old or more recent vine-plants, are everywhere except at a high altitude or on damp soils. From the most mellow to the driest ones, of any ruby and presenting a thousand aromas, wine is one of our unquestionable wealth. Sublime, it is the motive for many a dish (sauce meurette, cock with wine).

In France, it is as if there were two countries, for in the North, people cook with butter, in the South with olive oil. The green Normandie meadows count more than a million cows with a milk rich in proteins and vitamins, with which butter, fresh cream and very numerous kinds of cheese are made (sauce normande -gravy made of cream and mushrooms-, omelette de la mère Poulard, marmitte Dieppoise -fish pot of Dieppe-, poule au blanc -fowl dish). As in Brittany, apple trees profusely grow there. Thus apples, which are the basis of cider and calva (apple brandy), are used in many dishes (poulet vallée d’Auge). In Brittany, the butter is salted and the cider is stronger.

We offer a large variety of supplies for French chef. French cuisine is a tradition of many centuries of refinement and excellence, a tradition appreciated as much by foreign visitors as by the French themselves. Visit our shopping area to find all you'll need to indulge in the French culinary arts.

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French cheese

The 22 regions of France product more than 500 cheeses from cow, goat and ewe's milk. Trying them all could be a lifetime's work! Cheese is more than a food, it is a passion, passed on by the French from generation to generation.

France has a majestic array of cheeses. Taste your way from region to region, cheese by cheese. Become acquainted with certain types, styles, textures and flavors.

French Cheese Families

There are Seven different Families Of French cheeses.

Semi-Hard These cheeses, with a mild, even nutty flavor, hide a firm, supple texture under their crust. SAFR Port Salut.
Hard Made in the mountainous regions of France such as the Alps and Jura, these cheeses are very large, with a golden exterior and a pale yellow interior. Grosjean Emmental, Président Emmental, Madrigal.
Blue-Veined Distinctive blue-veined cheeses are produced in the mountain regions of France and often aged in caves. Consistency of blue-veined cheeses is allowed to vary from moist and crumbly to dry and creamy. Société Roquefort.
Fresh Cheese Neither cooked nor cured, these come seasoned, spiced or laced with fruit.
Processed Cheese A blend of various cheeses, they are mild, meltable and come in a variety of flavors and textures.
Chèvre Made from goat’s milk, these are smooth and tangy. Couturier, Chèvretine, Chèvre de Bellay, Soignon. Valbreso Feta is made in this style, but with sheep’s milk.
Soft-Ripened Best known for Brie and Camembert and their distinctive, snow-white rind. Claudel, Fleurs de France, Joan of Arc, Louis XIV, Marquis de Lafayette, Martin Collet.

Brie Types cheese such as Bries and Camemberts originated in France. They are smooth and semi-soft in texture with white and velvety rinds. Our other Brie types are similar, with more pronounced character. You will find our selection of both imported and domestic varieties to be second to none.

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Feta is best known for being a young, crumbly sheep's milk cheese. It is made in many different countries with a variety of salt content and textures. Its most popular use is as a salad ingredient, although it is also delicious in many recipes. Cheese Express has a wide selection.

Yogurt Cheese a relative newcomer in the world of French cheeses. They are 97% salt free, 95% fat free, and taste delicious. Semi-soft and creamy, this cheese melts with ease, and makes a perfect addition to a sandwich. We offer a selection of flavored varieties that are sure to please.

France's 500 sorts of cheese The origin of cheese is lost in the mist of time. Thousand of cows and sheeps and goats have been milked since someone first decided to curdle milk. The French have always regarded cheese as essential, whether they buy it on site in farms, or in supermarkets. But which sort of cheese shall you choose?

The 500 sorts of French cheese recorded can be made with milk or with pasteurized milk. The "milk" label means that the milk was not heated over 37°C. "This way, it keeps all its properties, although it lose certain pathogenic bacteria which can prove dangerous for human beings", Mr. Garsault, Head-manager of the International cheese Institute explains. Farm cheese bears such as label. "They back up the French cheese tradition", G. Ripaud, who is in charge of technical cheese related problems near the Food Office asserts. From a legal pont of view, farm cheese "is a hand made in farms, with the milk of a single drove, each day". Small scale production is back again as proved by the high price of products !

