I first ventured to the village of Carantec in the fall of 2000 when my wife and I were doing a tour of Brittany. A friend had recommended that we stop in Carantec to visit Patrick Jeffroy’s new restaurant and hotel. Chef Jeffroy had previously run a Michelin one-star restaurant in a nearby village and had opened his new creation just a few months before our visit. Months later, the two things I remembered most about our visit was that our room was one of the nicest I’ve been in during my many visits to France and the cheese course was fantastic. (Note: in February 2002, Restaurant Patrick Jeffroy was awarded its second star by Michelin.)
When it came time to consider making my selection of the restaurant’s cheese tray, Christine, the restaurant manager, suggested that I forego the usual ritual and order the terrine de Roquefort — a signature dish of the chef. I did as was suggested and was happy I did. I’ve eaten lots of cheeses, but never had I tasted cheese quite like this.
When the terrine is ordered at Restaurant Patrick Jeffroy, the dish has a thin slice of the terrine — a greenish-gray slice of cheese filled with nuts and dried fruit. Along with the cheese is a slice of bread flavored with cocoa powder, an herb salad served in a small “bowl” made of deep-fried brik, and a dash of reduced balsamic vinegar. All in all, a very nice combination of flavors.
When I had the opportunity to spend a week in Carantec a year later, I jumped at the opportunity. My principal goal was to learn how Chef Jeffroy had prepared his terrine and its accompaniments. When I discussed ingredients with the Chef, he said that any Roquefort-style cheese could be used for the preparation. He said he particularly liked using fourme d’ambert — a cheese I particularly like. Thus I have renamed the dish to make the title more specific. Each part of the ensemble is prepared separately and combined at the point of serving. For a single serving, the following items are required: 1 slice of terrine de fourme d’ambert; 2 slices of pain de mie cacao; 1 serving of salade d’herbes in a baked feuille de brik “bowl”; and a dash of sirop de balsamic. Except for the final mixing of the herb salad, the entire serving can be prepared ahead of time. The final result is well worth the effort.