Wine, cheese and chocolate Souffle

where: France

Wine  and cheese on a table by the French Riviera—it couldn’t get better than this! A trip to France would definitely deemed incomplete if you didn’t try out a few wine and cheese pairings. The choice of cheese here, they say, gives an insight into your personality. Order a mixed cheese platter and treat your taste buds to a bite of each before you make your final selection. Pressed, soft and blue cheeses; they can be washed down with a glass of French wine. Camembert, brie de maeux, Roquefort, Boursin, epoisses, chevre and Tommede savoie are widely considered as the top cheese varieties in France. Intimate get-togethers in France always conclude with a cheese platter. Langres is a popular choice for beginners. Often described as a desert island cheese, its soft texture allows it to be spread over a crusty baguette too. The slightly adventurous can go for the Rebolochon. A mix of three breeds of milk, you can taste herbal notes and slightly bitter flavours as you take a bite. Cheese apart, on a cold wintry day, settle for soupe a I’oignon, a traditional French soup that finely blends caramelised onions and beef stock. Sprinkle croutons and cheese on top for added flavour. A few other must-try dishes while in France are the ratatouille, flamiche and chocolate soufflé. Ratatouille, a dish that became a household name thanks to a movie with dish as the title, somehow didn’t find its way into Indian menu cards with similar ease. The French, however, love it with all their hearts and it’s difficult not to feel the same while here. A mix of onions, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, eggplant and herbs, this concoction can be served as a side dish, as stuffing or the main dish. Flamiche is a pie that has a stuffing of cheese and veggies. Try them all when in France next. Bon appétit!

                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                        Shobhit Goel