The milk used to make pasteurized cheese is heated up to 72°C, for 20 to 30 seconds, which annihilated any pathogenic germ. Then, the milk is seeded again with lactic bacteria, in order to restore the flora indispensable for maturing the paste. "Is it a crime to take the main bacteria out of milk and to replace them by others, which are selected and standardized in laboratories ? Is it a good thing to add to this milk other synthetic ingredients ?" Pierre Androuet, a supporter of high quality cheese, asked as far back as 1973. In 1909, he opened a creamery in Paris, rue d'Amsterdam, which, since then, has been crowded by cheese lovers from the whole world. But P. Androuet's question has not been answered yet.

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For some, mass-produced cheese is not cheese actually : but it ranks first in house-hold consumption. So, on one hand, you find mass production and low costs, and on the other small scale production. Prices differ mainly. "Still, cheese is a matter of native tang", Raymond Felix, a head cheese monger at Androuet's notices. "Similar sorts of cheese can be more or less expensive according to their fame and to the price of milk," Pascal Moingeon, sales manager in charge of Lanquetot labeled camemberts from the calvados region, sets the example for camemberts. There is a segmentation as concerns brands : Lanquedoc, Le petit, Gillot, Cooperative d'Isigny are made with milk. Their prices are over FF 10, and they are chosen by 15% of consumers . The pasteurised camemberts, branded President, Bridel or Coeur de Lion are the market core, with a 85% of share ; They are sold under FF 10 ; Ladle moulding accounts for the price difference. For Lanquetot camembert, the mould is filled with five layers of curdled milk, which are spaced 40mm, so as to allow a slow draining and a different taste.

on the label, it means that it is a ladle-moulded camembert, made with milk : the origin is guaranteed even if for 15 years or so, most of the cows in Normandy are of Dutch origin. Camemberts "made in Normandy" are pasteurised mainly : for cheese lovers, this is not full flavoured cheese. The ordinary label "Camembert" can be used for cheese made in any French region,as well as in China; its main asset is its low price

So can one actually see the difference between a pasteurised and a milk camembert? "Yes" Pascal Moingeon asserts, "non-pasteurised cheese has an uneven rind of various colours, whereas it is even and white when cheese is pasteurised : the ripening process is stopped then. The sides of a ripen cheese are soft to the touch ; and it goes on ripening stores :a gourmet never mistakes one for the other."

Is pasteurised cheese really inferior ? There is no answer : some unwaveringly support the category that other cannot bear. "Cheese lovers enjoy milk cheese of guarented origin. But 85% consumers prefer milder pastes, enjoyed by the whole family. " In French supermarkets, huge cheese counters are quite a sight.

But should you buy it near a traditional or a self-service departement ? "As concerns supermarkets, it's a load of rubbish : suppliers have to pay to get a good place at the self-service departement; so they overvalue their products so as to recoup the expenses"; says claude Bajolet, who used to be the head of a Leclerc hypermarket dairy produce departement for over 6 years. Today, he manages his own dairy in Paris 10th district.

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Is the traditional shop better ? "Clients don't want to wait, and self-service buying is impulsive. People only care about the price of already packaged slices. That cheese is pasteurised, mass-produced and tasteless mainly : it is produced for just anyone, any Europeen folk; But the lower the price, the lower the quality..."

On the other hand, Claude Barjolet favours traditionally sold cheese. "As a head departement, I was dealing with producers directly : this is a token of quality, and a real cheese monger is able to tell clients when the optimal tasting is over : the colours of rinds change : no way to sell then !". Today, this experienced man fully carries on his job. "A professional cheese monger, thanks to his know-how and to his presence in the shop, can sell any fresh product, while standing apart from mass distribution systems. Here, I offer my clients as many farm products as possible, plus Dutch cheese, such as old Gouda. I buy small quantities of cheese, in order to keep it splendid. I will soon care with the ripening of some sorts myself. My prices are not higher than anywhere else."

