38
FOOD
For the love of cheese
Henry Harris, chef and co-owner of the National
Restaurant Award-winning Bouchon Racine in London,
tells of his love of cheese and which he favours
the most.
Henry Harris's love of cheese
began as a child when his
father, who ran a French
restaurant in Brighton,
introduced him to Gaperon, a
cow's milk cheese with garlic and
peppercorns. It was this moment
that he realised there was a whole
other world - a world of cheese. He
recalls trying Brie de Meaux for the
first time, saying, "It seemed to have
a life of its own - oozing, runny and
making its way off the board while I
scooped up mouthfuls of this liquid
joy with pieces of bread."
Now running a restaurant known
for the quality of its produce and
its authentic French cooking Harris
says, "Europeans are remarkable
producers of great cheese, their
cheeses stand out, offering a
wonderful basket of options for
a restaurant that changes its
menu daily."
Like wine, cheeses vary according
to their terroir*, location and
climate and can vary according to
the seasons. Hard cheeses mature
for around 12 months and benefit
from the qualities of summer milk
(more flowers in the cows' feed,
more carotene), or shorter maturing
cheeses produced in spring.
These are some of Henry Harris's
favourite cheeses: Époisses is a
soft-ripened, washed-rind cheese
made from raw cow's milk in the city
of the same name in the Côte-d'Or
in eastern France (about halfway
between Dijon and Auxerre). It
has a strong flavour profile and an
almost melting quality and is also
known for its pungent aroma. St.
Marcellin is a soft, creamy cheese
with gentle acidity, serve simply
with a crusty baguette. Tomme de
Savoie the oldest of the cheeses from
Savoy in the French Alps. It has a
straightforward taste and delicate,
subtle flavours. It is usually made
from the skimmed milk left over after
the cream is used to make butter or
richer cheeses. Other cheeses from
the French Alps include Reblochon
and Raclette.
*Terroir A French word from
terre ('land') and a term used to
describe the environmental factors
that affect a crops, food or wine
unique environment contexts,
farming practices and a specific
growth habitat. Collectively, these
contextual characteristics are said to
have a character; terroir also refers
to this character. Wikiepedia.
For more information and details
of the French cheeses available in the
UK click HERE.
Henry Harris chef Bouchon
Racine restaurant, London.
Epoisses.
Saint-Marcellin.