[2] A wedge of Comté cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

In our mother’s day, green bean casserole was a popular family dish. We can’t remember the last decade we saw one, either at home or on a restaurant menu.

So St. Patrick’s Day, coming up on March 17th, seems like the time to try a good recipe and put more green on the table.

This recipe was shared with us by Comté USA, the American bureau for France’s popular Comté cheese. Also called Gruyère de Comté, it has a much milder flavor than the Swiss Gruyère, aged for only three months compared to 8 months for Swiss Gruyère.

How popular is it? Comté has the highest production of all French AOC cheeses: around 40,000 tonnes* annually.

Dating back to the 12th century, Comté is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. Here’s some fun cheese trivia: Comté is made only during the summer months, in huge wheels. In the fall, milk from the same cows is used to make Vacherin Mont d’Or, a small, creamy cheese that couldn’t be more different.

You’ll note that the recipe below is for a green bean gratin, not a casserole. What’s the difference?

A gratin is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated in the oven or under the broiler until brown and crispy.

In French, the phrase au gratin means “by grating” in French, or “with a crust,” from the verb gratter, to scrape, scratch, or grate.

> There’s more about Comte cheese below, including the history of the 1,000+-year-old-cheese.

> December 3rd is National Green Bean Casserole Day.

> January 6th is National Bean Day, celebrating all types of beans.

> The different types of beans and grains: a photo glossary.
 
_________________

*In American English, a ton is a unit of measurement equaling 2,000 pounds. In Europe and elsewhere, a tonne equals 2,240 pounds (1000 kg). Don’t assume it’s the same measurement with a different spelling!

This is a sophisticated version of a classic green bean casserole. No condensed cream of mushroom soup, no canned French-fried onions!

Ingredients

 
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†Cremini/crimini mushrooms are baby portabello/portobello mushrooms, often marketed as Baby Bellas. Check out the different types of mushrooms in our Mushroom Glossary.

Preparation

1. LINE a large plate with paper towels. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer and lightly smoke. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until light golden brown, about 7-9 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to the paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

3. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. While the beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water. Drain the beans and immediately plunge them into the ice water to stop cooking. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel to dry.

4. MELT the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and toss. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and the minced garlic; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Whisk in the broth and milk and bring to a simmer. Cook 5-6 minutes, or until thickened.

6. TRANSFER the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Comté over the top. Bake 10 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle the fried shallots over the gratin. Serve warm.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF COMTÉ CHEESE 

Like Beaufort, Emmental (Emmentaler), Gruyère, Raclette, and others, Comté is a mountain cheese—a cooked, pressed curd cheese. The curds are cut very small when producing a mountain cheese to expel more whey (water), making a more firm paste. Mountain cheeses are typically made in large wheels, 60 pounds or more.

Comté has an ivory-colored paste with scattered of eyes (holes) the size of hazelnuts. It is known for its complex, nutty, buttery, and caramelized flavor.

There can also be a slight smoky flavor, produced when the curd is cooked. The cheese often exhibits flavors of fruits, nuts, hay, and a hint of sweetness.

The eyes are the result of proper affinage (aging). Unlike Emmental, for example, which has larger eyes, the eyes of Comté should be the size of a pea up to a hazlenut or small cherry.

The texture that can range from firm and crumbly in younger versions to smoother and more supple in older ones (more about that below).

Made for 1,000 years, since the time of Charlemagne, Comté originated in the Jura region of eastern France, near the border with Switzerland. The cheese gets its name from the Franche-Comté region, where it has been produced for centuries.

The production of Comté can be traced back to the Middle Ages when local monasteries and farmers in the region began making the cheese as a way to preserve the excess milk produced by their cows (which is how most cheese-making began).

In 1958, Comté became one of the first cheeses in France to receive the A.O.C. (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) designation, which ensures that the cheese is produced following specific criteria and in the designated geographical area.

Subsequent to the establishment of the European Union in 1993, the A.O.C. designation was replaced by the P.D.O. (Protected Designation of Origin) designation, further emphasizing the connection between the cheese and its specific region of origin.