For health-related motives, some make a stand against farm cheese, which, they say, is not aseptic enough, and which could harm fragile people. No fear ! "Agriculture and health Ministries would never allow the sale of any dubious product", Gerard Ripaud strongly retorts.

In farms as well as in factories, hygiene is irreproachable. The veterinarian inspections are many, at any stage of the manufacturing process. The ticketing of cheese is also submitted to strict rules; several mentions have to be found on labels :

sales designation (camembert, for instance) animal species (sheep or goat's milk; there is no mention for cow's milk cheese, except for Roqueforts) minimal fats content manufacturing place additives Cream cheese bears a particular mention : "moisture content superior to 82% or 85%". Only cheese of guaranteed origin is exempted from bearing certain references.

Each sort of cheese reveals a pasture of a different green , under a different sky. And each sort will however please a different consumer, with his taste buds and his gustative education. Only in France can it be said that cheese is milk's leap toward immortality. Blue Veined & Soft Ripened Blue veined Cheeses are marbled with a bluish-green mold. There are a variety of blue-veined cheeses such as Danish Blue, made from cow’s milk, and French Roquefort, made from sheep’s milk. Blue Cheeses are pungent, sharp and peppery to taste, making them ideal for flavoring many foods.

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Cheese is more than a food, it is a passion, passed on by the French from generation to generation. No mere nibble on an obligatory cocktail cracker, cheese is eaten in France as a separate course, enjoyed after the main course and before dessert. Its place in the meal points to the importance of cheese in the French diet, and the French culture. Together with bread and wine, cheese forms the great trinity of the table.

The AOC label

The AOC (Appellation Controlled System) label covers cheeses, wines, eaux-de-vie and other farm products in France. It guarantees that a product of quality has been produced within a specified region by the approved method.

There are only 38 AOC cheeses, with several other applications for AOC status pending. Exacting standards must be met by AOC cheeses, covering the type of milk, region, methods of production and the length of aging. Violations are subject to prosecution, including fines and imprisonment! When the French say they take their food seriously they do!

Serving Cheese

Remove cheese from the fridge at least an hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Vary the types of cheeses on your cheese tray. A good selection will include 3-5 examples from the 7 cheese types You should Re-wrap each cheese separately and tightly, ideally in the packaging in which you bought it, which is designed to keep it fresh.

Don't Worry about eating the rind it’s perfectly safe to consume. Do not Freeze cheeses it kills the molds that have been carefully cultivated to ripen the flavor of the cheese.

Only in France can it be said cheese is milk’s leap toward immortality. So go ahead enjoy it!

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Fruits & Veggies

Artichoke

Originating in Sicily, and widely used in Italian cooking, the artichoke was first regarded in France mainly as a remedy for various ailments. Also reputed to be an aphrodisiac, women were often forbidden to eat it.

Bamya-Okra

Originally Bamya-Okra came from Africa or Asia, and was introduced into the Americas by the black slaves. Rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin C, it can be obtained fresh throughout the year in exotic foods stores and is also available dried or canned.

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Gift Basket

Snack Pak Deluxe

A generous serving of roasted almonds, Jordan almond candies, juicy jellies, and sesame honey crunch candies.

Wine Cordial

Next time you're invited to a dinner party don't arrive empty handed. Greet your host with this impressive rattan bottle tote basket filled with 2 assortments of nuts, a silk rose, and a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vive Le Cider

Perfect for picnics or housewarmings, this deep round wicker basket contains a bottle of sparkling Martinelli cider, Akmak crackers, paté, creamy camembert cheese, and of course, no French picnic should be without the Dijon mustard!

California Tropique

Again we have the deep, round wicker basket carrying 5 assorted seasonal fruits, mini bon bell cheese, and a bottle of delicious Arbor Mist Tropical Fruit Chardonnay only 6% alcohol).

Health Nut Gourmet Basket

For those health conscious folks we have a provincial basket with loads of healthy items, such as Acqua della Madonna sparkling mineral water, tabouli salad mix, falafel, almonds and all natural sesame candies.

