I spent a year of my college days living in France. It was a wonderful experience. Especially the eating part. I ate some of the best meals of my life in France. I loved the meals that lasted several hours and consisted of 3-4 courses.
A standard French meal will consist of a first course appetizer, like a green bean salad, followed by the main dish of meat and carbs, such as impeccably roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, then a green salad, and then possibly fruit and cheese -- if you still have room. Sliced baguette accompanies all courses.
My husband and I have loved this way of eating since our engagement days, shortly after my return from Europe. Today we still enjoy a cheese and fruit course even if I don't serve the other three courses. (Yes, it can be a meal in itself!) Our kids love this as well. And while the French don't watch too much football americain, this is a great addition to any tailgate party or picnic.
Want to serve a cheese and fruit plate at your next gathering or simple family dinner? Here are some serving suggestions:
breads - serve a French baguette and whole grain artisan breads, sliced on the diagonal. You can bake your own or buy some at a bakery, like Panera.
cheeses - choose three cheeses with different textures and strengths, like Brie, gruyere, and something like Boursin. Experiment with different varieties and see which ones you like best. Grocers with a cheese counter, like Whole Foods, will sell you just a small bit.
fruit - select fruits that are easy to eat and serve and that compliment cheese well, such as apples, strawberries, or grapes. Clementines are a nice addition as they are so easy to peel.
What's your favorite fruit and cheese combination?
*Pop over to Tasty Tuesday for some more good eats.
4 comments:
When my kids were younger and my daughter still at home, we would often pack a picnic lunch in our vintage picnic basket and head for our favorite places.
It was almost always a good bread, colby or cheddar cheese, fruit (apples, grapes, pears, peaches, strawberries, bananas... according to the season), and either a hot drink in a thermos or cans of cold pop.
We called them our "loaf of bread, jug of juice, and thee" picnics. :)
We still often have a quick meal of good bread or wheat crackers, cheese, and fruit. These days it would probably include green tea. My daughter gives her four young children and husband the same meal once in awhile.
Just today, we sampled the exact combination at Trader Joe's. They had a slice of honeycrisp apple, a table cracker, and long sliver of Wisconsin chedder. Yum! I saw many people go right from the sample counter to the area where these ideas could be picked up for their cart.
Remember the movie Mermaid with Cher? I could live eating like that and this fits perfectly with that plan, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and all snacks in between!
We really enjoy a cheese and fruit course as well. Like you, it sometimes becomes our meal. Thanks for sharing.
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