The Pairing Week 1: Start at the Beginning

We knew that we were going to start this project with a triple creme. Soft, creamy cheeses are some of the most commonly requested cheeses out of our case. Aged for weeks, rather than months or years, soft younger cheeses offer a clean expression of milk, and tend to pair relatively nicely with other foods and beverages. In the case of Brillat Savarin, a soft-ripened triple créme cheese from Normandy, France, the milk is enriched with cream early in the cheese making process, resulting in a texture within the finished cheese reminiscent of softened butter. These softer styles of cheese serve as a good reminder that producing great tasting cheese is a function of harvesting high quality milk. Here are some of our tasting notes from this week’s pairing.

2020 Gail Cellars “Doris” Dry Rosé & Brillat Savarin

Citrusy, with a bright level acidity, this rosé pairs well with the cheese’s high butterfat content. The saltiness of the cheese welcomes hints of red fruit from the grapes, similar to unripe strawberries. A thin, bloomy rind, and a luscious cream line underneath, help make this pairing a well-balanced combination of flavors and textures.

Sophia's "invisible" tomato sauce

‘Invisible’ Tomato Sauce 

Invisible tomato sauce is the perfect pasta pairing when you crave warm summery nights. Bursting cherry tomatoes and melting anchovies give this pasta sauce tons of flavor. It’s perfect  for actual summer nights too, since it only takes the time your pasta needs to cook. It’s fun to let the cherry tomatoes burst slowly on their own, but if you need them to hurry up a bit, you can add some pasta water to the sauté pan and cover. 

Ingredients- 

Pint Cherry tomatoes* 

Olive Oil* 

Linguine* 

2-4 anchovy filets* 

3 large garlic cloves*, chopped

Chili flakes to taste* 

Optional-

Nutritional Yeast or Parmigiano-Reggiano* 

* all available at France 44 Cheese Shop

Get you pasta water boiling on the stove. Put a high-walled sauté pan on medium heat and add a few glugs of olive oil, around 2 tbsp. Pour tomatoes into the pan and let sizzle and burst, around 10 minutes 

1. Add your pasta to the boiling water. Once the tomatoes are ¾ of the way burst and most of the juices have started to run out, add your anchovy filets, garlic, and chili flakes. Mix so the anchovies melt, the garlic becomes fragrant, and the chili doesn’t burn. If the pan looks a little dry, add more olive oil or pasta water. 

2. When your pasta is a minute from where you want it, pull it straight from the pot and add to the tomato sauce. Let the noodles finish cooking with the tomatoes. Stir frequently and add more pasta water as needed to emulsify. Once the sauce is shiny and clinging to the noodles, turn off the heat and plate. Taste for salt and spice.

3. With a dish like this, I don’t always want to weigh it down with dairy. On those days, I opt for nutritional yeast, one of my favorite garnishes with a nutty, savory flavor. On a rainy day like today, I went with Parmigiano-Reggiano for that distinct Parmy comfort. 

The Pairing

Here our long time Minneapolis manager Peter introduces a brand new series we’re launching.

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve launched a new weekly wine and cheese pairing program here at France 44 called, “The Pairing!” Each week we’ll showcase a specific wine and cheese pairing, along with insights as to why we believe the pairings taste great.

With Easter right around the corner, we thought we’d kick things into gear with two great pairings at once! Here’s a brief recap of our tasting this past week.

2019 Donnoff Estate Riesling & Stony Pond Farm Swallow Tail Tomme -

What a great way to begin our brunch-time tasting meeting! The Riesling’s subtle sweetness balanced the rich, buttery, earthy flavors within this raw milk tomme. Tasting the cheese's rind drew out vegetal notes from the grape, pointing to the complexity of the wine, and its ability to pair with different cheeses.

