Barèges-Gavarnie Mutton is a Rare and Tasty Change From the Many Excellent Lamb Offerings of France.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

  

The Mouton Barèges -Gavarnie AOC

    

The Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie AOP; the sheep are something very special.  This mutton is on only French restaurant menus from June through January. Practically none of their meat is exported, so when Barèges-Gavarnie is on the menu, do not let the opportunity pass you by.

   

Le Lac d'Aumar

Photograph courtesy of Tourisme Grand Tourmalet

www.flickr.com/photos/grand-tourmalet/14992824740/

   

Mutton, you may say, is meat from old sheep that no longer supplies milk and is only good for sausages.  Now is the time to change your mind.  The menu may offer a roast from a doubloon, an 18-month to two-year-old castrated male, that is considered the best of the breed.  Another menu may offer a winter stew prepared from a two-year-old ewe. There are excellent lambs in France, but mutton has a different taste and texture, and the Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie sheep have red, marbled, tender meat.

To begin with, these are a unique breed, they are hardy and their summer pastures where they graze in complete freedom day and night at an altitude of between 1,600 meters ( 5,250 feet)  and 2,600 meters (8,300 feet) high. The temperatures change from below freezing at night to 90ºF ( 32ºC) during the day, so they need their special wool.

Until you have tasted this mutton, you will never be able to understand how very different this is to lamb. It is not a replacement for lamb; you cannot compare them.  They are very different meats with different tastes and textures.

  

The Official Logo of The Mouton Barèges -Gavarnie AOP.

Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie on the menu:

Brochette de Mouton Barèges Gavarnie à la Réglisse, Choux Vert et Châtaigne des Pyrénées – Skewers of the Barèges-Gavarnie mutton flavored with licorice served with cabbage and chestnuts from the Pyrenees.

              

Côtelettes de Mouton AOC Barèges-Gavarnie à la Crème de Serpolet - Chops from the Barèges Gavarnie mutton flavored with a cream of wild thyme sauce.

Gigot de Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie et Haricots Tarbais - Roasted leg of the Mouton Barèges-Gavernie served with the Label Rouge, red label dried beans from Tarbes in the Pyrenees.

  

Gigot de Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie

Photograph courtesy of Mon Œil

www.flickr.com/photos/claveirole/6064373291/

   

Navarin de Mouton Baréges-Gavarnie Printanier Navarin - A stew of Baréges-Gavarnie mutton cut into regular shapes, along with vegetables, nearly always including turnips. The navette, a turnip, is considered the source of the name navarin, a turnip stew.  A Navarin becomes a Navarin Printanier, a springtime stew when it is made with lamb and young spring turnips along with other early vegetables.

    

Civet de Mouton AOC Barèges-Gavarnie –  A slowly cooked stew from the Barèges-Gavarnie mutton.  A stew like this will be prepared with vegetables and red wine. Civet were traditional stews associated with small wild game; that meant a lapin, a rabbit, or a lièvre, a hare, and occasionally a marcassin, a young wild boar.  Now the term civet is used for many other stews like this menu listing.

                   

The Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie sheep are brought to their mountain pastures in the area called the Pays Toy, in the department of the Hautes-Pyrénées, in the late spring.

       

Heading for higher pastures

  

In the high pastures, these sheep have total freedom; not even a shepherd to watch out for them except maybe once every ten days.  Nevertheless, since writing this, I have been told that the tradition of permanent shepherds and sheepdogs is returning, as the wild animal protection laws have seen the local bear population increasing.  By November, the sheep are back in a covered shelter in the valleys and feed on hay that comes from their summer pastures.

There is, of course, a fete for the Mouton Barèges-Gavarnie, but the date and place move every year within the region. Check ahead with the Tourist Information Office website below.  This is not just a fete where the children can pet the sheep; this is also a chance to taste and enjoy, and then everyone can enjoy sheepdog trials and competitions.

For the fete and touring  in the region in summer or winter, see the English language website:

http://www.luz.org/en/

   

The same website has information on the highest spa in France, where the Barèges waters, a constant 42 °C (107.6 °F), are known for their help with bone reconstruction, rheumatism, and respiratory system.  The spa has been known since the beginning of the 17th century and is the highest in the Pyrenees. The ski resort of Barèges is one of the largest skiing centers in the region of the Midi-Pyrénées.

   

Cross-country skiing with the family

Photograph courtesy of Tourisme Grand Tourmalet

www.flickr.com/photos/grand-tourmalet/7008047935/

The English language website of Gavarnie Tourist Information office:

http://summer.gavarnie.com/

     

Connected Posts:

 

Cabbage; Cabbage in a French restaurant? Of Course, Cabbage is very important in French Cuisine.

