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[Happy Birthday - Fine Asparagus and Best-Goat-Cheese-in-the-World Tart]

My birthday was few weeks ago and as a foodie, i couldn't help but prepare the dinner myself.
Anyone would have been going to the caterer to order a 5-courses dinner. Or they would have bought a nice entremet from the finest pâtisserie.
But i had to make it. The starter, the main course and the dessert.
The most difficult part was to choose what to make.

The choice of the starter has been quite simple: i knew i wanted to use both asparagus (May = lots of lovely asparagus) and fresh goat cheese.
I really had to use goat cheese simply because i did my second training period on a farm -- milking goats and making cheese.
Actually the cheese from this farm are said to be the best of the French Riviera and i can only agree with this.
Bruno, the nicest farmer in the world, takes care of his goats with love. He deeply loves nature and developped a great range of fresh and 'affinés' organic cheese. Indeed most of the best restaurants of Vence, St Paul... buy their cheese from la Ferme des Courmettes.
I mean, look at this cute goat baby. What's not to love?


So you'll understand why i really wanted to use goat cheese -- i love good organic produce.

Tarte fine aux Asperges et aux Meilleur Chèvre Frais du Monde
Source: adapted from Martha Stewart's Asparagus Gruyère Tart
This tart is very easy to make and taste so good especially if you make your own puff pastry - which i always make, now.
Try to buy nice goat cheese from a local farmer instead of buying it from your local supermarket (though some good supermarket that have a great cheese counter, sell cheese from local farms).
The goat cheese should be 2-3 days old, as i think a fresher cheese would had more creaminess than taste.



The main course was - Marinated scallops with Citrus Risotto, but sadly i wasn't able to take some pictures.


The choice of the dessert has been quite a pain actually. Ever since i bought my-now-favourite-cookbook-ever PH 10 i decided it was THE book i had to make a recipe from for my birthday.
I read it again and again and said to myself i should make something simple -- who loves to fall in tears on her/his birthday? -- yet delicate and tasty.

As May was called the official strawberry month by Bea, i thought it would be great to use them. And suddenly i stumbled across the perfect recipe: Symphonie.

Symphonie is basically:
- an almond dacquoise
- a cream cheese mousse
- a strawberry 'compote'
- some cream cheese mousse again
All of this being surrounded by a raspberry 'biscuit joconde' and topped with some fresh strawberries and 'miettes de streusel'.

I was very excited about the joconde biscuit as it was the first time i had to make it. It's amazing how many eggs are in this biscuit, but it's so good and looks rather good.
When i tasted the cream cheese mousse, i was quite scared that it would be a little too heavy, but i was wrong. The whole cake was delicious. Very classy and subtle and not too sweet.
Symphonie was very easy to make though a bit time consuming, but i think it was worth the try.

Labels: cheese, entremets, make a meal of it, pierre hermé, recipe inside, tartes

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Joyeux anniversaire Fanny. Comme je suis de mai, en fait du 4! Et toi?
Qu'est-ce qu'il est beau ton gateau! Je donnerais pas mal pour en avoir une tranche, enfin deux! Et cette petite biquette, qu'est-ce qu'elle es mignonne. Quand j'etais petite, mes parents me disent que j'allais les embrasser! ;-) Comme toi, j'adore le fromage de chevre, et le frais, c'est divin!

13 May, 2006 23:38 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Oh my goodness !! Bon anniv à toi et puisse les Dieux des anniversaires m'apporter la même chose quand le mien arrivera. J'en reste bouche bée.

14 May, 2006 02:06 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Happy birthday Fanny! The cake is gorgeous, looks like it came straight from Herme's patisserie!

14 May, 2006 04:57 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Fabulous ! I want to try to make the "symphonie", i have not the book, but you gives the base, thank you !

14 May, 2006 09:14 

 Ginger M. said something sweet:

Happy Birthday Fanny, and oh, the food looks great. Cheers!

14 May, 2006 10:44 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Happy Belated birthday Fanny!!

14 May, 2006 12:24 

 Alhya said something sweet:

Joyeux anniversaire! quel magnifique repas!

14 May, 2006 13:32 

 barbichounette said something sweet:

Joyeux anniversaire.....
Je ne lis pas tes notes mais j'ai vu que tu lisais mon livre préféré de Tessa !!!! Sublime!
Le livre de Gerard Mulo est aussi très bien !! La recette de la pâte à quiche est extra!
Bizzzzzzzzzz
Barbichounette

14 May, 2006 14:01 

 Fabienne said something sweet:

Happy Birthday Fanny, ta tarte aux asperges et au chèvre est sublime .... Et le dessert divin ...

14 May, 2006 18:39 

 sooishi said something sweet:

Joyeux Anniversaire Fanny!
Et bravo pour ces belles et sûrement très bonne choses, que tu as préparé!
Bises

15 May, 2006 16:00 

 iamchanelle said something sweet:

happy birthday, fanny!!! may is a great birthday month (for me, too!)

i hope your day was beautiful, and that the year upcoming brings you much joy!

:)

15 May, 2006 16:57 

 Fran said something sweet:

Happy Birthday! What a beautiful menu.

21 May, 2006 23:18 

 Hélène Picken said something sweet:

This is absolutely gorgeous!

23 May, 2006 18:56 

 Laurange said something sweet:

Joli !
(et bon anniversaire)

23 May, 2006 21:22 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Très beau!
Bon anniversaire!

23 May, 2006 22:17 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Happy birthday. It is all very beautiful and sounds delicious. I love the goat.

28 May, 2006 14:30 

 Pomme Pomme Girl said something sweet:

j'aime bien tes mises en page avec tes photos++++

26 June, 2006 21:11 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

the whole meal sounds yummy, I am going to make the starter for my dinner party!

28 June, 2006 03:45 

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