I won a tin of Le Gratin Dauphinois at one of our European Movement meetings … provided by another committee member, who (with his wife) often go over to Dieppe for the day … a change of country, some shopping and a French meal …
He often brings back some wonderful raffle prizes, mostly wine, but occasionally 'oddities' like this one …
… essentially it is thinly sliced raw potatoes with cream, cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic, occasionally cheese can be added.
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| Tartiflette |
I mentioned this to some friends, who said they'd had Tartiflette at Christmas, as their son is vegetarian … I hadn't heard of it … and so had to do a quick check …
Who'd have thought about taxing udders … I laughed when I read up on Tartiflette and the cheese usually associated with it … Reblochon …
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| Reblochon cheese |
Both dishes come from the Haute-Savoie in the heart of the French Alps … holding its history to itself, including the culinary influences of the Alps …
I made my version of a mirepoix base, then over the top spread the Dauphinois … as I live easily, I added a boned rolled shoulder of lamb – one pot dish … I have to say it was delicious, over the days I ate it.
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| Mirepoix raw veggie mix |
To get back to the reason for this post … the tax element … Reblochon is derived from the word “reblocher” … which when translated means to “pinch the cow's udder again”.
The landowners during the 14th century would tax the mountain farmers according to the amount of milk their herds produced …
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| Tarentaise (type of cow living high in the Alps) |
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| Portrait of a Carthusian (by Petrus Christus) |
The milk that remains is much richer, and was traditionally used by the dairymaids to make their own cheese.
In the 16th century the cheese also became known as devotional cheese … so the Carthusian monks would bless the farmers' homesteads in exchange for some cheese.
Nothing like a tax on cows' udders to improve one's blog posts … I feel certain that this type of tax no longer applies …
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| Gap, town in the Haute Savoie region of south-eastern France |
I'll try and keep things lighter for a while – as life is challenging enough for so many … here's to health and happiness in 2025 …
A little information, tucked away in this post, on the European Movement, which we still continue on - this is our 50th year in Eastbourne. It is based on our 2023 programme.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
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29 comments:
Interesting. Whenever we say something "au gratin" it always has cheese in it, but I guess that's just the way we interpret the term. I always joke that cheese is Mary's addition to haute cuisine...
Looks like your mirepoix has four ingredients. Onion, carrot, and celery are the first three, what's the fourth? Just curious...
I’d rather not think about the udders! But potatoes and cheese is always a winning combination for me.
Ah yes, the grand tradition of "you think you can make me? just try it".
Nifty to win a prize and glad you put it to good use, expanded on it, and taught us lessons too. Your meal sounded yummy.
Aah - taxes....now, don't get me started on whatever the heck America is doing. I'd say it's "udderly ridiculous". Meanwhile, thanks for the fun post.
You come up with the most unique posts. I love it, and should visit more often. I always learn something new when I do visit!
But potatoes au gratin not a favorite. Although I do love potatoes. My hips prove it! LOL!!!
I always learn something new here. The food looks delicious. A tax on udders? Devotional cheese? Fascinating stuff, Hilary! ☺
Hari OM
As a vego, I'm a little confused... tartiflette is a dish containing bacon or diced ham (usually), so definitely not vegetarian. Also, if French cheese is used, it will not conform as the majority of French product is still made with rennet (product of cow's stomachs). Removing the meat element (and using V conformative cheese) results in Dauphinois, which is yummy! That info on the second milking was interesting. YAM xx
@ John - au gratin usually is known as a breadcrumb and cheese mix ... but as you say we all interpret it in our own way ... and this is not a foodie blog - and Mary could be right ... haute cuisine is just 'posh' whatever that means!! I'd say something we personally enjoy and is home made (or cuisine made) ...now I've probably muddied the waters even more!. Mirepoix - you're right re the three main ingredients ... the fourth is the addition of leeks - which as it happens is what I've been eating a lot of recently. The most important thing is ... it is tasty!
@ Anabel - sorry about the 'udder' connection ... made me laugh, but like you - yes a potato and cheese topping is a very good combination.
@ Liz - yes ... always adapted, but always tasty (I hope!) ...
@ Joanne - yup ... good use of the prize and it was delicious. Nope - I'm not going that route ... I now think of a hippopotamus shaking its tail and the rest ... that's the route my brain is taking me. Udderly ridiculous is also a good phase. Happy to provide some light relief ...
@ Yolanda - thanks ... I don't like following the crowd ... I'm happy being around with friends and like-minded souls ... me too - I enjoy good healthy food, but my hips are lightly heavy!
@ Debbie - good to see you ... good summary: tax on udders, devotional cheese ... I'm happy to provide cheerful posts ...
