by Katie Glaudell
A cool breeze blows through open windows. For the first time in months, we can reunite with our favorite sweaters. Pumpkin spice is invading menu boards and Halloween decorations are infiltrating aisles. I bring out my fall mugs, switch from iced to hot coffee, and grab an inaugural apple cider donut to dip into said coffee. The rituals of fall have begun.
I like to ask my Marché coworkers what they like to make/eat/drink at the start of each season to get excited for the next stage of the year. With a team full of cheese experts, wine experts, food scientists, caterers, seasoned chefs and line cooks, bartenders, and world travelers, the answers are always good.
For me, fall means the beginning of dark beer season, in all its toasty, roasty, malty glory. Porters, stouts, and brown ales make me feel like I'm in an old pub, ready to hear a good story. These beers have notes of coffee, chocolate, honey, and molasses, making them perfect with pumpkin bread or soda bread, toasted and topped with tangy geotrichum goat cheese or buttery Camembert for an extra indulgent moment.
Let's see what indulgent, soul-warming flavors the rest of Team Marché have on their minds this upcoming autumn!
Brian: Chef-ified grilled cheese and tomato soup
You know Chef Brian's version is not going to involve Kraft Singles. Prairie Breeze cheddar is the melter of choice, making friends with some crispy bacon and a generous smear of Chef Brian's Manchego Spread. Paired with, of course, Chef Brian's roasted tomato soup.
Linda: French Onion Soup and Beaujolais
This soup is famously labor intensive, so bonus if Chef Brian has made the soup!! A nice thick piece of Comté gets melted on top. To enjoy as a side: Marché baguette spread with garlic butter, sprinkled with fresh-shredded Parmesan cheese and then baked in oven. All of this is rounded out with a warming bottle of Mary Taylor Beaujolais.
Cesar: Fettucine with a home-made blue cheese and morel cream sauce
An aged crumbly cheese like Stilton or Bayley Hazen is best: the less moisture there is in the cheese, the creamier the sauce will be. (Ask Cesar for the secret of extra mushroomy flavor with reconstituted dried morels).
Molly: Rush Creek & crispy french fries with dry hard cider
Usually only available starting in September/October, Rush Creek is the perfect buttery rich dipping condiment for salty crispy potatoes. Pop Rush Creek in the oven, or even let sit out for an hour to get it soft and dippable. Pair with a dry cider (French is best!) to cut through the fat and salt and brighten up the whole experience.
Doug: Extra hearty chili topped with aged cheddar
Ground beef and a trio of pinto, kidney, and black beans will fill you up. Add bacon and cook the onions in the bacon fat for added luxury. Bell pepper, tomatoes, and mushrooms round out the veggie party, with a secret family 8-spice blend. Doug serves it with a generous pile of freshly-shredded aged cheddar.
John: Fondue and a nice bottle of dry white wine
Gruyere is the fondue base, blended with another alpine cheese ("whatever Molly tells me to buy"). Dry white wine gets added to the pot (like Julia Child says, never cook with a wine you're not willing to drink), and finally a dash of Cayenne pepper and a splash of brandy. For the dipping implements: crusty baguette, orchard apples, and some good European charcuterie like speck or jambon. Don't forget to drink the rest of that wine!
Sam: Shakhshouka with goat cheese
This North African dish features several eggs poached in a bubbling sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, and spices like paprika and cumin. Many versions of this dish exist across North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe, with additions like lamb sausage, falafel, sheep or goat cheese, and olives. Eat with your favorite toasty carb.
Lauren: Kimchi mac and cheese, apple crumb pie for dessert
Red Witch and Comté are the cheeses of choice, made perfectly for melting, with buttery caramelized onion notes and hints of yeast and nuttiness. The tart and tangy kimchi is a perfect contrast to the rich mac and cheese. Apple crumb pie for dessert brings it home with warm fall spices and bright apple sweetness.
Hopefully, these staff picks will get you inspired and excited to embrace the best that fall offers. Get cozy, and happy eating!
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