Why This Funky French Cheese Is 2022's Ingredient of the Year
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Délice de Bourgogne, a French triple crème cheese, was everywhere this year. To make it, full fat cow's milk is blended with crème fraîche creating an oozy, gooey cheese that brings the funk and the flavor. Its thin, bloomy rind imparts an earthy mushroom aroma while protecting the rich, buttery interior that still leaves a bit of tang on the tongue. Délice de Bourgogne, invented in 1975 at Fromagerie Lincet, a fifth-generation family-operated business in Saligny, France, is one of several old-school indulgences hitting big this year (we see you, uni, caviar, and truffles). It's a decadent-yet-accessible luxury that chefs love for its complexity of flavor and its adaptability in both sweet and savory dishes. "It is our favorite cheese to work with," says 2022 F&W Best New Chef Genie Kwon of Kasama in Chicago, who showcases the versatility of Délice de Bourgogne by applying its mushroomy funky flavor in a sweet and savory power combination inside a croissant with black truffles, honey, and Belgian pearl sugar. " I feel like it is cheating when we use it."
Our favorite Délice sightings
Pairings (Natch)
In its purest form on the menu, Délice is popping in cheese pairing courses. The RH Rooftop Restaurant at RH West Palm pairs it with strawberry preserves, while at Law Bird in Columbus, Ohio, a hefty wedge of Délice comes with a side of crisp waffle fries.
Pizza
At Proof, a Princeton pizzeria, Ivy league students and townies rub elbows over the Truffle Pie, topped with Délice de Bourgogne, garlic cream, roasted mushrooms, truffle oil, and arugula.
Soufflé
Inspired by former Oriole pastry chef and 2022 BNC Genie Kwon, whose love of this cheese was no secret, pastry chef Courtney Kenyon-Snider concocted a Lemon and Sesame Souffle with Délice de Bourgogne.
Miso Marinated
Extending beyond European-influenced menus, 2018 and 2019 James Beard semifinalists for Outstanding Restaurant, Boston's O Ya's miso-marinated single slice of Délice de Bourgogne lets the cheese speak for itself with a twist of Japanese influence.
Dutch Baby Pancake
Bunny Bunny in Detroit serves up their perfectly pillowy Dutch baby pancake with a "healthy schmear" of Délice de Bourgogne. Drizzled with a squeeze of fresh lemon, the acidic lifts the buttery flavor of the cheese to new heights.