2018 Calera Pinot Noir & Pitchfork Bandaged Cheddar -

Surprisingly fun, and very complimentary, these two tasted fantastic together, elevating one another to a new level. With a slightly higher ABV of around 14%, we knew this wine might be a challenge to pair with this cheese, but as it turned out, the wine’s intensity was tempered by the salty, umami, and mineral-like flavors expressed in the cheese. Kinda leaves you wanting more.

Thomas Makes Carbonara

Thomas’s Carbonara

Minneapolis meatmonger Thomas has come up with a meal which can be shopped for entirely at France 44.

It’s an easy meal, and its richness is just the thing for a cool Minnesota evening. My roommate and I enjoy it frequently, maybe too frequently, but we think you’ll understand why once you’ve made it. Full credit goes to Andrew Rea for inspiring this recipe.

 Ingredients:

 8 oz France 44 house-made pancetta

 1 package, or 500g Gentile Bucatini

 2 large eggs

 2 large egg yolk

 2oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

 2oz grated Pecorino Romano

 Black Pepper

 Salt

 Pasta water, as needed

 Directions:

 1. Dice pancetta into ¼ inch lardons. If you want to skip this step, just ask myself or one of my colleagues, and we’ll happy do this for you!

 2. Start to bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. There’s a lot of salt in both the cheese and pancetta, and you don’t want to risk overdoing it. I also recommend using your biggest pot – the bucatini is deceptively big. This is because it’s made in the traditional way, meaning it’s hung to dry.

 3.Put a stainless steel or nonstick pan over medium heat, adding the pancetta to the pan while it’s still cold. This will help more fat render out as the pan heats up. You want the pancetta to get crispy on the outside, but still have some bite on the inside. Once it gets there, turn off the heat.

 4. In a separate bowl combine your two eggs, two egg yolks, both cheeses, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

 5. Once your bucatini is done to your liking, drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water.

 6. Add the noodles directly into the pan with the pancetta, and quickly add the cheese/egg mixture. At this point, try to keep the pan moving as often as possible, working to emulsify the sauce. I think using a pair of long tongs makes this job easier.. If the sauce is too thick, you can add some of the reserve pasta water. If it’s too think, just grate in more Parm or Pecorino, whichever you prefer.

 7. Plate up and serve with one of you favorite wines – and more cheese on top, of course.

Making Mozzarella with Sam

It’s mozzarella season! Watch our cheesemonger Sam create beauty and magic in the form of hot balls of cheese curd.

Almost Patatas Bravas

Jared’s Almost Patatas Bravas

 Serves 3–4

 One of Spain’s most famous tapas, patatas bravas are fried potatoes typically served with garlic aioli and a warm tomato sauce spiked with pimentón de la vera, or Spanish smoked paprika. This recipe reimagines the classic dish with France 44’s Paprika Parmesan dip for a hearty, cheesy (!!!) potato appetizer.

 Here’s how we’re switching things up. Instead of aioli, we’ll use garrotxa, a floral and earthy goat cheese from the mountains north of Barcelona. And in the sauce, New York Shuk’s harissa with preserved lemon adds not only spice but also a citric tanginess that pairs nicely with the cheese. You’ll need:

 From France 44:

 ·         1 bag of potatoes (about 2#)

·         1 container F44 Paprika Parmesan dip

·         1½  T New York Shuk harissa with preserved lemon (or more to taste!)

·         2 cups chicken stock

·         ¼ lb Garrotxa cheese

 From your pantry:

 ·         1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I also tested this recipe with 1 cup of F44’s tomato soup instead and it worked very well!)

·         Kosher salt & pepper

Instructions:

1.      Start the potatoes: Cut potatoes into wedge-shaped pieces, about 12–16 per potato depending on the size.

2.      Pour the paprika parmesan dip into a bowl. Add the potatoes and about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

3.      In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, fry the potatoes until they’re tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and deeply golden-brown. When they’re done, sprinkle on a little more salt.

 4.      Meanwhile, make the bravas sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the tomato sauce, harissa, and chicken stock.

