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| About our Wine & Cheese Tastings |
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What a magical afternoon our family just spent with Harriet and Philippe at their lovely home in Paris! Their restful garden and beautiful home were the backdrop to an amazing cultural experience that saw their hilarious humour and cultural anecdotes guide us through French wines and cheeses region by region and story by story. Having spanned French geography and its terroir through culinary delights, it was the following guided walk of Pere Lachaise cemetery that then delved back in time to catalogue the history of Paris's recent centuries. A thoroughly stunning afternoon of French culture, history, humour and hospitality. Merci à vous Harriet et Philippe! (Lachlan Delaney, Sydney, Australia)
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What a wonderful day we spent with Harriet and Philippe. The cheese and wine tasting was great. We really enjoyed visiting with them in their home and learning about the different cheeses and wines. We also learned a lot about Paris and the rest of the country as Harriet and Philippe were always happy to help with any questions we had. The conversation was always lively and fun. We enjoyed our first cheese and wine tasting with them in 2008. We were with other couples from the U.S. and all of us agreed that this was the highlight of our week-long trip in Paris. We had so much fun talking and laughing with them. It’s set up for a small group so it’s very easy to relax and enjoy the great food and conversation. We just recently went back to France for a couple of weeks with my aunt and uncle. The first thing we booked was the cheese and wine tasting with Harriet and Philippe. We added on the Pere Lachaise cemetery tour with Philippe and both events were fabulous. Our time with them was not only the highlight of our time in Paris but also the highlight of our entire trip to France. We’ve been to Paris several times now. This is the only venue I’m aware of where you have the opportunity to meet and talk with a local in their own home. I always feel as though I just spent time with friends. They are delightful! (Holly Carpenter, St. Louis, Missouri)
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This woman literally wrote
the book (two, actually) on the French, delving deep into their
eating habits and their fascination with cheese. Born in Iowa,
she married a Frenchman and never went home. She now gives what
she calls "Cheese Chats" at her home in Eastern Paris.
The chats are an intimate look at what goes into making cheese
and where each comes from, but the proof is in the pudding. Welty
Rochefort serves a large variety of cheese, each with a home-made
card that explains its origin, while sharing what she knows about
them and what she knows about the French. "I like to serve
this one in front of people," she says starting off the
tasting by scooping out a spoonful of cancoillotte from a plastic
tub. This cow's milk cheese from the eastern part of France is
gooey, she pours it off the spoon onto a hunk of a baguette.
Later to illustrate the difference aging cheese can make, she
serves up a older and younger Comté, a cow's milk cheese.
The young one is soft with a fruity flavor and its older brother
has an earthier note. The course goes by quickly and its informal
nature makes you forget you're learning. (Joe Ray in the
Santa Fe New Mexican)
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Harriet and Philippe provided us with a wonderful visit to their lovely home and garden for a great tour of French wine and cheese. The opportunity to taste, pair and learn about a variety of both was fun and so informative. It's always great to find a new wine or cheese to enjoy together or separately. The cultural anecdotes recounted by Harriet were great.
We followed with a lovely walk/tour of Pere Lachaise cemetery. What a unique/beautiful place full of Paris history and its famous people complete with their stories. We highly recommend this excursion. (Sandra Casper)
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During our recent holiday in France we had the pleasure of spending an afternoon in the company of Philippe and Harriet for a delightful cheese and wine tasting in their private home in Paris. This was followed by a guided tour of the Pere Lachaise cemetery, the scenic resting place of many notable and historic figures of French and European history. The experience was intimate, delightful and delivered with a personal touch and diverse cheeses and accompanying wines were memorable and uplifting. This was more than a sensory experience... it was educational and enlightening! (Carolyn Delaney - Sydney, Austalia)
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Fantastique! What a wonderful
and intimate way to learn about cheese and wine ! Your tasting
and discussion was the highlight of our recent trip to Paris!
Our group learned an appreciation of wine and cheese pairings
along with an overview of the locations where they were made.
Our afternoon was filled with great food, wine, stories and laughter.
You both made our group feel comfortable in your home. I'm already
trying out my "fromager" skills in the local cheese
market... thanks to you I'm now a confirmed Goat Cheese addict!
Your course is a "must do" travel trip for those looking
for an authentic French experience! Thank you for your hospitality
and knowledge. "Jusqu'à notre prochaine rencontre..".
until we meet again. (Kim Jackson, Boston, Mass.)
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The time that the Robinson
gathering spent with you will be the most talked about of the
trip. Certainly the wine and cheese was fantastic! You both went
to extremes with the number, variety and quality of the cheese
but two other wonderful things happened : we gained an understanding
of the French people and we met one the nicest Frenchmen with
a most lovely American bride who is French. I read a good portion
of one of your books and it reinforced what you discussed during
the tasting. There is much in the French culture to learn and
emulate. Thank you so much for opening your home... you and Philippe
did a wonderful thing for us. (Gene and Lois Robinson,
Birmingham, AL.).
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Guided by Harriet we shopped
for interesting, seasonal cheeses, ripened to their moment of
perfection and difficult to find in the U.S. The assortment represents
France's rich bounty and included a Perail des Cabasses (sheep
in the Aveyron), Mont d'or (cow in the Jura) and Paupinette fermier
(goat from Charentes). What followed was an extraordinary lunch
at Harriet and Philippe's home, where each cheese was presented
with a carefully chosen wine. The afternoon was instructive and
memorable because of the marvelous meal and our charming, informed
hosts. (Patricia Hanrahan, Washington, D.C.)
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Harriet Welty
Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French.
Order her books :
- "Joie de Vivre", Secrets of Wining, Dining and Romancing like the French, St.Martin's Press, New York, 2012
- "French Toast, An American in Paris
Celebrates The Maddening Mysteries of the French", St.Martin's Press,
New York, 1999
- "French Fried, The Culinary Capers
of An American in Paris", St.Martin's Press, New York, 2001
More on Harriet's books (excerpts, upcoming
events, testimonials, etc..)
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email
me |
Together
or separately, Harriet and Philippe speak
about Intercultural Differences : click
here for information.
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