Pumpkin Fondue (TODAY!) and a plethora of Fine French Fromage!

Our Pumpkin Fondue just popped out of the oven, come by to taste, buy or pick up the ingredients to make it yourself! (recipe below)

Have you checked out our French cheeses lately? After returning from France I beefed up our selection big time!

Like Triple Crème? We have Delice d'argental, Delice d'Cremiers, and even a triple crème with truffle! We even carry sheep and goat milk versions (Fromager d'Affinois de Brebis & Chevre de Cremiers)

In the same category of creamy and delicious we have our bestselling Brillat Savarin with Papaya and for a short time only it is also available with MANGO, PINEAPPLE, or GINGER!

From around France we have Tomme du Maquis (Languedoc-Roussillon ) covered with fresh herbs, allspice and garlic. Rustiqe Camembert is authentic & ripe and if you think Roquefort is too strong - well then you haven't tasted ours; Gabrial Coulet's version is like nothing you have tasted before. Luscious. Our Mimolette (perfect for the Halloween holiday weekend) is aged 18 months and has flavors of caramel & butterscotch in its dense paste. Our raw milk Morbier is the best in town and for something stronger try our Brebirousse d'Argental which Greg describes as a "petting zoo in your mouth." If strong is your suite than we have the famous Epoisses as well as its milder cousin (and Jamie's favorite) Affine au Chablis. Prefere de Montagne is another washed rind specialty that is as mild and creamy as the now-outlawed Reblochon used to be. Our Alpine Vieux Cru is as good as any Gruyere and we also have Petit Agour and Ossau Iraty - two sheep milk cheeses that put supermarket Manchego and Petit Basque to shame. If goat cheeses are your fancy we have quite a few. The lovely and mild Roves des Garrigues from Provence is as delicate as a lemony snowball. Cabecou is a perfect size round for a salad or fry one up with panko bread crumbs with some romesco or tumaca sauce for a perfect first course. Classic Bucheron has many uses and the rarer Pico is similar to a goat cheese camembert - but creamier. Lastly try our Chevre de Provencal - a delicate goat cheese mixed with fresh herbs and layered with olive tapenade - open one and it will disappear!

BAKED BRIE

For an easy appetizer pick up a fresh baked baguette and our homemade 'Brie en Croute' or Baked Brie. This weeks flavor is "Toasted Almonds with Fig and Chocolate"

$10.99 each 

Roast Pumpkin with Cheese "Fondue"

Active time:25 min, Start to finish:2 hr

As the pumpkin roasts, its skin becomes gorgeously burnished, while inside, slices of baguette, Gruyère, and Emmental and Raclette coalesce into a rich, velvety concoction that is utterly fabulous served with a scoop of tender pumpkin flesh.   

Cooks' note: Pumpkin can be filled 2 hours before baking and chilled. 

• 1 (15-inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices (7 oz total)
• 1 (7-lb) orange pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère (6 oz)
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Vieux Cru (6 oz)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third. Toast baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet in oven until tops are crisp (bread will still be pale), about 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Remove top of pumpkin by cutting a circle (3 inches in diameter) around stem with a small sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and any loose fibers from inside pumpkin with a spoon (including top of pumpkin; reserve seeds for another use if desired). Season inside of pumpkin with 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk together cream, broth, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl. Put a layer of toasted bread in bottom of pumpkin, then cover with about 1 cup cheese and about 1/2 cup cream mixture. Continue layering bread, cheese, and cream mixture until pumpkin is filled to about 1/2 inch from top, using all of cream mixture. (You may have some bread and cheese left over.) Cover pumpkin with top and put in an oiled small roasting pan. Brush outside of pumpkin all over with olive oil. Bake until pumpkin is tender and filling is puffed, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Serves8 (main course) or 12 (side dish)