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The Sommelier’s Corner: Château Angelus Saint-Emilion, one of the most popular Grand Cru in the Kingdom

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“This is one of my favourite wines”, says Eden Gnean, manager of Topaz brand and president of the Cambodian Sommelier Association. In her opinion, this Grand Cru, which goes well with classic meat dishes but also with Khmer cuisine, is a perfectly balanced wine with many nuances, a fine quality of tannins and a certain freshness. Eden is part of a generation eager to discover the subtleties of gastronomy and what goes best with it: a good wine, an excellent wine, a grand cru. A few years ago, she had the privilege of meeting Comte Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, owner of Château Angelus, at a workshop on the Grands Crus of Saint-Emilion. The legendary winemaker proudly explains: “These young Cambodians probably like Château Angelus because of this tannic touch, which is perhaps a little bit special and which you can feel here in Asia” Indeed, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest is a frequent visitor to Cambodia, and the Thalias Group’s Cambodge Mag magazine was lucky enough to meet him in December 2023 to ask him a few questions about the ‘unusual’ success of his grands crus in the Kingdom. The success of Château Angelus in Cambodia  “I’ve been coming to Asia a lot for a long time now, for over 30 years, because I’ve always thought and considered that this region is an enormous magnet for our great wines, especially those from the Right Bank, especially from Saint-Emilion“ he said, adding: “Château Angelus is one of the two or three biggest jewels in the region. I think it really is a magnet. In terms of the Cambodians’ taste for wine and curiosity, it’s quite incredible. The conversations we’re having with the younger generations – the older ones already had some knowledge – clearly show that it’s spreading and that there’s a real curiosity about wine. Young people want to come and visit, they want to understand why they love these Rive Droite wines”.  “I don’t know if I can say this, but our wine also has a hint of cashmere, a sensation that caresses the palate while retaining a certain density, but which is extremely elegant and reveals a great deal of finesse. The response in Cambodia has been very strong. We’ve found that there’s not just curiosity, but an appetite to drink these wines, especially Château Angelus, which has become one of the strongest, best known and most recognised brands in Cambodia today”. “I think Cambodians are very attentive and very curious about the quality of the wine, but also about the family history behind the wines. There really is a human side to our vineyards and they’re very interested in that”. Does Château Angelus go well with Khmer food?  “Our wines go well with Khmer food. It’s a cuisine that I know very well now that I’ve been here in Cambodia more than a dozen times. With a few exceptions – when we really go overboard with the spices, for example – our wines go extremely well with Khmer food, thanks to the softness of our tannins. With the authentic softness of Saint-Emilion wines, we have both a texture and a slightly rounded, enveloping flavour, with a hint of spice, which goes very well with Khmer cuisine, which I really like. In fact, some time ago we met a young chef who showed us what great Khmer cuisine could be, with a touch of tradition but also a certain modernity. It really was worthy of a Michelin star. It is all the easier for me to say this because our family has two Michelin-starred restaurants, one in Saint-Émilion and one in Bordeaux. For us, the food is very important, it goes with the wines. It’s a vertical axis for our production”.   To discover this Grand Cru: https://topaz.thalias.com.kh/ Subscribe to Thalias Newsletter: https://thalias.com.kh/email-signup Author: Christophe Gargiulo         

Cambodia & Cheese: ‘’Le Monde est Bleu’’, a reality at the Topaz restaurant

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This month, cheese-maker Nicolas Rousseau pulled off a technical feat with the teams at Topaz Norodom: the production from start to finish of a Bleu cheese with a creamy texture and perfectly mastered taste. The workshop allowed the apprentice cheese-makers to discover all the steps involved in making this cheese, which is extremely popular in France and Europe. With the precious help of the talented and energetic Nicolas and the devotion of Topaz teams, this very French and unique cheese will soon be available in Khéma and Topaz outlets.  Origin of Bleu There are several versions of the origin of this cheese, but one story is that it was born in the 19th century from the passion of a farmer in Clermont-Ferrand who set about seeding rye bread with blue mold. Others say this cheese was ‘discovered’ by a shepherd who forgot his meal in a cave while courting a beautiful young girl. When he returned, his bread and cheese had gone moldy. But it was when he tasted them that he discovered blue cheese…  Stages of production in Topaz  D-Day: The cooled raw milk from the morning milking is received and brought to the right temperature. It is then matured (32–35°C) with a cocktail of specific ferments, including the famous mold Penicillium roqueforti. Then, the team will add rennet and curdle the milk by using a curd cutter and gentle intermittent stirring to achieve a delicate curd.  Cheese makers will then mould the curd in bottomless moulds to extract the whey, or drain it. Then, they will turn the moulds over during the day to facilitate draining. On day D+1, the team will check the core temperature of the cheeses and their pH, remove the cheeses from the moulds and salt the cheeses with Kampot flower salt. Then the maturing process begins and it’s quite technical. This takes place in two stages: maturing at 9 – 11°C in a very humid environment, during which there are two ‘pricking’. These pricking are essential for supplying the aerobic Penicillium roqueforti mold with oxygen.  After four weeks, when the blue mold has developed well inside the cheese (coring test with a probe), the cheese is wrapped with aluminium to slow down the development of the mould (no more O2).  The cheese is then chilled to 4–6°C for a minimum of two weeks to accentuate the proteolysis of the cheese. This process involves the natural enzymes ‘cutting’ the proteins, resulting in an increasingly creamy product. In summary, it will take six weeks to produce the blue cheese. Four weeks will be spent at cellar temperature, and two weeks at a lower temperature.  Yield  The final yield is around 12 to 13%. One hundred litres of milk will yield 12 to 13 kg of creamy-blue cheese. This means that you will need around 8 litres of milk to make 1 kg of creamy-blue cheese. The milk used is whole, so the original cream content is retained. This is important because it is not always the case in all cheese dairies. Bleu belongs to the family of uncooked soft cheeses with internal mold. It is undoubtedly one of the most technically challenging artisanal cheeses to produce. You’ll be able to find it soon at Khéma and Topaz restaurants!   Subscribe to Thalias Newsletter : https://thalias.com.kh/email-signup Authors: Julia Pasquier-Desvignes and Nicolas Rousseau     