 5.      Simmer, stirring frequently so the bottom doesn’t burn, until the sauce is reduced to about the thickness of ketchup (the final texture will be much grainier, though). Trust me, it’ll get there.

 6.      Assemble! Arrange potatoes on a plate and top with sauce. Grate plenty of garrotxa cheese over the top and enjoy with a nice full-bodied Spanish red wine!

Erin’s Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

Top these fluffy golden babies with a thick and sweet blueberry sauce, or your favorite maple syrup and butter. And just like that, it’s the weekend. Or maybe it’s 7 PM on a Tuesday, but honestly, no one cares when you eat pancakes. Pancakes aren’t dependent on time. Pancakes are a state of mind. 

Ingredients From France44: 

American Spoon Wheat & Malt Pancake mix 

Locally Laid Eggs 

Fresh Blueberries (as availability allows)

Runamok Elderberry Maple Syrup 

Calabro Hand Dipped Ricotta 

 Ingredients from your Pantry:

Milk

Honey

Sugar

3 Lemons  (we have some if you need them)

Vegetable oil

Salt

FOR THE COMPOTE

2 cups blueberries 

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons water 

Pinch salt 

To make the compote, combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick. Keep warm while you prepare the pancakes.

FOR THE PANCAKES

4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated 

¾ cup whole milk

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

zest of three lemons

1¼ cups American Spoon Wheat & Malt Pancake Mix

¾ cup whole milk ricotta cheese

pinch of salt

For the pancakes combine the egg yolks, milk, honey, oil, and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk mixture until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold the pancake mix into the wet ingredients. Place the egg whites and salt in a clean bowl and whip until the whites hold soft peaks. Be very careful when you separate the eggs. Any yolk (or other fat, oil, or grease) that makes its way into the whites will keep the whites from whipping up as big and fluffy as possible. 

Fold the whipped whites and the ricotta into the batter, making sure to maintain the texture of both the ricotta and the egg whites. (I believe in you)

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Coat the surface of the pan with a thin layer of butter. Scoop the batter onto the pan, measuring out about ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top of each pancake, 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side until golden. 

Repeat until all the pancakes are cooked. Top with reserved blueberry compote. Add some butter because you feel like it. Maybe get a little wild and pour some Runamok Maple Syrup on top, too. Cut into those cakes and never look back. 

Erin's Easy Weekday Ramen

I have yet to find the wherewithal to conquer my own ramen tare (flavor base) from scratch. I don’t dream of blanching and boiling pig bones on my stove for 12-18 hours for tonkotsu broth, and since I’m fresh out of Japanese kelp, I’m not making dashi (stock) anytime soon. 

 As it stands, I don’t need to. Our cheese shop has multiple ramen bases that are honestly, pretty excellent. 

 This ramen recipe is flexible. You can add other proteins or vegetables if you’d like, and omit those that don’t appeal to you. The one thing I love about ramen is its versatility and infinitely customizable combinations to suit every season, taste, and diet.

 The ramen broth I’m using has a matsutake mushroom and shoyu (soy) base. It’s topped with crispy pork belly, jammy eggs, shiitakes, and garnishes from your pantry or fridge. 

Pork Belly and Mushroom Ramen 

(Serves 1-2)

Ingredients: 

 From France44:

Pork Belly Confit 

Professional Ramen Base (Matsutake)

Locally Laid Eggs  

From your pantry:

Scallion 

Ramen or noodles of your choice (2 packs)

Furikake, chili crisp in oil, sesame seeds/oil, or whatever seasonings you prefer. 

Mushrooms of any kind, or other vegetables (i.e. bok choy, bean sprouts, cabbage, pickled veg, etc)

Directions:

 Step 1: Crisp Pork Belly 

 This pork belly is already cooked, so all you have to do is fry the heck out of it. It’s been previously “confited” meaning it’s slow cooked in its own fat. 

