Pasta with Sausage and Creamy Mustard Sauce; Fromage Frais

When we were gainfully employed, back in the beginning of time, we did a bit of business in London.  We always flew into Gatwick and had a favorite spot we liked to stay in not too far from the airport.

It was a lovely, country house hotel, with grounds that we could walk to get rid of jet lag when we arrived, and a wonderful restaurant that we could enjoy for our final dinner when we were on our way home. They smoked their own salmon and had their own fresh spring water in pitchers on the tables.  There was a bottle of sherry in the room. 

It was wonderful.

We stayed there at least a dozen times.

We could never find it.

Admittedly it was out in the middle of nowhere, and the sign pointing to it was small and hand-painted, but, one would think that after, say, the first 6 or 7 times we drove there, we would know how to get there.

One would be wrong.

We never found it with less than an hour of searching, often 2 or 3.  And I'm counting from when we were within a couple of miles.

The problem was that we were so very lost, so very often, that absolutely everything looked familiar.

We'd come to the intersection with the 'Rose and Crown' on the corner.  We would know that the hotel was only 5 minutes away... But, did we turn left if the 'Rose and Crown' was on our right?  Or did we turn right when it was on our left?  Or did we do that last time and then realize we needed to go straight?

Of course these discussions were always held in calm, quiet, considerate tones of voices.....

Why didn't we finally write down minute instructions once we got to the hotel?

Oh, come on....we couldn't possibly not remember next time, could we????? 
I mean, really!!!!!

This all came back to me this morning. 

I was Googling the difference between Fromage Frais and Fromage Blanc.

I know they are two different things.  I buy both, but not often enough to remember which is which.  I recognize the packages when I'm in the store so I don't (often) by the wrong one.  I just can't remember unless I'm standing in front of them.

I'm adding a page to my site on definitions and substitutions. I want to include the dairy products that I use: Yogurt, Greek Yogurt, Crème Fraiche, Fromage Frais and Fromage Blanc.  I don't have them all in the fridge at the moment, and I want to get the definitions right.

I spent 2 hours trying to find what I know is correct. 

First off, most sites said they are the same thing.  They're not. 

Fromage Frais (I think) comes in little containers, with a tiny basket inside to drain the liquid and is similar to cream cheese, but significantly lower in fat and calories.  It is considered to be a fresh cheese - just like the name says.

Fromage Blanc comes in containers much like plain yogurt,  It's taste is slightly less tart and texture a bit creamier than plain yogurt.  Fromage Blanc can be whipped, like cream (but not as much).  It is considered to be more of a cream.

Some sites said that Fromage Frais was a generic term (I suppose it could be) that didn't actually describe a product (not true - I've bought it).

Most sites went on to describe Fromage Blanc in exactly the terms I would use to describe Fromage Frais.

By now I am ready to put my fist into my screen, grab Google and ring it's f*ing neck.

I took the girls for a walk.

When I resumed my search, somewhat calmer, I found that most of the sites describing Fromage Blanc as 'cheese' rather than 'yogurt' were American - actually American makers of Fromage Blanc.  British sites described it as I find it here in France.  Only one American site did.

The only solution to insure that I'm accurate is to buy samples when I'm in the U.S. and do my own taste tests.  As I said, I already use both here....

But, now that I think about, I'd better buy them both again here, too...

I'm so confused...

I did discover that Greek yogurt is becoming more available in the U.S.

Here it is often made with ewe's milk and has a lovely tart flavor and is much creamier than plain yogurt. 

A friend in Andorra introduced me to it... She actually handed it to me and said something like: 'You Yanks are always pissing and moaning because you can't get sour cream; here, this is better!'

She was right.

And, while it is a bit higher in fat than regular yogurt it is quite a bit lower than sour cream... At least, mine is ;-)

Just remember to add it at the end of cooking time as it may curdle if boiled (hmm, much like sour cream), as will plain yogurt.

I've just realized that my submission for this week's Presto Pasta Nights, once again contains Greek Yogurt!  Oh well, dairy is good for us; all that lovely calcium....

Be sure to visit our esteemed creator, Ruth of Once Upon A Feast, on Friday for a recap of all the wonderful pasta dishes.

I love sausages and peppers together. Add some red beans and pasta and we have a one dish dinner in just 30 minutes. The mustards makes it slightly hot and the yogurt cools it back down.  Symmetry!

Pasta with Sausage and Red Beans in Mustard Sauce

10oz (300gr) lean Italian sausage
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper  (I had both)
2 cloves garlic
1 15oz can red beans, kidney beans (450gr)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup Greek or plain yogurt, 4 oz (125ml)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 tbs whole grain mustard
1 - 2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs chicken stock
1 - 1 1/4 cups pasta, such as fusilli, penne, rigatoni

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chop onion and pepper. Mince garlic. Slice raw sausages into bite-size lengths. Open, drain and rinse beans. Heat oil over medium heat in nonstick skillet. Add onions and peppers and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 3 minutes longer. Add sausages and sauté until almost cooked through, 5 - 8 minutes, depending on size. Add herbs, mustards, wine and stock. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce to thicken. You may not need all of it but sauce should be quite thick. Stir in yogurt, add drained pasta. Toss to combine and serve.

Now I'm going to go make nice with Google.... maybe if I say 'pretty please' I'll get the results I want...
'F*ing idiot' didn't seem to work.

Come to think if it , it doesn't work well with mon mari either...  hmmmmm......