Strict A.O.C. rules that ensure that each wheel of Comté is just as perfect as the last.

The cheese is produced in large 70- to 80-pound wheels from unpasteurized (raw) cows’ milk on more than 3,000 family farms in the French Alps.

The production of Comté is limited to the Jura region, and only milk from Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows, which graze on rich mountain pastures, is used in its production.

The dairy farmers practice non-intensive agriculture, which focuses on quality rather than the highest possible yields. The production methods have been passed down through generations. The use of raw milk contributes to the unique flavor and characteristics of the cheese.

Today Comté is made at 190 cheese dairies, known as the fruitières, in the Jura plateau.

Cheesemakers need about 530 liters of milk—the daily production of 30 cows—to make one 80-pound (35 kilos) wheel of Comté. By law, production must start within 24 hours of milking, so the cheese is made daily.

Morning and evening milks from Montbeliarde and Tachete de L’est cows are mixed [source].

 
 
Comté Maturation 

Comté cheese can be matured for varying lengths of time, and the duration of maturation significantly influences the flavor, texture, and characteristics of the cheese. The maturation process for Comté typically ranges from a few months to several years.

The wheels age on spruce boards, where they develop a tight-knit texture and satiny body. The cheese is regularly cleaned and rubbed with salted water.

The different age classifications of Comté are:

If you love eating fries from a metal cone, the way some restaurants serve them, here’s a fun item from Gibson Table Compliments.

The four-piece French Fry Serving Set has metal coned with ceramic inserts, a drip-proof alternative to the paper liners used at restaurants. There are two dipping cups that attach to each cone as an optional way to serve condiments.

Beyond French fries, you can use the cones to serve other veggie fries and fried foods like mozzarella sticks. In fact, you can serve anything in them, from breakfast cereal to an ice cream sundae.

A set of four is $25.00 at Amazon.com. All parts are dishwasher safe.

If you prefer butcher paper in your cone instead of ceramic, here’s a similar cone-only product.

The white tissue liners are sold in packs of 2,000. If you’re going to load up, consider this version, printed to look like an English, French or Italian newspaper.

Love them!

How many different types of French fries have you had? There are almost 30!

For National Meatball Day, March 9th, here are two fun recipes with meatballs, courtesy of Casa Di Bertacchi. Both will be popular with busy moms, because the ingredients are quick to assemble.

We don’t often use recipes that use a can of soup or canned potatoes as an ingredient, but here we make an exception to make it easy to celebrate National Meatball Day.

The meatballs, too, are purchased frozen from Casa di Bertacchi.

Of course, you make it from-scratch, using your favorite homemade pot pie recipe.
 
 
RECIPE #1: MEATBALL POT PIE

Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

2. COMBINE all ingredients except the crusts in a 2-quart bowl. Place one pie crust evenly over the bottom and sides of a deep-dish pie pan, pressing it up over the sides.

3. FILL the pie crust with the meatball mixture. Cover with the second crust, sealing the edges and cutting slits in the top to vent steam. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
 

[2] These frozen meatballs are delicious.

[3] Fun food: Try meatball kabobs. Recipe and photo courtesy Casa di Bertacchi.

Spell it kabob, kaboab, kebab or kebap: The word is transliterated from Arabic, so there’s no single definitive spelling.

Originating in the Eastern Mediterranean, a kabob consists of pieces of meat, fish or vegetables roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit.

Ingredients For 6 Servings

†If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes prior to assembling kabobs.
 
Preparation 

1. THREAD a meatball, bell pepper slice, yellow squash slice, mushroom and tomato on a long metal skewer. the Repeat pattern ending with a meatball.

2. REPEAT for the other five skewers.

3. COMBINE the Caesar dressing and black pepper.

4. PLACE the meatball skewers directly on a hot grill. Baste the kabobs with the dressing.

5. GRILL for 6–8 minutes, turning and basting every 2–3 minutes until done. Makes 6 kabobs.

The cocktail’s name derived from its green color. While it reputedly originated at Tujague’s, a landmark bar and Creole restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the story is a bit more complicated, as you’ll see below.

