Different heart-shaped cheeses appear at this time of year, especially goat cheeses. But the first heart-shaped cheese, created in the 14th century, was Neufchâtel (NU-shah-tell), a soft-riped cow’s milk cheese with a white rind.

Note that French Neufchâtel is different from the American product of the same name, sold as a lower-fat alternative to cream cheese. American Neufchâtel has been disappearing over the last decade, as cream cheese manufacturers have marketed their own lowfat and nonfat versions.

Authentic French Neufchâtel is one of the oldest cheeses in France and the oldest cheese in Normandy, dating back as far as the sixth century. Soft and crumbly, its dry, white rind is velvety and edible.

Its buttery, pale paste has a salty, somewhat sharp flavor has soft mushroom notes, like Brie. Like Brie, the cheese develops an earthy character as it ages.

Neufchâtel pairs nicely with a crisp, dry white wine. Murray’s suggests Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc or Rosé. We prefer Champagne. And if you’re a red wine drinker, bring on the Burgundy.

WHY A HEART?

It is available in various shapes, the famous Neufchâtel heart shape is a tradition begun by young Norman women, as the story goes, to discreetly express their feelings of affection for young British soldiers during the 100 Years’ War*.
 
COEUR DE BRAY

This particular Neufchatel heart comes from the Pays de Bray, an area in northern Normandy. The name is AOC protected.

It is “made from buckets of cream” from the famed dairy cows of Normandy, according to Murray’s Cheese, which sells it at retail and online for $15.99.

MAKE COEUR À LA CRÈME

You can make your own heart-shaped cheese, the famed Coeur à La Crème (heart of cream).

This luscious mascarpone creation (that’s the same cheese used to make tiramisu) is served with berries or a sauce of raspberry purée for dessert.

Here’s the recipe.

 
*A series of conflicts from 1337 to 1453 between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France for control of the French throne. The war is commonly divided into three phases separated by truces, which together comprise the longest military conflict in history: the Edwardian Era War (1337–1360), the Caroline War (1369–1389) and the Lancastrian War (1415–1353), which saw the slow decline of English fortunes after the appearance of Joan of Arc in 1429. The French kept the throne and the cheese.
  

Instead of a Valentine mocktail, head straight to the delicious nonalcoholic cordials from Belvoir.

While Americans use the word as a synonym for fruit liqueur, in the U.K. a cordial is a carbonated, fruit-flavored soft drink.

Belvoir Fruit Farms is nestled in the English countryside in the idyllic Vale of Belvoir, in Leicestershire, in the English Midlands. The name is French for beautiful view.

Belvoir Castle, a tourist attraction, is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. But the name may be more familiar to Americans from the non-alcoholic fruit cordials the family sells, a business developed by the current duke’s father to generate income for the continued upkeep of the castle.

The duke’s mother infused elderflowers, grown on the estate, into a delicious beverage. Her husband saw a revenue potential, and the family business has been pressing and cooking fresh flowers, fruits and spices since 1981, combining them with local spring water. The line expanded, and is currently exported worldwide.

Delicious and all natural, they are a refreshing alternative to other soft drinks. While they are a wonderful mixer for cocktails (and in sweet and savory recipes), they are absolutely delicious simply chilled.

The Elderflower, Raspberry & Rose and Rhubarb & Strawberry are especially nice for Valentine’s Day. The latter two are in beautiful rosy hues.

Large bottles (750ml) and individual size (25cl/8.45 fl.oz.) are available at specialty food stores and better supermarkets. Most are sold on Amazon.

For more information visit BelvoirFruitFarms.co.uk.
  

As a treat for friends and family, try your hand at making marshmallows for Valentine’s Day. These chocolate marshmallows, by Christina Lane of DessertForTwo.com, are dipped in melted chocolate for a double-chocolate treat. They take only 15 minutes to make!

Since this is “dessert for two,” the recipe makes 12 mini marshmallows. Make the first batch to see how you like them, and then make a larger batch

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOWS

Ingredients For 12 Mini Marshmallows

 
For Dipping

Dipped chocolate marshmallows. Photo courtesy DessertForTwo.com.

Preparation

1. LINE a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2. COMBINE the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 2 tablespoons of the water in a medium sauce pan. Clip on a candy thermometer, and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring and continue to cook until it reaches 238°F. Meanwhile…

3. PLACE another 2 tablespoons of the water in a medium bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let sit to dissolve for 5 minutes.

4. ADD the last 2 tablespoons of water to a small dish and microwave for 25 seconds, until hot. Remove from the microwave carefully, and whisk in the cocoa powder. Stir the cocoa powder mixture into the dissolved gelatin.

