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.
28 Comments
will you marry me?
poufee, are you male or female?
I didn’t know straight men read my
blog.
Your cheese posts are my favorites
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.
Mmm cheese porn. The best kind of food porn!
i own that movie.
http://www.cheesecentres.co.uk/ I’ve only been to the store in London Victoria, but it’s awesome.
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
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).
Beautiful! I love all the closeups!
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
that was amazing.
I’m going to go stare at my cheese and try and turn it into something fantastic now.
does your lip get stuck to the icy shot glass?
Fantastic photography as always but would you absolutely hate me if I said I’m not a fan of cheese….
I die, I die, I die. That cheese looks so velvety.
xxx,
Tiffany
so WHEN are you opening up a restaurant so the rest of us can enjoy your creations???????????
i die.
i am inspired.
things i love: cheese, figs, crystallized ginger, whiskey. thank you i will have yummy food dreams now.
this is insane/fantastique!
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!
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.
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.
hello cheese wheel grater thing. lets be friends. ok cool, glad you agree.
loverly food shots.
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
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…
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!
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.
luxury
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.