Bon Appétit : Recipe from Thalias (Siena), sea bass in a salt crust by Giuseppe Napoletano

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Salt-crusted sea bass is a tasty main course in which the fish is cooked in a tasty shell made from a mixture of egg whites and salt. Cooking with salt is one of the oldest and healthiest methods which avoids the use of too many additional condiments and allows the steam produced by the fish’s natural moisture to cook it, preserving its delicate flavour and soft texture. Salt-crusted sea bass is pretty simple to prepare.   Where does it comes from ? The oldest recipe for fish cooked in salt dates back to the fourth century BC, in the book ‘’Life of Luxury’’ by Archestratus. The recipe calls for a whole, round white fish, such as sea bass, snapper or sea bream. The first recorded reference in China similar to this salt-crust cooking technique is Dong Jing salt-cooked chicken, in Guangdong province, during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). This method can be considered as a combination of the salt crust technique and the French ‘’en papillote’’.   Recipe Ingredients (for 4 people) in grams Main dish Sea bass: 1200 Salt: 1500 Flour: 750 Parsley: 100 Juniper berries : 7 Anise star : 7 Black pepper: 7 Eggs: 400 Basil sprigs Cardamom: 7 For the sauce Lemon: 45 Mint: 20 Preparation Gut the sea bass but do not scale it Preheat the oven to 210°C Fill the sea bass with the herbs and a few peppercorns Mix the salt with the egg whites and pour half of this mixture into an oven dish Place the fish on the bed of salt and cover it with the rest of the mixture to a thickness of half a centimetre Place in the oven for 45 minutes Suggestion for garnish Place peeled and washed potatoes in a casserole dish Add a pinch of salt and a few herbs Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: peel and chop shallots. Put them in a thick-bottomed saucepan with some little vinegar and wine and reduce by two-thirds. Over a very low heat, while whisking, gradually add the cold butter cut into small pieces to make a creamy sauce Season with a pinch of salt and pepper or other ingredients of your choice Service Remove the sea bass from the oven and leave to rest for around fifteen minutes Present the dish to your guests and cut off the crust at the table, it should break easily with a knife Remove the fillets and serve with butter and potatoes Give a plus Cambodia being the country of magnificent condiments, you may add more taste and exoticism to this recipe by using local products such as the wonderful Kampot pepper and salt and many herbs available in local markets such as moringa, kaffir lime leaves, cambodian parsley and many others. Bon Appétit ! You don’t have time to cook, please enjoy this delicious meal in Siena Restaurant More recipes to come in Thalias Newsletter https://thalias.com.kh/email-signup  

Community & Arts : Thalias proposes a chromatic symphony by Stef at the Khéma La Poste restaurant