Châtaignes and  Marrons on French Menus. You Will Have Chestnuts From Your Hors d’Œuvre to Your Digestif.

 

Civet – A traditional French stew associated with small wild game. Civet on French Menus.

Côte, a rib or rib roast, a cutlet or a chop; Côté, a side or a filet; Côtes, (cotes) the hills or the coast in French. All will be on French menus.

 

Gigot, Gibelotte, Gigolette, Gigotin and Gigue on French Menus and in French Cuisine.

 

Haricot Tarbais – The Bean from Tarbes is one of France’s Favorite Beans. The Haricot Tarbais on French Menus.

   

Lapin - Rabbit  and Hare on French Menus.

Sanglier - Wild Boar on French Menus?

   

Turnips, (Navets) Parsnips (Panais) and Swedes (Chou-Navets or Rutabaga). Traditional Root Vegetables in Modern French Cuisine.

   

Thyme in France. Thyme, Serpolet, Farigoule and Thym Citron, Lemon Thyme in France. Thyme. One of the most important herbs in French cuisine.

   

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Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

Copyright 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2024.

Fourme d'Ambert AOP - One of France's Finest Mild Blue Cheeses. The Fourme d'Ambert in French Cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

                      
Fourme d’Ambert
Photograph courtesy of the La Société Laitière de Laqueuille
(The Société Laitière de Laqueuille also produces its own blue cheese called La Bleu de Laqueuille).

The Fourme d’Ambert is a 28% fat, pasteurized, cow’s milk cheese, with a blue mold.  Despite being a blue-veined cheese, it is smooth and relatively mild.  The cheese is allowed to age and develop its taste and texture for four to eight weeks in humid cellars. Even when matured for the full eight weeks this cheese is still far milder than many other blue cheeses.

   The cheese’s documented history going back over four-hundred years but was undoubtedly produced even earlier.  The producers claim that its history goes back to the Druids worshipping in the Forez Mountains, which are divided between the departments of the Loire and Puy-de-Dôme.

 

A view of the Forez mountains around Ambert
Photograph courtesy of Jeanne Menjoulet
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmenj/15506887602/ 

The town of Ambert that gave this cheese its name is a small town of under 7,000 in the department of Puy-de-Dôme in the region of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.   The word fourme, which is part of this and other French cheeses' names, has nothing to do with the type of cheese; fourme refers to the form, the shape of the cheese, and the container into which the cheese is poured.  The regulation shape of a whole Fourme d'Ambert is a cylinder 11 cm (4.3 “) in diameter by 22 cm (8.7 “) high. A whole cheese weighs approximately 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs).

Fourme d’Ambert AOP AB
AB is the European label for products following the rules of the EU Organic Farming. 
See Organic Food and Wine in France.
Photograph courtesy of BBG Bio.bon

When buying this cheese to take home, you’ll see that the Fourme d'Ambert, like most blue cheeses, does not have a rind and keeps very well without one.   Have a round cut, wrapped well in plastic wrap (only for blue cheeses without rind) and then vacuum-packed, which will travel well for one or two days. At home, keep the cheese in the refrigerator, never the freezer, and in plastic wrap; it will keep well for a month or more. For more about buying cheese in France and taking it home, click here.

 

Ambert on Thursday Market day.
Open from 8:00 t0 12:30.
Ambert’s round town hall  is in the background.
Photograph courtesy of Livradois-Forez National Park

The Fourme d’Ambert on French Menus:

Asperges Blanches à la Fourme d'Ambert, Jambon de Vendee – White asparagus served with a Fourme d’Ambert sauce and the Vendée ham. Asparagus and ham are often paired, and here, hot white asparagus has a Fourme d’Ambert sauce.

Entrecôte Charolaise (Environ 300 G) à la Fourme d'Ambert. – A grilled or fried entrecote from the highly rated Charolais beef (approximately 300 grams (11 oz )) prepared with Fourme d’Ambert cheese.

Magret d'Oie Grille à la Fourme d'Ambert  - Grilled goose breast prepared with Fourme d’Ambert cheese.

Salade Auvergnate: Salade, Croutons, Fourme d’Ambert, Tomate, Jambon Cru, Noix – Those who live in the Auvergne are called Auvergnates, and so are their local recipes. An Auvergnate salad is prepared with mixed salad greens, croutons, Fourme d”Ambert cheese, tomatoes, cured ham, and walnuts.

Truffade à la Fourme d’Ambert avec Jambon Sec, Saucisson et Salade – The truffade is a traditional Auvergnate thick potato pancake made from thinly sliced potatoes fried in goose fat. Here, it is made with the Forme d’Ambert and served with cured ham, sausage and a salad.