Comments

[Bellini Valli]

I can't beleive how delicious and comforting this looks. I finally found a place that sold Greek yogurt here..once...now they don't have it. I will have to enquire. One thing about living in France you have so many options. We don't even have creme fraiche let alone Fromage Blanc or Frais!!!

[Amy]

I've seen Greek yogurt at both Kowalski's and Byerly's, so if you get lonesome for it when you're visiting here, that's where you can find it.

[Nirmala]

Looks like comfort food. Loved the story about finding the inn. Same thing happens to me too.

[meredith]

That looks good.

I have been known to hit my computer screen (old clunky one), not that that helps any...

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Symmetry! Yes, it's a beautiful thing. And your pasta dish is lovely. Dairy calcium and cancel the cholesterol with the bean - beautifully balanced symmetry!
We've done just that trick with locating favorite places all over and one was near Gatwick airport!
Yes, I can get Greek yogurt now and it's just about all I buy anymore.

[katie]

Bellini Valli, we really do have a lot. Our yogurt aisle is both sides, almost the entire length of the store!

Amy, that's good to know... It seems recently I'm getting pressed into cooking rather than getting a break when I'm there... What can I say - I love it (maybe)

Nirmala, glad to hear I'm not the only one!

Meredith, doesn't help the problem and one can end up with bruised knuckles...and nasty looks from other people in the house...

Tanna, wow, I wonder if it was the same place...were we driving around each other in circles? A la Twilight Zone?

[Lynn]

I wouldn't want to go back to life without the internet but there are times when I, too, just want to give it a quick kick in the search engine!

The pasta looks delicious!

[Lannae]

How very French of you! Mustard cream sauce is a wonderful idea! Last month, one of my young neighbors came back from college and was making dinner for her parents and me, and she made a mushroom and mustard cream sauce with pinenuts. Yummy! I could not get enough. I had never thought of mustard cream before, but now I do!

[Christine]

What a yummy looking pasta! The mustards surprise and delight me.

[Poonam Phatak]

Hi, The sauce looks so terrific! Amazing dish!

[Lydia]

This is really a dish that has one of everything wonderful -- one thing creamy, one chewy, one spicy. Yum!

[Emiline]

Hey, I think you're on to something here.
Looks delicious.
I recently just tried Greek yogurt for the first time. It was so creamy! I loved it.

[Amanda]

I wonder which hotel it was? We live about 20 minutes from LGW and it is ever so easy to get lost on the back roads.

I love greek yogurt with sweet and savoury things.

[Deb]

The "good Greek yogurt" just started showing up in our local grocery store. If I an find it here, I am sure you will find it in Wis. or Minn.
I love it with fresh blueberries and a touch of honey added - oh yum. Much better than the "other" fruited yogurt!
Too funny forgetting the directions. When Mike and I travel, I write down landmarks to follow, like certain trees or barns, etc., makes him crazy, HA! Problem is if the season has changed or the barn has been blown down:0

[gilli]

Sometimes I want to scream at Blogger but the fun I get out of this activity and the people I have met is worth the odd bit of aggravation.

Katie once again another fab pasta dish. Good one. Cheers

[gilli]

Sometimes I want to scream at Blogger but the fun I get out of this activity and the people I have met is worth the odd bit of aggravation.

Katie once again another fab pasta dish. Good one. Cheers

[katie]

Lynn, it seems like more often lately...but that could be me... probably is me...

Lannae, I love mustard and would put it in everything if mon mari would let me...the yogurt helps disquise it hahaha!

Christine, mustard is good food!

Thanks, Poonam!

Lydia, and it's a great way to use up the bits in the fridge!

Emiline, I've been using it for about 8 years and I'm hooked. There's always some in my fridge.

Amanda, we probably drove past your house a couple of hundred times, then.... It's Gravetye Manor.... back when we were gainfully employed. In East Grinstead. See I remember the name, just can't find it!

Deb, we navigators try, don't we? I especially hate it when the maps are wrong... and they can be! I remember sitting at a crossroad with 6 intersecting roads and the atlas in my hand only showed 5.... the one we wanted wasn't there.

Gilli, if only the screaming would work. All it accomplishes here is to scare the dogs!

[pam]

This dish is such a great combination! I've been trying to use more yogurt and beans in cooking!

[african vanielje]

My boss's 80-something mother has come up with a shocking(only because she's 80-something)and quite funny (also because she's 80-something) word for these moments, of which I have increasingly more. She calls them CRAFT moments (Can't Remember a F****** Thing). Your pasta looks yummy though and the Rose and Crown sounds gorgeous

[arfi]

Katie, thanks a lot for the definition of those fromage, I was still a little bit unaware of their differences. Now I am. I just bought some shells-shape pasta last Friday, would love to try to cook it like yours. Looks so creamy!

[neil]

So would it be fair to say your research left you cheesed off! Sorry, I just had to say that.

[gattina]

How frustrated to see only unreliable info! So I look forward to your debute. Thanks for the tip of ewe' milk yoghurt, so I don't need to whine :)

[Mike]

Now I am more fully aware of how confused I am on this one as well. *shrugs*

Whatever the case, that pasta looks really tempting. I never would have considered a mustard cream sauce on a pasta before, but I'd really like to try that... *yum*

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Craft moment! Now that is priceless!!

[Amanda]

You'd have needed to be employed, it is very beautiful. We were fairly near, we're now back to 20 mins the other side of Gatwick.

Trust Inge (African Vaneilje), almost wet my pants.