The French Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin

 

A Taste of Fall in the French Countryside:

The Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin

Autumn has long held a special spot in the hearts of those who live in regions where the weather changes seasonally, where the warm months give way to those that are cold and dark. It is the time when those who have spent the spring and summer tending to their crops – be it vegetable, fruit, grain, or the like – come to harvest the final foods in preparation for the end of the growing season and the onset of the blustery winter.

The vibrancy of the yellow and red autumnal treescapes melds perfectly with the smell of smoke from wooden fires, and apple orchards come alive with people meandering through to collect their delicious fruit. Pumpkin pies are set to cool, and the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg fills the air. There is a magic that undoubtedly permeates the atmosphere, and this magic is made all the cozier by the crafting of special seasonal foods and specialty culinary delights that celebrate having harvested another successful yield from the land.

I discovered one such culinary offering, thanks to the late Anthony Bourdain and the famous French chef Daniel Boulud, that harkens back to the old French countryside. Though considered a peasant dish, the French cheese stuffed pumpkin is unparalleled in its rich, earthy, complex flavor scheme. It is truly indescribable in the way that it tastes, and it contains ingredients that were common for the poor farmers who knew exactly how to make the ordinary extraordinary.

I ventured to re-create this French delicacy a few years ago, and have since continued making it year after year at some point in the waning weeks of October. It’s not the healthiest dish – it contains bacon and heavy cream – yet it satisfies the soul. Although a dietitian would not recommend eating the cheese stuffed pumpkin regularly, any good nutrition professional would certainly indulge in the notion of moderation. Though it contains its fair share of fat, the dish boasts ample amounts of fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.  

Special meals such as the cheese stuffed pumpkin brought families and communities together in the days of old, where neighbors shared ingredients amongst each other before the onset of the most difficult time of the year, that of winter. Dishes such as the French cheese stuffed pumpkin allowed large tables to be filled with people conversing, laughing, and regaling each other with stories and tales that built the bonds of family and community. This concept of culinary community is what sparked, and continues to flame, my passion in cooking this meal and inviting members of my family and community over to enjoy it with me. The look on my guests faces as they have their first bite is unbelievably satisfying, and I am sure you would find the same satisfaction as well.

The recipe is not complex, but it does take a solid hour and a half to prep and another two hours (or more) to roast in the oven. The end result is well worth the work that goes into this culinary masterpiece. Please use the following link to the recipe of chef Daniel Boulud’s French cheese stuffed pumpkin...

https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-11-25/recipe-daniel-boulud-stuffed-cheese-pumpkin

 

...and allow yourself to be immersed in the full experience of autumn in the old French countryside.

 

DY