International Gourmet Corporate Basket

This is our most popular basket because it's got it all. A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, French onion soup mix, mini crackers, hommus, dolma-stuffed grape leaves, cheese, ginseng tea, candy almonds, coffee candies, juicy jellies, and a large assortment of candies. Can be substituted with Martinelli's cider or Arbor Mist Tropical Fruit Chardonnay (6% alcohol)

International Banquet Supreme

For true ethnic diversity this large basket caters to all exotic food lovers. Perfect for the chef, comes with hommus & dish, couscous, tabouli, pasta sauce, exotic jam, paté, mango chutney, cornichons pickles, seasoning, crackers, baby bell cheeses, hibiscus tea, and two international cloth napkins.

Mamma Mia That's Italian

You cannot miss with Italian food. This large basket comes with a bottle of Chianti, two European cloth napkins, spaghetti, pasta sauce, green olives, gourmet Italian dressing, Italian breadsticks, marinated artichoke hearts, extra virgin olive oil, pistachios and a generous supply of cappuccino coffee candies. Abondanza!

Vive La France Gourmet Basket

For the real connoisseur of French cuisine, feast your eyes on this! A deluxe basket, the handle of this basket is decorated with French bleu-blanc-rouge ribbon. Contents include: 2 provincial cloth napkins, a can of 6 doz. escargots and 1 doz. shells, a Cabernet Sauvignon wine, French cornichons pickles, creamy camembert cheese and an assortment of candies.

Gourmet Tower

In our beautiful and impressive 2 tiered tower basket we feature a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and a bottle of Chardonney California wines, gourmet cheese, crab meat, paté foie gras, breadsticks, and a huge amount of nuts, candies and dried fruit, topped off with a beautiful silk red rose.

Gourmet Tower Deluxe

In our Gourmet Tower Deluxe we substitute the dried fruits and nuts with a large amount of seasonal fresh fruits and upgrade to fine premium French wines. This is a perishable item and must be shipped Express delivery.

Champagne Tower

This basket consists of the best 2 Champagnes France has to offer, such as Cordon Rouge and Moet Chandon. Then we add 2 packs of European breadsticks and Romanoff caviar, plus 5 tins of pates such as; chicken, salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster. We did not forget the cheeses, we will throw in 1 camembert and 1 brie, and to top it all a jar of cornichons and Dijon mustard and lots of dried fruits and candies.

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Grains

Bulgur

A treated whole-wheat grain which is rich in protein, mineral salt and carbohydrates. It is cooked in twice it's volume of boiling water for approximately 10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, and it is often used in vegetarian cooking.

Fava Beans

Fava beans (broad beans) were cultivated by ancient civilizations, particularly the Egyptians. Fava beans originated in Persia and Africa and have been used in the cuisine of the Mediterranean for centuries.

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Mushrooms & Truffles

These are three varieties: Black mustard (spicy and piquant), Brown mustard (less piquant), and White mustard (not very piquant but more bitter and pungent).

The term "mustard" is reserved for the product obtained only from Black or Brown mustard seeds.

Virgin olive oil is rich and easily digested. It has a fruity taste, and it is used a great deal in Mediterranean cooking, particularly in the South of France and Italy.

Grape seed oil is always sold refined. It is recommended as a marinating agent as it "feeds" the meat well.

Green olives are gathered before they are ripe, treated to remove the bitter taste, then rinsed and pickled in brine.

A cake of eastern origin consisting of several very thin layers of pastry (made from semolina flour, oil, and eggs) stuffed with chopped grilled almonds, pistachios, and walnuts mixed with sugar and then cut into triangles before baking. When they are taken out of the oven, a honey or sugar syrup flavored with rose water and lemon juice is poured over the baklava.

This favorite Middle Eastern snack is the Middle Eastern version of the pizza, with a much thinner crust-like flour tortilla, a mixture of ground lamb or ground beef, with parsley, garlic, tomato paste, tomato, green pepper, onion, dry mint, etc. Lahmajoon is usually served individually unlike a pizza which is shared. Our yogurt drink is a perfect beverage accompaniment.