@ Yam - yes ... you can take out the lardons - one of the advantages of this dish ... when it becomes vegetarian. re the cheese ... this particular cheese is not available in the States ... and I'm not that knowledgeable about the making of cheese, or the necessary vegetarian requirements ... while as you say Dauphinois is delicious. Glad you found the second milking aspect interesting ...
Thanks so much to you all for coming by and commenting ... cheers to us all!! - Hilary
It sounds delicious, Hilary. I can't help thinking the poor cows must have been quite uncomfortable not being fully milked.
Very much like the tail-less corgis on the Welsh farms, ha. The farmers were being taxed by the number of tails on the farm and decided to rid themselves of one of them. :)
@ Janice - it was delicious ... but I guess once a year the cows survived ... devotional needs!!
@ Elizabeth - I hadn't realised that re the Welsh corgis ... interesting - I guess if I looked further there'd be a lot of odd taxes over the centuries ...
Thanks you two - cheers for now - Hilary
Hello, Hilary: The mere thought of being able to drive over to France for a day’s shopping has enormous appeal. Would that I could do that! I would love to try Le Gratin Dauphinois. Any way at all that I can get served French cheese is right by me! What an interesting little gift you received and look at the pathways it took you down. Stay warm and stay well, spring is on the horizon now. All the best - David
Clever way to avoid taxes.
Good one, Hils. That would have been purrfect for my Did You Know:) Le Gratin sounds like our Au Gratin Potatoes. Cheers,
I bet I could make a vegan version of that dish.
@ David - yes I could easily 'dash' across to France ... but so far haven't for a few years. A good French meal would be very appealing too - though I've a few friends who cook really well and enjoy foods from many countries. French cheeses appeal ... especially a lazy meal, a big bowl of soup, and cheese with biscuits and fruit to follow. Yes - I wandered off around my rabbit holes ... and Spring is brewing!
@ Alex - always people have been finding way round taxes ... but this one caught my attention ...
@ Sandra - well in a year or two you could add it in to your Did You Know posts ... yes I think we use the French term ... it's a good dish, whichever way you want to cook it ...
@ Diane - I'm certain it could easily be adapted into a vegan dish ... as Yam mentions above ...
Cheers to you - thanks for checking out the post - Hilary
Petrus Christus was a fantastic artist. I never know what to expect from your blog posts :)
It's fascinating how people have always sought tax and sought to avoid it, sometimes in ingenious ways!
Taxing udders is udderly ridiculous. Hehe.
@ Hels - I was pleased to find the art work.
@ Annalisa - yes ... learning about an earlier life era can turn up some fascinating aspects ... ingenious too, as you say !!
@ Sandra - good comment ... thank you ... it's been amusing me ...
Cheers to you three - Hilary
Now that was not something I'd ever heard. Those crafty farmers set a high mark for tax evasion! Good for them, and here's to tasting that Reblochon! Yum.
https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com
What a crazy thing to tax. Farmers have enough trouble staying solvent.
Hi, Hilary - This was a delightful read—history, food, and a touch of tax trickery all wrapped into one! I love how a simple raffle prize led to a journey through the French Alps, with a side of culinary intrigue. Who knew cheese-making could be an act of quiet rebellion? Your version of the dish sounds delicious. I admire your ‘live easily’ approach to cooking. Here’s to more light relief in 2025!
They'll tax everything they can think of. But udders? That's a new one!
I second-to health and happiness in 2025. Cheers, Hils.
@ Lee - great to see you ... and yes crafty farmers back in the day. The Reblochon sounds delicious doesn't it ... nothing like a soup with bread and cheese supper, accompanied with a glass of something, for an evening meal (or perhaps a lazy afternoon?!)!
@ Susan - it was six hundred years ago ... so obviously not relevant today. Our farmers are suffering too ...
@ Donna - thanks ... and I loved how you summarised the post. Yes - it was a fun rabbit hole to pop down! Oh I make life easy for myself ... probably always have, when I think back over the decades. I so agree - light relief for so many will be really important as time passes us by ...
@ Jim and Barb - again it was six hundred years ago ... but made me laugh ... obviously not relevant today though ... good to see you here ...
@ Sandra - yes ... I think many of us will be thinking of health and happiness in 2025 ... life is not easy for many.
Thanks everyone ... we're in for a wintry weekend - cheers Hilary
Tartiflette is one of our favourite dishes I make it often and regularly give it to visitors it is always a hit. Have a great weekend, cheers Diane
Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Hils.
I used to pop across to Calais regularly when I had the bistro - it's amazing what you can get in cans and jars in France! As for an udder tax - thats odder than anything!
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