Every so often, one discovers something new.
And the most likely place to make new discoveries is when one travels. Being a tourist in France must be one of the most exciting experiences -- there are just so many things in this country that are unique and special and delightful!
One of the many great pleasures of living here in the Dordogne, is the availability of fresh organically grown produce that one can obtain at any of the country markets in many of the towns and villages in the area.
Not only can one buy the most delicious fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood straight out of the sea at Arcachon, locally home made cheeses of every kind, flowers picked from a garden, deliciously aromatic home cured hams and sausages, second hand books, candles, donkey milk soaps and toiletries, exotic silk skirts and sun bleached cotton shirts, but one can listen to an actor reciting poetry or to a group of talented youngsters making the most beautiful music.
And then -- you discover yet another speciality from the region --- such as these light-as-air fairy cakes made with goat's cheese. Originally from the Poitou Charente, the same area as the first would-be woman president of France hails from, the tourteau fromagé not only look splendid, neatly stacked in perfect little rows, looking like a class photograph of little school boys in their black caps, but taste heavenly!
One needs a special mould for these cakes, but should you not have one, choose an oven proof dish which is preferably narrower at the base than at the outer rim, about 8 inches in diameter and about 2 inches high.
The black caps were probably originally an accident, but that is what gives these cakes their individual and special appearance!
Recipe for tourteau fromagé or cheese cake
Ingredients
260 gr flour
120 gr butter
250 gr fresh goat's cheese
175 gr sugar
6 eggs
5 cl milk
a pinch of salt
1 coffee spoon vanilla essence
Method
With the butter, 200 grams of the flour, salt and a little bit of water, make a pastry, cover it and let it stand in the bowl for a couple of hours -- preferably in the fridge.
In a bowl, mix the cheese with 125 grams of the sugar and the milk
As soon as the sugar, cheese and milk mixture is well beaten, mix in the egg yolks one at a time, 60 grams of the flour and the vanilla essence
Beat the egg whites with the rest of the sugar until stiff and fold into the mixture.
Press the pastry into the well greased mould. Pour the cheese mixture on top.
Bake in an oven at about 180'C for 45 minutes.
When baked, either under a very hot grill or with a blow torch, very quickly and evenly blacken the top.
Try it at breakfast, with your apéritif, with a glass of Haut Poitou white wine, or as a dessert, covered with fruit purée or ice cream. -- or like we did, with a cup of coffee at a little bistro on the Lalinde market square!
9 avenue Général Faucher
79400 Saint Maixent
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