An open sandwich with fruit and Fourme de Ambert
Tartine de Fruits et Fourme d’Ambert
Photograph courtesy of Bordeaux Sweet and Dessert Wines

 

 In the town is  the House of the Fourme d'Ambert and the other four Auvergne AOP cheeses. Check their website's opening times as these can change; entrance in 2023 costs less than six euros per person.  If you are a French speaker, call them on 04-7382-4923. Their French language website is Maison de la Fourme d’Ambert et de Fromages d’Auvergne AOP,  it is easily understood using the Bing or Google translate apps.

 

A view of the town
Photograph courtesy of Jérôme Decq
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lesphotosdejerome/6141038669/

 

The Auvergne has a Route des Fromages AOP d'Auvergne, an Auvergne cheese road with plenty of dairies to visit and appreciate their wares. Their website is also in English: 

       https://www.fromages-aop-auvergne.com/route-fromages/ 

     The route runs near to many vineyards, restaurants, and other places of interest. You may follow the map:  https://www.fromages-aop-auvergne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LIVRET-RDF-portrait-V2.pdf. The map is also in French but easily understood and you can join at any point, just use the Bing and Google translate apps.

The Fourme d’Ambert and the Fourme de Montbrison cheeses.  Linked forever to Ambert and its cheese is a town called Montbrison and their cheese, the Fourme de Montbrison AOP.  Ambert is in the department of Puy-de-Dôme and as the crow flies  Montbrison in the department of Loire is just 30 km (19 miles) away from Ambert, about 40 km (25 miles) by road.  The Fourme de Montbrison AOP is a very similar cheese to the Fourme d’Ambert AOP.  It is a long story, too long for this post, but one cheese, now with slight differences has ended up with two names; each with its own right to an AOP label.            

Other Auvergne-Rhône-Alps AOP cheeses:

Abondance AOP -  A hard, yellow cow’s milk cheeses.

Beaufort AOP - A hard, yellow cow’s milk cheese.

Bleu d’Auvergne – A blue cow’s milk cheese.

Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage AOP  - A mild, pasteurized, cow’s milk, blue cheese.

Cantal AOP and Salers AOP – Semi-hard, yellow cow’s milk cheeses.

Chevrotin AOP - A  soft, goat's milk cheese.

Fourme de Montbrison AOP - A mild cow’s milk blue cheese,

Picodon AOP or  Picadon de l'Ardèche AOP-  The first goat's milk cheese to be awarded an AOC.

Reblochon AOP -  A soft, cow’s milk cheese.

Rigotte AOP or Rigotte de Condrieu AOP -  A soft, goat’s milk cheese.

Saint-Nectaire AOP - A creamy and nutty, semi-firm, cow’s milk cheese.

Tome des Bauges AOP -  A semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese.

--------------

Searching for the meaning of words, names or phrases
on
French menus?

Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" and search with Google. Behind the French Menu’s links include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 470 posts that include over 4,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.

------------

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Copyright © 2010, 2018, 2023

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Abondance AOP - One of the Most Celebrated Cheeses of the Savoie, Rhône Alps, France.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

   

Abondance AOP

Photograph courtesy of the Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Fromage Abondance.

Photo credited to JM Gaillard SIFA

    

Abondance AOC/AOP is a 45% fat, semi-dry, cow’s milk cheese made from non-pasteurized milk.  It is aged for at least five months and mostly made on the farms where the cows are milked. The cheese is a light yellow to ivory with some small holes and is firm but feels soft on the tongue; it has a light nutty and very slightly salty taste. The rind is brown to dark brown. Each cylinder of cheese is about 35 -40cm in diameter and 8cm high and weighs from 7 -10 kilos (10-22 lbs).

  

Members of a youth group in the Valley of Abondance.

Photograph courtesy of Frédérique Voisin-Demery 

www.flickr.com/photos/vialbost/4647384188/

 

Abondance comes from the northern part of the department of Haute-Savoie in the Rhône Alps, close to the border with Switzerland. (Since 1-1-2016 the Rhône Alps are part of the super region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). This is the French Alps, and in the winter the cows are brought into warm barns while the whole area is filled with ski resorts. Despite that, long before skiing was a sport the Abondance valley and the town of Abondance gave their name to the cheese. They also gave their name to the unique Abondance breed of cows who with the Taurine and Montbéliarde breeds provide the milk for the Abondance cheese. The cheese is claimed to have a history that began in the 6th century and assuredly has been made locally since the 13th century.

