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This year’s Europe Full of Character: Savor Cheeses of France campaign has once again amazed food lovers, restaurant entrepreneurs and culinary students in two big cities, namely Jakarta and Bali. Photo/Special
The campaign, carried out by the Center National Interprofessionnel de l’Economie Laitiere (CNIEL) with support from the European Union, highlights the perfect blend of French cheese and Indonesian spices that celebrates the richness of European dairy products and the unique taste of Indonesia.
Through various events, participants gain an in-depth understanding of the French dairy industry. Like the terroir (soil) and traditions where each region in France has a cheese-making heritage that has developed over centuries to produce distinctive flavors and textures; diversity of flavors; as well as variations in texture.
Renowned cheesemonger Francois Robin, who came directly from France for this event, guided various activities discussing various French cheese making techniques and their potential in Indonesian and Asian cuisine in general.
In this campaign, CNIEL hosted two events at Vong Kitchen, Jakarta, and Leon Brasserie, Bali, offering an unrivaled sensory experience. Each event was attended by more than 40 participants, including well-known chefs, importers, distributors and food business people. They enjoy a blend of French cheeses such as Mimolette, Comte and Brie with local spices such as saffron, star anise and black pepper, highlighting French cheese as a top choice for special occasions and in harmony with local tastes.
Special
In addition, more than 150 culinary students at the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA) in Jakarta and Bali Culinary Pastry School (BCPS) also took part in the exclusive “French Cheese 101” workshop.
This initiative aims to foster the culinary talents of young Indonesians who have a passion for creating quality food and encourage them to become lovers of French cheese. Participants, guided by a cheesemonger, also learn about savoir-faire (a centuries-old skill in French cheese making) that unlocks the secrets of cheese aroma and the culinary art of combining these cheeses into various culinary creations.
In this session, they also learned to make gougeres, small cakes made from cheese choux dough, with local spices, making it a fun moment for many participants.
“I see that the trend of using gourmet products, such as French cheese, in traditional Indonesian recipes is increasing,” said Agung, a chef from Jakarta.
Vesya, a student from BCPS added, “Local consumers are increasingly daring to try various dishes, not only because of the large number of tourists in Bali, but also because French cheese, especially blue cheese, is increasingly popular as an ingredient in fusion dishes.”
This year, CNIEL presents a selection of six cheeses (Emmental, Brie, Camembert, Cream cheese, Fourme d’Ambert and Bleu d’Auvergne), each of which symbolizes the French lifestyle.
(tsa)
