MONK’S HEAD
The other night I ate the other cheese I brought home from
Ideal Cheese shop. This cheese is called Monk’s head cheese or Tete de Moine, its a swiss/french variety. It was made by the Monks of Belleley, a monastery, and many of them used this cheese they made to pay rent. Using cheese to pay rent was common with Italians too, they used wheels of Parmesan as rent and currency. I love any cheese machines that are used specifically for one type of cheese and this Girolle that is pictured below represents a great example of GOOD design- the mechanics haven’t changed since it was first invented 800 something years ago, the same way the archetypal shape of a Chanel bag hasn’t changed much. The flavor of the cheese is extremely delicate and has a sweet scent so it must be shaved thin with this Girolle in order to develop it’s fullest flavor. A sweet dessert wine will go well but so does a Maker’s Mark straight…
Girolle goes to work. 360 degree blade. I imagine you can use this for other semi “hard” cheeses. No pun intended…..
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Closeup Time. The shaving creates a flower like shape.
I spoon the shaved cheese. Soft and delicate like lace.
Second Part, I wanted to pair a Fig Compote to go with the bread and cheese. Since the cheese has a slight flowery scent, I decided to spice the figs..
Cinnamon, Clove, lemons, ginger rocks, and sugar crystals.
Dried Figs. It’s good to score them so that the wine I’m about to pour in soaks into it.
Burn!!!
Bubbly goodness, all the flavors fornicate in a hot wine bath.
Time to setup, the bread I used was a soft butter roll from Big Red Tomato which is a Japanese bread store on St.Marks street. Japanese people make better better bread than Koreans do, okay I admit it!!
So I just place the fig compote on top of bread with cheese but I also want to drizzle some more sauce on top.
I make ice shot molds at home so they are always ready for me when its 8 pm. You know how they sell ice popsicle molds? Well they sell shot molds too. My hand looks extremely creepy in this picture but I was trying to pour it at a weird angle. Sorry!
Devil’s lubrication. Mixed drinks cause hangovers, this doesn’t. Goodnight.
Category: Food | Tags: feature 28 comments »
February 5th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
will you marry me?
February 5th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
poufee, are you male or female?
I didn’t know straight men read my
blog.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Your cheese posts are my favorites
February 6th, 2009 at 12:53 am
If this is food porn, I just came.
Sorry, TMI.
BTW Do you remember “Taste” with David Rosengarten and the original “How to Boil Water” because that was vintage FoodTV that birthed my food obsession. I’m obsessed with Ina Garten.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Mmm cheese porn. The best kind of food porn!
February 6th, 2009 at 5:29 am
i own that movie.
February 6th, 2009 at 11:21 am
http://www.cheesecentres.co.uk/ I’ve only been to the store in London Victoria, but it’s awesome.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Anyone that ends up with you is a lucky one..
Good wine don’t give hangovers either.. which I pref with cheese.. but that’s just a personal pref, I have been eating sushi all week..your pictures are lovely, you really seem to have a passion for food which I admire.
xx
February 6th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I’m going to check out this Ideal Cheese place the next time I’m in New York.
I’m also going to have to track down this ice shot mold, because that is so neat. No washing out the tiny little glass afterwards. And you’re so right about mixed drinks (ew).
February 6th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Beautiful! I love all the closeups!
February 7th, 2009 at 8:40 am
oh my gosh if i keep reading your posts im going to fall off my no wheat,red meat or dairy special diet! no not on it to lose weight its cos those food types affect a condition that i have. now im craving cheeeeeeeeeese like crazy after reading this! the food images akways get me hungry! you should become a gourmet chef,you have such an appreciation and knowledge of food which cant be faked.
inspiring!
x
Marian
February 7th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
that was amazing.
I’m going to go stare at my cheese and try and turn it into something fantastic now.
February 8th, 2009 at 1:58 am
does your lip get stuck to the icy shot glass?
February 8th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Fantastic photography as always but would you absolutely hate me if I said I’m not a fan of cheese….
February 8th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I die, I die, I die. That cheese looks so velvety.
xxx,
Tiffany
February 8th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
so WHEN are you opening up a restaurant so the rest of us can enjoy your creations???????????
February 9th, 2009 at 3:03 am
i die.
i am inspired.
things i love: cheese, figs, crystallized ginger, whiskey. thank you i will have yummy food dreams now.
February 9th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
this is insane/fantastique!
February 11th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I think I’m in love with you! Ok, at least your blog which I just discovered. I am adding you to my daily read list, hope you don’t mind!
February 11th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Interesting. As a foodie and a lover of good bourbon and most assured a straight male, I have just one question. Did the makers not over power the dish? I just happen to live behind a great cheese and wine bar. Long live the stinky!! great site.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
yes. cheese porn..
my family, the la fortune’s, are considered “the cheesiest”, by many, in lieu of our insane love of all varieties of cheese.
thank your for sharing your amazing photos and to-die-for recipes.
February 18th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
hello cheese wheel grater thing. lets be friends. ok cool, glad you agree.
loverly food shots.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Hey Luxirare,
I just discovered your blog yesterday (from reading the stylish wanderer) and I can’t stop reading!! Your food posts are my fave…I just love the detail and the uniqueness to each of your creations! The sushi post was just WOW.
You have a new fan!
Bear
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Oh my…. fig and cheeese…
I need this…
Whyyyy.
I want alcohol too. But I’m nineteen. My mom would help me out but shes on the other side of the country.
Mmm… cheese…
October 25th, 2009 at 1:14 am
We love Tete de Moine, what a good cheese shop you have! This cheese is also lovely melted. My Swiss family thought I was crazy but, I put it on Kase Schnitte and it was lovely.
What is Kase Schnitte?
2 to 3 pieces of solid bread, preferably day old, per person
white wine
dijon mustard
cheese
Heat oven to broil. Dip the bread briefly in wine, you want to get it in all of the bread but not to fall apart. Put on silpat on pan. Spread thin layer of dijon on each piece. Cover with cheese of your choice, left over raclette, tete de moine, emmantaler, greyere, whatever you have.
Heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
I hope you like it!
November 8th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Yes, there are straight men reading attentively. Rapt, salivating with anticipation, eager for each new frame…
The ice shot glass molds are brilliant. I can imagine those all frosty, made from a frozen juice for a summer meal.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
luxury
December 4th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
The old FoodTV shows were great. I LOVED Taste,. well OK I hated it at first, then I realized that David has more humor than I thought. Sean on How to Boil Water was great. The old days when Kathy just sat on the stool were the best… I really wish they would have Retro Food TV nights… I miss the old shows.