   

The valley of Abondance, Lac d'Arvouin

Photograph courtesy of Frédérique Voisin-Demery

www.flickr.com/photos/vialbost/4647392258/

     

N.B. The Corn d'Abondance seen on some menu is not a cheese; it’s a mushroom. The Horn of Plenty, the Black Chanterelle or the Black Trumpet Mushroom.  The Horn of Plenty mushroom will also be on French menus as Craterelles or the Trompette des Morts.

 

Abondance on French menus:

Berthoud Abondance -  A Berthoud is a traditional baked cheese dish from the Savoie.  The cheese will be baked together with one of the excellent local white wines and sometimes flavored with a Madeira wine. In any case, when the cheese and wine ready you will be served potatoes, bread and dried meats to dip into the dish and enjoy.

Fines Tranches de Fromages d'Abondance Mélangées au Vin Blanc de Savoie et Gratinées au Four, Servi Avec de la Charcuterie de Savoie, Salade Verte et Pommes de Terre – Thin slices of Abondance cheese mixed with a Savoie white wine and browned in the oven, and then served with cold meats and sausages from the Savoie along with a green salad and potatoes. The Savoie has a tradition of excellent air-dried meat and cured ham, along with bacon and pork sausages.

Fondue Savoyarde aux Cèpes, Beaufort, Abondance, Emmental de Savoie – Here the Fondue is made with Abondance AOP, Beaufort AOP and French Emmental de Savoie IGP cheese with cepes, the French porcini mushroom.  The cheeses will be melted in a white wine, with a small amount of garlic. Since the taste of the fondue changes with the percentages of the different cheeses used every restaurant’s fondue has its unique flavor. Some Fondue Savoyards will benefit from the addition of the Savoie’s much-appreciated kirsch cherry liquor.

Cheese fondues are eaten with pieces of French bread that are dipped in the melted cheese on a special fork. Each diner will have been given his or her fourchette à fondue, a distinctive, long, fondue fork, which keeps the diner’s hand away from the heat of the communal pot of melted cheese in which the bread will be dipped.   N.B. These fondue forks become extremely hot at the tip, and they have burned many a tongue.  I speak with experience so transfer the bread to your plate, and then to an ordinary fork before eating.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s everyone who went skiing would come home talking endlessly about the fondues.  Today Fondue Savoyarde has lost some of its international glimmer; however, it still enjoyed in the homes of the region as it was for hundreds of years and it will be on menus in the ski resorts.

  

Fondue Savoyarde.

Photograph courtesy of   pedro_cerqueira

www.flickr.com/photos/pcerqueira/5402321948/

Tagliatelles Aux Girolles, Fromage d'Abondance et Jambon Cru de Savoie 12 Mois – Tagliatelle (the long thin flat pasta about 8 -10mm (0.3” – 0.4”) wide) served with the chantarelle mushrooms prepared with the Abondance cheese, and served with thin slices of a 12-month cured ham from the Savoie. The Jambon de la Savoie is one of France’s most appreciated cured hams. The ham will be added just before serving as cured ham, like virgin olive oil, loses it taste if cooked. This dish with its pasta, wild mushrooms, Abondance cheese, and aged Savoie ham makes my mouth water just writing about it. 

Tarte au Fromage d'Abondance, Petite Salade Verte Garnie aux Noix – A tart au fromage, a cheese cake, made with the Abondance cheese served with a small green salad garnished with walnuts.

  

Tarte au Fromage

Photograph courtesy of Randalfino

www.flickr.com/photos/randalfino/5848894191/

Travelling and buying Abondance AOP cheese

The taste of the Abondance AOP cheese changes with age so a fromagerie, a cheese shop, may have more than one cheese on sale. Then they may let you have a sliver each cheese to choose from.  Abondance, like other semi-hard cheeses, travels well and in any case most fromageries offer vacuum packing for travel; otherwise, keep the cheese wrapped in plastic wrap. At home, this cheese will keep well for a month more if properly wrapped and kept in in the refrigerator, not a freezer. Freezers kill the taste of most cheeses. Take the cheese out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before serving.  Enjoy Abondance AOP together with a good Savoie white wine; they should bring back good memories of your travels. For more about buying cheese in France and taking it home click here.

   

Abondance on sale.

Photograph courtesy of Frédérique Voisin-Demery 

www.flickr.com/photos/vialbost/5687575643/

  

On your travels, or in a good cheese shop at home you may encounter other excellent Savoie cheeses: Beaufort AOP, Chevrotin AOP, Emmental de Savoie IGP, French Gruyere IGP, Raclette IGP, Reblochon AOP, Tome de Bauges AOP, Tomme de Savoie IGP.

 

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Searching for words, names or phrases on French Menus?

Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" and search with Google. Behind the French Menu’s links include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 400 articles that include over 3,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.

    

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

 

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

Copyright 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017.