Saint Agur enjoys a cherished reputation despite the fact that it was created rather recently unlike the other notable cheeses from the same region. There is not a shred of terroir regarding it: The saintly reference is fictive; Agur is a Basque word for hello; it's made from pasturized cow milk with added cream. Coming into being in 1988, means there's nary a mention in my second-hand Le Livre Du Fromage (Editions Des Deux Coqs D'or) which was published twenty years before the French company Bongrain (presently known as Savencia Fromage & Dairy) put this luscious double-cream cheese boasting 60% butterfat on the market. The French Wikipedia article recommends Vouvray demi-sec as accompaniment. It's so rich, it can be whipped. And whipped it was. Moist dried apricots were topped with swirls of whipped Saint Agur, coarsely chopped walnuts, and drizzles of maple syrup.
There are several packaging options available here, from tubs to foil-wrapped hexagonal forms . . .
. . . but my favourite is a reasonably sized slab encased in a resealable tray.
These robustly flavoured, dark olive-green flecks are floating in a creamy ocean thereby creating a balance between mild and sharp that is alluring.
Each walnut was cut into four pieces. The pitted apricots were pulled apart gently to make thinner halves.
Halving also reveals a deeper coloured succulence. Put chunks of Saint Agur in a mixing container/bowl, add a little cream, and whip away. Using a teaspoon, place a small mound on each apricot, and repeat with another but smaller mound. If desired, the whipped cheese can be piped on via a pastry bag or a sturdy plastic bag with one corner snipped.
Top with a walnut piece and sprinkle a few drops of maple (or honey). If getting your fingers sticky is not a concern than let those apricot boats carry as much sweet cargo as is your wont. The combination of salty and sweet is a perfect way to wake up lethargic tastebuds, while the gold and white colour theme psychologically perks you up in the bleak of winter.
À la prochaine!
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There are several packaging options available here, from tubs to foil-wrapped hexagonal forms . . .
. . . but my favourite is a reasonably sized slab encased in a resealable tray.
These robustly flavoured, dark olive-green flecks are floating in a creamy ocean thereby creating a balance between mild and sharp that is alluring.
Each walnut was cut into four pieces. The pitted apricots were pulled apart gently to make thinner halves.
Halving also reveals a deeper coloured succulence. Put chunks of Saint Agur in a mixing container/bowl, add a little cream, and whip away. Using a teaspoon, place a small mound on each apricot, and repeat with another but smaller mound. If desired, the whipped cheese can be piped on via a pastry bag or a sturdy plastic bag with one corner snipped.
Top with a walnut piece and sprinkle a few drops of maple (or honey). If getting your fingers sticky is not a concern than let those apricot boats carry as much sweet cargo as is your wont. The combination of salty and sweet is a perfect way to wake up lethargic tastebuds, while the gold and white colour theme psychologically perks you up in the bleak of winter.
À la prochaine!
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