Grasshopper Cocktail Recipe: 3/4 ounce cream, 3/4 ounce white creme de cacao and 3/4 ounce green creme de menthe. Shake with ice and pour into a Martini glass.

> September 15th is National Creme de Menthe Day.

> The year’s 6 cider and applejack holidays.

> The year’s 31 pie holidays.

> The year’s 49 cocktail holidays.

Below:

> The year’s 8 mint holidays are below.

> The year’s 7 liqueur holidays.

> The history of the Grasshopper cocktail and Grasshopper pie.

> Grasshopper pie recipe.

> Ice cream Grasshopper pie recipe.

 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE GRASSHOPPER COCKTAIL

The recipe, created by Philibert Guichet Jr., owner of Tujaque’s restaurant in New Orleans, began as an entry submitted to a cocktail contest in New York City. It won the second place prize. Of note is that the contest was held in 1928—before the end of Prohibition (1920-1933). [Source]

The cocktail gained popularity in the South during the 1950s and 1960s.

In the 1950s, liquor became much more widely available as it filled grocery store shelves across the land. With women doing most of the grocery shopping at this time, the popularity of sweeter, dessert-type drinks increased. By the 1960s, the Grasshopper had become a standard cocktail.
 
 
THE DEBUT OF GRASSHOPPER PIE

At the same time the cocktail became a national standard, the pie appeared. Chiffon pies were very popular at that time, and food historians speculate that the recipe was invented by food companies to promote their products.

In the 1997 American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes For The 20th Century, Jean Anderson writes, “I suspect—but cannot verify—that [Grasshopper Pie] recipes descend from one that appeared in High Spirited Desserts, a recipe flier published jointly by Knox Unflavored Gelatin and Heublein Cordials. [Source]

There are two easy recipes below: the standard version and a frozen version.
 
 
RECIPE #1: GRASSHOPPER PIE

Prep time is 30 minutes plus several hours to chill (or overnight).

You can play with the garnishes, using chocolate chips instead of chocolate shavings. If you want a more vivid green for St. Patrick’s day, add food color before you whip the cream.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

For The Crust

 
For The Filling

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the crust. Stir together the wafer crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl to combine. Pat the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust in the middle of a preheated 450°F oven for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. MAKE the filling. In a heat-proof bowl or the top half of a double boiler, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/3 cup of the cream; let it soften for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, crème de menthe, crème de cacao and egg yolks. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture registers 160°F on a candy thermometer.

3. REMOVE the bowl to a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Stir the mixture until it is cooled and thickened.

4. BEAT the remaining 1 cup cream in a separate bowl until it holds stiff peaks. Fold it into the crème de menthe mixture thoroughly.

5. POUR the filling into the crust and chill the pie for 4 hours, or until set. Sprinkle the pie with the grated chocolate.

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*Green & Black’s and Lindt are two brands of mint chocolate bar available at many supermarkets.
________________
 
 
RECIPE: ICE CREAM GRASSHOPPER PIE

This version is even easier, using store-bought mint chocolate chip ice cream (photo above left). It’s a kid-friendly recipe without the liqueurs; but feel free to add 1/8 cup of crème de menthe to the softened ice cream.

Ingredients

[2] A Grasshopper cocktail (photo © Kuje Sakazar | Unsplash).

[3] Crème de Menthe, a liqueur made from peppermint—often specifically Corsican mint (Gemini photo).

[4] Recipe #2: The easiest Grasshopper Pie is made with mint chip ice cream (recipe plus photos #3 and #5 © Taste Of Home).

[5] The popular flavor combination has been ported into Grasshopper Cupcakes. Here’s the recipe (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[6] How about a Grasshopper Baked Alaska? Here’s the recipe.

[7] Grasshopper Cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Betty Crocker).

1. SPREAD the ice cream into the pie crust. Sprinkle with the cookies and candies.

2. DRIZZLE with the ice cream topping and freeze until firm. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.

[8] How about grasshopper cupcakes? Here’s the recipe (photo © King Arthur Baking).
 