 For this recipe, I recommend 2 oz. of pork belly per serving, but do as you wish. Cut your pork belly into equal slices. Each slice should be about an inch thick. 

 Use a cast iron, or a very heavy bottom skillet.  Add a teaspoon of canola oil (to prevent immediate burning) and place pork belly into pan. Cook on medium-high for a minute or two, and reduce to medium to render out the fat. 

Pan fry 4-5 minutes each side, or until it looks browned and crispy. Set aside. *Side note: fry some of your mushrooms in that pork belly fat, go on just do it okaaay* 

Step 2: Cook Jammy Eggs 

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Carefully add eggs one at a time and boil gently for 6-7 minutes. (Egg yolks should be shiny yellow and almost jammy; egg white should be just set.) Drain eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking; let cool. Peel and set aside.

Step 3: Prep mushrooms or Vegetables 

I had some leftover shiitake mushrooms in my fridge, so I gently brushed them off and sliced them to desired size. I also thinly cut some scallion. You could use bok choy, cabbage, bean sprouts, or even pickled vegetables. Frozen corn. I’m not here to stop you. 

Step 4: Cook Noodles

 Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente; drain (no need to salt the water, as ramen noodles contain more salt than pasta). Do not use flavor packets. Set cooked noodles aside. 

Step 5: Heat Broth and Assemble 

When ready to serve, bring ramen broth to a simmer; it should be very hot. Just before serving, place noodles in a deep bowl, or divide into two, if sharing. Top with sliced pork belly, placing it off to the side. Slowly ladle hot broth over noodles. 

 Halve your jammy eggs, place in bowl next to pork. Place sliced scallions next to eggs. Add your mushrooms and vegetables. 

 Garnish with sesame seeds, furikake, spicy chili bean paste, or chili oil. 

Maybe you have some dried nori sheets and pickled ginger from the sushi you intended on making, but never did. No one’s judging. Slip those in there, too...   

Sophia's Anchovy Toast

Anchovy Butter Toast 

This ode-to-the-anchovy toast-topper makes an excellent breakfast or hearty snack. I’ve made this several times, inspired by Sam Sifton’s Not a Recipe anchovy toast. Good butter and high-quality anchovies go a long way, but whatever you have in your pantry works. For the bones of this recipe, you’ll need anchovies, butter, and bread for toasting. Feel free to add anything else you think sounds good, like lemon juice or hot sauce for brightness. You can top your toast however you like. This time, I made one with sliced radishes and another with egg and chili flakes. You can make it in about 15 minutes in the morning (if you remember to set your butter out while making your first cup of coffee). Otherwise, the anchovy butter can be made the night before and stored in the fridge for an even easier, filling breakfast.

I want to take one moment to talk about butter. There’s a lot of good butter at France 44 and a lot of strong opinions about butter. If you’ve ever asked us about butter, someone has probably told you to get the gold foil wrapped Beurre de Baratte. For me, you can’t beat the Ploughgate Creamery Salted Cured Butter. Usually, I stay away from salted butter, but the Ploughgate Butter is the best butter I have ever had. Eat with a spoon good. If you are going for salted butter with this recipe, go for the Ploughgate which is not overwhelmingly salty. Otherwise, lean into unsalted butter. The anchovies have the salt covered.

Ingredients 

The Butter:

2-3 Ortiz anchovies in olive oil

2 oz Ploughgate Butter or unsalted butter at room temperature 

1 clove garlic, minced

Fresh lemon juice

The Toast:

Rose Street Patisserie Baguette (day or two old works great) or Baker’s Field Hundred Rye bread for a twist 

Toppings:

6 ½ minute egg

Chili flakes

Sliced Radishes 

To prepare the butter, 

1. If topping with an egg, get a pot of water boiling on the stove.

2. Place your softened butter in a small bowl.

3. Mince anchovies. A smaller mince means they’ll blend more easily into the softened butter. But personally, I like a chunky anchovy moment. Add to butter.

