Something Tasty: A cheese pairing to try

Comté

I’m officially back in the U.S. and I still can’t stop thinking about French cheese, especially Comté, especially Comté paired with literally any wine from the Jura. I could write an entire newsletter on Comté (and I might) but it’s 3 days until Christmas and Hanukkah, so I wanna give you a hot tip that will help your cheesy holiday cooking, and I will try to do it at succinctly as possible.

Comté is what’s called a cooked and pressed style cheese, which means there’s an extra step in the cheese making process. After the curds are pressed together, they are reheated to form one smooth uniform texture. This process makes Comté and other cheeses in this style (Gruyere, Challerhocker, etc) great for melting.

Conversely, cheeses like cheddar are pressed style cheeses. The curds are not reheated, only pressed together. They will still melt…but not as well. This is why cheddar always separates and becomes oily when heated.

I will explain this better if you have questions, I promise. But!

What is important to know is if you have a cherished cheesy holiday recipe, but wish the cheese didn’t get so oily when cooked, try adding a cheese like Comté into the mix, and that separation will go down significantly.

Comté rarely lasts long enough in my house to cook with, so I also will always encourage you to eat it by itself or with your favorite jam or French onion confit.

It’s also the perfect emotional support/travel cheese. Slice some up, but it in a ziploc, and keep it in your bag to keep you going on those long, often aggravating, holiday travel days.

Something True: A truth about myself

The Trust Your Taste Journal is Here!

Here’s the truth.

I wrote in my journal one day while I was in Europe.

Not exactly what I planned, or intended to do.

We all have that idealized version of ourselves on vacation. Mine was a version of me that woke up early every morning with mental clarity and creative energy to spare. I would meditate and stretch and write every morning before getting dressed in a very effortlessly chic way for my morning stroll to get a coffee and a baguette.

What happened was…not that.

And it was still an incredible trip! AND I still want to make sure I capture as many memories (especially food memories) while they’re still fresh in my head.

That’s why I created the Trust Your Taste Journal.

For me, and for you.

In the journal you’ll find a helpful method to keep those sensory memories fresh, a cheese log with lists of descriptive words to get you going, and plenty of pages to fill.

If you’re reallllly in a pinch for a last minute gift (or you just can’t wait holiday shipping times to get started yourself), there is an instant downloadable PDF version.

I’m excited to share this with you, and excited to improve it as it get used more and more!

Farm to Fable: How food shows up in storytelling 

Denny’s and Burnt Turkey

Speaking of things not going as planned- what happens when you burn the Christmas turkey? You go to Denny’s like Tim Allen and Charlie in The Santa Clause. This is always an annual watch for me, and I’ve been chasing what I imagine the magic of a mug of Judy’s hot chocolate would be since the 90’s.

What is your must watch holiday movie?

Until next time,

Anne-Marie

P.S. - Sunday Scaries

A terrifying AI image to help us all rest knowing AI bots could never replace a real human artist:

This week the prompt was “Santa journaling while drinking hot chocolate.”

We don’t have the time to get into his HANDS? Or that MUG? What is up with the ball on the end of his hat? Gross? No thank you??

www.annemariepietersma.com