 
THE YEAR’S 9+ MINT HOLIDAYS

 
Plus

 
 
THE YEAR’S 7 LIQUEUR HOLIDAYS

 
Plus

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

WHAT’S A CHERIMOYA?

When our colleague Hannah Kaminsky mentioned that cherimoya was her favorite fruit, we were curious.

Depending on where you live, you may not come across this heart-shaped subtropical fruit often.

We had to head to a Latin American supermarket uptown. But seek it out we did, and the trip was worth it.

The fruit’s blend of banana, mango, passionfruit and pineapple notes is luscious. The ivory-colored flesh is creamy, similar to a ripe peach.

Also called a custard apple in the U.S., cherimoya is believed to have originated in the Andes Mountains.

The name originates from the Quechua (Inca) word chirimuya, meaning “cold seeds” (because the seeds germinate at high altitudes). It grows as a shrub or tree.
 
 
HOW TO BUY & SERVE CHERIMOYA

The pale green, shingled skin must be handled with care to avoid bruising. Choose unblemished fruit that is firm and allow it to ripen at room temperature.

As it ripens, the skin will turn a darker green and will yield to gentle pressure. Refrigerate soft fruit and consume it as soon as possible for the best flavor.

To serve, chill the cherimoya, cut it in half, spoon out the seeds and eat the flesh with a spoon. It can also be turned into desserts, such as crêpes, custard (hence the name “custard apple)”, dessert sauce (purée), fruit salad (as with apples, dip cut fruit in lemon or orange juice to prevent darkening), mousse, pie filling, pudding and sorbet.

[1] A cherimoya. Now you know! (photo © specialty produce company Sid Wainer).

[2] Another perspective (photo © specialty produce company Baldor Food).

You can freeze the cherimoya and eat it as ice cream, from the shell. Definitely try this!

And you can drink it. Whip up a shake, smoothie, cherimoya Daiquiri or other fruity cocktail.

To usher in spring, which began today, make Hannah Kaminsky’s tropical cocktail or smoothie, Cherimoya Lava Flow.

Celebrate spring with this Cherimoya Lava Flow. Photo and recipe courtesy Hannah Kaminsky.

From Hawaii, where her local farmers market has plenty of cherimoyas, Hannah writes: “It’s a pricy treat to be sure,” even though grown locally. Her favorite way to enjoy the ripe, custard-like flesh is to dig in with a spoon.

“With an overripe fruit, though,” she advises, “the only thing one one can do is blend and drink it. That’s where the idea to create a tropical shake came from, playing off the classic umbrella drink, the lava flow.

“Fiery red rivulets of strawberry ‘lava’ flow throughout a classic coconut-pineapple rendition of this refreshing island staple, finished with a kiss of light rum. The sweet, creamy richness of cherimoya transforms the drink into an exotic new experience, which is just as luscious with or without the booze.

“In lieu of fresh cherimoya, you can substitute either 1 medium banana or 2/3 cup young coconut meat for a different, yet still delicious, taste.”

Of course, you can leave out the rum for a tropical smoothie. Substitute an equal amount of pineapple juice.

RECIPE: CHERIMOYA LAVA FLOW

Ingredients For 2 Servings

For The Strawberry Lava Sauce

 
For The Creamy Cherimoya Cocktail

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the strawberry sauce first by combining the strawberries, sugar and lime juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, just until the berries have softened and the sugar dissolved. Transfer to a blender and thoroughly purée so that no chunks of fruit remain. Strain out the seeds if desired and set aside.

2. RINSE and dry the blender bowl and return it to the base. Slice the cherimoya in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, discarding the black seeds as you encounter them. Add the cherimoya to the blender, along with the pineapple, coconut milk and 1/4 cup of rum. Blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add more rum to taste.

3. DIVIDE the cocktail between two glasses and drizzle the strawberry “lava” into each one, aiming for the sides of the glass to create the greatest visual impact. Serve with a tall straw and an additional wedge of fresh pineapple for garnish.