Emily in France 🇫🇷 Does the Word 'Barnyardy' Make You Balk?
In defense of the word "barnyardy."
It's not uncommon, in France, for the link between a live animal in a field and a dead one on your plate to be rather, uh, vivid. Butcher shops regularly display posters of happy cattle in a field above the sanguine meat case; horse heads proudly reign above boucheries chevalines. Market stalls selling Bresse chickens leave the feet intact, so that you can see their slate blue color.
And when it comes to cheese (my favorite topic of conversation), there is a frequent evocation of a flavor that can only be described as animal.
I've attempted many translations of this concept in my work as a culinary tour guide and journalist: funky, goaty, sheepy. None seems to hit home quite the way that barnyardy does, and yet I find that it repels some Americans. We're just not that used to our animal-derived products being linked so overtly to their animal nature, and after thirteen years in France, I'm both aware of the lack of adequate culinary translation and in dire need of one.Â
So what do you think, oh readers? Can I keep calling cheeses barnyardy? Or is there a better word?
Cheese of the Week
Did you know that cheese has a season? As the fresh goat cheeses of spring and summer fade out of fashion, I'm thrilled to welcome the return of Ekigorru. This Basque sheep's milk cheese is made by just one producer, the daughter of an Ossau Iraty maker, who takes her inspiration from cow's milk Saint-Nectaire to make this semi-soft sheep's milk number with a lactic and distinctively barnyardy aroma. Mellow enough for those who usually eschew washed rind cheeses, it's one of my favorite autumn gems.
Discover more of my fave cheeses on Instagram!
Oh, and a very happy belated Halloween from this witchy cheese fan and her (not at all barnyardy) Mont d'Or, which was served baked in a roasted potimarron and drizzled over shrunken heads (aka roasted Brussels sprouts) and witch's fingers (aka roasted parsnip fries).
What I'm Eating
I don't usually venture to the ritzy 8th arrondissement for dinner, but I'm so glad I did on one recent occasion: the food from American Chef Thomas Graham at neo-bistro le Mermoz has decidedly captured my heart. In fact, it just jumped to the top of my list of my favorite places to eat in Paris.
Discover more of my foodie finds via Instagram @emily_in_france.
Where I'm Going
Now that we're deconfined here in Paris, it seems high time I bring this section back! Here's where I'm headed in Paris and beyond this week. For more ideas, tune into Don't Miss This, a podcast hosted by the incomparable Jennifer Geraghty, producer extraordinaire of Paris Underground Radio.
1. Back to the Pompidou Center to hopefully soak up more of O'Keeffe without the crowds.
2. To local American dive bar Red House for taco night.
3. To Cookie Love, to love on some cookies. (I've got my eye on the matcha mochi!)
What I'm Writing
1. Bourbon Steak isn’t known for desserts, but their take on a fireside favorite is unrivaled. Check out this Michelin-starred s'mores recipe on InsideHook.
2. Cheesy Alfredo sauce is an Italian-American fave, but are you getting this comfort food classic right? Check out common Alfredo mistakes for Mashed.
3. From the archives: Autumnal temperatures have got me thinking about mushrooms, and specifically the ones that grow in Paris' Catacombs. Discover the secret history of tomb fungi for Atlas Obscura.
What I'm Saying
1. You don't just set the table for the French Sunday meal – you endimancher it! To discuss this word as it refers to that oh-so sacred weekly ritual of the family meal, French culinary journalist and co-founder of Le Fooding, Emmanuel Rubin, joins me on Navigating the French.
2. On Chez Toi, Caroline Conner and I pair your home-cooked recipes with the perfect wine and most complementary cheese. This week’s recipe features artichokes with spiced chickpea pancake and za'atar coconut yogurt dip by Sasha. I follows this delightful Mediterranean-inspired plant-based dish with a vegetarian cheese from Wales, while Caroline explores bright, vegan white options that won't steal the show.Â
(And if you want your recipe featured in a future episode, shoot me an email! We're always up for a challenge.)
What I'm Reading
1. It’s become a cliché to bemoan the fact that people just don’t understand that Frankenstein isn’t the monster, but the creator. So let’s start there: can we agree that not-knowing that is rarer than knowing it? Cool. Even with this knowledge, I did not expect what I got from Frankenstein. More on the blog.
2. Let's be quite clear... I love Halloween. My Halloween decorations stay up until the eve of Thanksgiving. But does this time of year really need to be called spooky season? In Slate.
3. Frenchmen and Italians coming together in defense of food? What could be better? In Grub Street.
A bientôt !