From Indian There are many different variations of this crispy Indian bread called Pappadam. It's made from Chana Dal Lentils. We carry two kinds of pappadams: plain and garlic. Very good and wholesome, too.

From Armenia From the vicinity of Mt. Ararat, the cradle of civilization and the ancient land made famous by Noah, we bring you the original Armenian flat bread cracker with a 3,000 year history. It's 100% stone ground whole wheat with no cholesterol and low in fat.

You can make many kinds of pastries or dishes with this dough. Used extensively in the Mediterranean

From Egypt This dough produces another Middle-Eastern favorite dessert similar to Baklava. However Kataif is shredded. The flavor is the same as Baklava. The only difference is the way it looks because of the different dough and the way it is rolled.

From Egypt the Famous pocket bread that’s been used for centuries in the middle east, great with shish-kabob

Sauces can be a hot or cold seasoned liquid either served with, or used in the cooking of a dish.

The function of a sauce is to add a flavor to a dish that is compatible with the other ingredients. There are all kinds of sauces for all kinds of dishes: fish sauce, chicken marinade, barbecue sauce, etc., etc.

Made from the finest dehydrated vegetables, herbs & spices, Vegeta is an essential ingredient for all your cooking. And with it's own gourmet quality, Vegeta enhances the taste of all dishes.

Tea is the most universally consumed beverage. There are two main varieties of tea plant, that of China and that of India. The best teas are cultivated at altitudes of about 6500 feet. The earliest tea cultivation has been recorded as far back as 3000 B.C.

The root of a plant growing in mountainous regions of Korea & Manchuria. The Chinese attribute all kinds of therapeutic, magical and even aphrodisiacal properties to it.

Pate en terrine is a meat, game, or fish preparation put in a terrine, cooked in the oven, and always served cold. (Cornichons are a must as accompaniments).

Among the best French pates are pate de campagne, pate de volaille, and pate de foie (contains 15% pork liver). The filling of pates consist of pork, pork and veal, chicken, fish, game and sometimes vegetables.

The Word pate is used in three ways in French: pate, pate en terrine, and pate en croute. In France the word pate on its own should, strictly speaking, only be applied to a dish consisting to a pastry case (shell) filled with meat, fish, vegetables, or fruit, which is baked in the oven and served hot or cold. The best English translation of this word is "pie", although many of these dishes are much richer and more elaborate than the sort of pie usually eaten in England and America, and are often prepared in moulds rather than pie dishes.

Pate en terrine is a meat, game, or fish preparation put into a dish (terrine) lined with bacon, cooked in the oven, and always served cold. The correct French abbreviation of this is terrine but in common usage the French also call it pate. The English have adopted both names.
Pate en croute- is a rich meat, game, or fish mixture cooked in a pastry crust and served hot or cold.

Most pates sold in delicatessens are actually terrines, based on pork meat or offal (in pieces or minced) bound with eggs, milk, jelly, etc. Among the best French pates are pate de campagne, particularly that from Brittany (pure pork pate containing offal, rind, onions, spices, and herbs); also pate de volaille and pate de gibier (chicken and game pates, containing 15% of the animal); pate de foie (containing 15% pork liver and 45% fat); and pate de tete (containing boned cooked pig's head mixed with cooked salted meat with the rind still on.

The pate mould, which has deep sides and hinges or clips, may be round, oval, or rectangular. Dariole moulds are sometimes vegetables. All the ingredients are generally minced (ground) quite finely but some of them may be cut into matchsticks, small strips, dice, etc. The ingredients may be marinated separately. They are mixed with layers of filling. The pate is sometimes lined with bacon barding before the filling is added.

Hot or cold pates are cut into thick slices and served as an entree. Small individual pates are arranged on plates, sometimes with aspic croutons.

A condiment consisting of vegetables or fruits (or a mixture of both) preserved in spices & vinegar, served with cold meats, cheeses, aperitifs and mixed hors d'oeuvres.