4. Mince garlic. Feel free to use a dash of garlic powder (or no garlic at all) if raw garlic isn’t your scene. Add this to the butter as well.

5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the butter or add your hot sauce. 

6. Using a fork, mix the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, and butter together until well combined. This took me about a minute or two of steady mixing. 

7. Always taste as you go to see what it needs. Acid? Black pepper? Probably not salt. Make any adjustments and set aside.

For the bread: 

1. Slice your bread. For a baguette, I suggest a bias cut (with the knife at an angle instead of straight across). This way, you get larger pieces of toast. 

2. Toast any way you like. I did a few minutes in the toaster, but the world is your oyster. Er, anchovy. 

For the toppings: 

1. Your water should be boiling by now. Once it is, prep a timer for six and a half minutes. Six and a half minutes will yield a jammy, runny yolk. If you like your yolk firmer, set for a minute longer. 

2. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower your egg into the water and start the timer. Fill a bowl with ice water and place in the sink. 

3. Wash your radishes. Slice thinly. Set aside. 

4. When you six and half minute timer goes off, scoop your egg out of the water with the slotted spoon and gently place it in the ice bath. Let it hang out. 

To assemble: 

1. Place your toasted bread on a plate. Generously spread your anchovy butter on the toast. 

2. For the radish toast, simply place the sliced radishes on the designated toast.

3. For the egg toast, you’ll need to crack and peel your egg. Remember, a six and a half minute egg is pretty soft so you’ll need to be gentle. I like to gently crack both short ends of the egg on a hard surface and then gently roll the egg with light pressure to crack the rest of the shell. The ice water should have shocked the egg enough that the egg will peel with minimal effort. 

4. Once peeled, slice in quarters and assemble on top of toast

The eggs are messy, just the way they should be. The radishes provide a nice textural difference. The butter should be briney, rich, and full of umami and acid. The egg toast needed some heat so I added some dried chili flakes on top. Like most good recipes, this toast is flexible and should be adapted to your preferences. Have fun!

SBL Farro-Mushroom Risotto

Carbs? Cheese? Wine? Yes please! Risotto is a classic rice dish from Northern Italy made from a few simple ingredients. With a little bit of elbow grease you can make stellar risotto at home. This preparation takes a few departures from the classic version you may know: I substitute Italian farro for rice, German Alex for Parmesan (blasphemy until you taste it!), and add in some celery and carrot to give it a little more body. Nutty and savory flavors from the farro, cheese, and mushrooms meet sweet lighter notes from the wine and veggies, and the whole dish is bound together with the best beef stock in town. And what better meal to eat with that bottle of wine you just opened?

Mushroom & Farro Risotto

2 c. (360g) Casino di Caprafico Farro

6 c. France 44 Beef Stock, simmering

1 Medium white onion, diced

2 Medium carrots, peeled and diced

3 Ribs celery, diced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 oz. Dried porcini mushrooms

6 oz. Alex (ask your Cheesemonger), grated and divided

½ c. Your favorite red wine

2 T. Extra virgin olive oil

2 T. Butter

Kosher salt

Black Pepper

Parsley to garnish 

1. Soak mushrooms in boiling water for 30 min, or until tender. Drain, reserving soaking liquid, and chop. Set aside

2. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium high until shimmering. Add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are translucent and tender.

3. Add garlic. Cook an additional minute or until fragrant.

4. Add farro and mushrooms and turn to coat evenly.

5. Add wine. Stir until alcohol has cooked off.

6. Introduce hot stock to the pot one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Continue adding stock gradually and stirring until the farro has absorbed all six cups. The farro should be soft but still have some bite to it, and the sauce should be glossy and thick but not dry. If it needs more liquid, use the mushroom soaking liquid, more stock, or hot water.

7. Add black pepper to taste and adjust salt. Stir in the Alex, saving a bit to garnish.

8. Garnish with the rest of the cheese, parsley, and more black pepper.