5. SLOWLY STREAM the hot sugar (238°F) into the gelatin mixture while continuously beating with a hand mixer on medium-high. Be careful not to pour the hot sugar near the sides of the bowl because it will stick and harden immediately. Beat the mixture for 10 minutes, until light and fluffy; then beat in the vanilla.

6. POUR the mixture into the loaf pan, and let set for at least 3 hours. Then lift the parchment paper or foil out of the pan, and cut the marshmallows into squares with a well-greased knife. Grease the knife between each cut. If the marshmallows are too sticky, roll them in extra cocoa powder.

7. DIP the marshmallows: First place the marshmallows in the freezer for 5 minutes, on a baking sheet. While they are chilling, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium heat in 30-second pulses until melted, stirring between each pulse. Stir until chocolate is evenly melted and smooth.

8. REMOVE the marshmallows from the freezer and dunk half of each marshmallow in the melted chocolate. Place each marshmallow back on the sheet, and refrigerate until the chocolate sets, about 5 minutes.

Love Potion #31 features white chocolate and raspberry ice creams, a raspberry ribbon, chocolate chips and raspberry-filled chocolate hearts. We love chocolate and raspberry, so thanks, B-R: This is right up our alley.

Customers can enjoy a free red waffle cone with the purchase of any double scoop of ice cream at participating Baskin-Robbins shops nationwide.

The Valentine offerings also include ice cream cakes in the shape of “conversation hearts,” with messages including Be Mine, Love You and XOXO. You can order the cakes online for pickup at your local Baskin Robbins.

[1] A dish of poutine: fries, gravy, cheese curds (photo © V. W. Campin | CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0-License).

[2] Wendy’s Canada locations serve classic poutine (photo © Wendy’s | Canada).

[3] There are many enhancements to basic poutine. Here, it’s topped with pulled pork (photo © Dirty Dogs | Montreal).

[4] This poutine baked potato trades the fries for a baked russet potato, loaded with cheese curda and gravy (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

In Canada, the first week in February is La Poutine week.

Poutine (poo-TEEN) is a popular Canadian potato dish: French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy.

It’s the northern version of cheese fries, with brown gravy instead of ketchup; and is often referred to as the national dish of Canada.

Decades ago, it became popular in Quebec as a snack to follow a night of drinking. Of course, it begs to be accompanied by a cold beer.

During La Poutine Week, chefs at restaurants across Canada will pull out all the stops to out-poutine the classic poutine. Last year:

 
Year-round, La Banquise in Montreal serves more than thirty different kinds of poutine. It’s open 24 hours daily. Here’s the menu.

This recipe from French’s makes adds shredded barbecue beef and a fried egg (French’s used its company’s Cattlemen’s Memphis Sweet Finished BBQ Sauce). Make it, or create your own.

As for a matching beer: Cold Snap from Sam Adams sounds just right.

The unfiltered white ale has a snap of added flavor: fruit including orange peel, plum and hibiscus, and a peppery snap from fresh ground coriander.
 
 
RECIPE: BARBECUE BEEF POUTINE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. FRY the French fries to a crisp, golden brown and arrange on a platter.

2. COMBINE the beef with barbecue sauce and heat. Sprinkle over the fries.

3. SLICE the cheese curds in half and top the fries. Melt in a hot oven.

4. TOP with the egg and scallions. Serve.
 
 
POUTINE HISTORY

Various places claim the credit for inventing poutine, in rural Quebec in the 1950s, where numerous dairies produced Cheddar cheese curds.

The first leg of the story is that poutine originated in a restaurant called Le Lutin Qui Rit (“The Laughing Goblin”), when a customer asked the owner Fernand Lachance to mix cheese curds with his fries.

A restaurant called Le Roy Jucep is the first to have served poutine as we know it today—French fries, cheese and gravy—in 1964. The owner registered a trademark for the dish.

Another restaurant La P’tite Vache (“The Little Cow”) sold curds from the local Princesse dairy. Customers would order fries and buy a bag of cheese curds to mix together at their tables in a 50:50 proportion.

When gravy was added, the dish became known as “mixte” (“mixed”).

The name “poutine” appeared in 1982, when large restaurant chains began to sell it.

While no one can explain the derivation for certain, it could be derived from the English word “pudding,” which was expressed as “pouding” in Acadian French.

One meaning of “pouding” in Canada is “an unappetizing mixture of various foods, usually leftovers.” According to Merriam-Webster, poutine derives from a Quebecois slang word meaning “mess.” [Source]

We vote for that one (see photo #1)!