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An accomplished cartoonist, illustrator and painter, Stéphane Delaprée has been illustrating Cambodian joie de vivre for 26 years. He is currently exhibiting his work at the Khéma La Poste restaurant in Phnom Penh, giving us the chance to rediscover this talented artist full of happiness. In 1994, Stéphane Delaprée set foot on Cambodian soil for the first time. The unrepentant cartoonist and traveller only intended to stay for a few months, just long enough to say hello to his two brothers who had settled in the capital. The return ticket ended up in a dustbin, and the artist made the kingdom his adopted home. 26 years later, he continues to celebrate a certain idea of happiness through his work. Paint what you love His paintings are instantly recognisable, so personal is his style. There are no shadows in his paintings, but bright, vibrant light, as ubiquitous as the colours and smiles. Scenes from everyday life, transport, monks, children, shopkeepers, not forgetting the elegant and ravishing women, descendants of the graceful Apsaras of yesteryear. Always with the same round face, the same unwavering smile and the same sideways eyes, “those crooked eyes, like mine, only a little crooked” Houses on stilts, forests and a river are often the backdrop, and the domes of Angkor Wat never seem far away. In this melody of colours, dominated by red, blue and gold, spring seems to last forever. All in all, it’s an earthly paradise, a not-so-fantastic vision of a land of milk and honey, where everything is a wonder for those who know how to admire it. “It’s a bit like looking at a child, and if I had to give myself a mental age, I think I’d be much closer to 12 than my real age. How old would you say you are? The artist is like that, inviting his audience to discover themselves at every turn by asking them questions. In his company, the usual interview monologue is quickly transformed into a colourful exchange. Happy Painting, a tribute to joie de vivre Much later, Delaprée would christen this pictorial movement, which he himself founded, “Happy Painting”, a deceptively naive style of painting that is genuinely comforting, imbued with poetry and joie de vivre. “To say that I woke up one day and ‘invented’ this style would be a big lie,” says the painter. Honestly, I don’t think artists can have a clear idea of their own style from the beginning. It comes step by step, and it’s only later that trends emerge, a cohesion that is enough to define the whole of a work”. Paradoxically, the artist had to go through a dark period for this hymn to joy to see the light of day. “I found myself in a delicate situation that was difficult to live with. Without really realising it, my paintings became a kind of refuge, an antidote to the pain. I was painting the light I was struggling to find in my life. Besides, painting isn’t a passion for me, it’s more of a need “. I was the child who drew Stef has devoted his whole life to drawing, which he learned on his own. “My parents were intellectuals, they took me to museums and bought lots of books, including art books. I used to copy everything I found interesting, especially the illustrations in the dictionary. Sometimes I even pretended to be ill so that I could stay at home and draw in peace. I was ‘the child who draws’ and I don’t think my parents had any illusions about my future. They didn’t encourage me very much, but they never tried to stop me. As a teenager, he made a wooden sculpture for his school, which sold out immediately. His drawings also quickly found buyers, although he preferred to give them away or exchange them rather than sell them. “I was much too shy to talk about money,” he says with a slight smile, as if embarrassed by this peculiarity in a world where every object, every work, has a market value. Life as a graphic novel Stef admits that for a long time he lived only for comics, devouring issues of L’Écho des Savanes, À Suivre, Hara Kiri, Pilote and Tintin. Little did he know that, years later, his drawings would fill the pages of some of these cult magazines. He went one step further when, while living in Canada, he created Bambou, a bimonthly magazine with a print run of up to 5,000 copies. A huge success in the Quebec of the mid-1980s, it provided him with a wealth of incredible memories and wild parties. A free spirit and an inveterate dreamer, his thirst for discovery led him to explore new horizons. Before painting the wonders of Cambodia, Stef will have dragged his drawing boards to countless countries. When he was still a child, his parents left the Paris region for the cold climate of Quebec, before heading to the Senegalese coast. “I had a fabulous childhood there, it was a really happy time. And of course I always drew. I even remember writing, with Normand Baillargeon on the script, a little book called ‘Asterix among the Wolofs’, a copy of which a friend recently found. “On the blackboard of unhappiness, he draws the face of happiness”. Prévert, Le Cancre The appeal of travel and a change of scenery runs in the family, as this daring crossing of the Sahara in a Mehari shows. On board, Stéphane was surrounded by his father and one of his brothers. A few years later, at the age of 17, Stef left school and decided to embark on a solo journey that would take him all the way to India. Then it was on to pre-civil war El Salvador, which he remembers as an emotional rollercoaster, with unspeakable joys interspersed with bloody episodes. Each time, Stéphane managed to make a living from his art, creating posters, storyboards, LP covers, book covers… He illustrates homages to Prévert, … Read more

Thalias & Career : Khuon Vannara, “The key to success is teamwork and cohesion”

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Born in Phnom Penh, Khuon Vannara is 41 years old and full of energy. Behind his smile and good humour is an incredible determination, which he put to good use at the Malis restaurant in Phnom Penh for several years. He has now been with the Siena restaurant since it opened. “The key to success is teamwork and cohesion…” Vannara understood this at a very young age, whether on the football pitch or on stage as a guitarist in a local band. For him, every experience is an enrichment and a new perspective. Today he runs the Siena restaurant in Phnom Penh, a very different path from his original career plan. In his spare time, he spends his energy playing football or indulging in his second passion: music.  First steps  Khuon Vannara attended secondary school in the capital until he graduated. At that age, music had already taken hold of him: “We were in a band with some classmates and we performed at school events. After graduating, I decided to continue in this vein, playing with another band at weddings and parties”.   “Those moments have stayed with me and every interaction with our audience has been very enriching.”  However, his income as a musician remained meagre. After many discussions with his mother, he decided to follow her advice and put music on the back burner: “I said goodbye to my long hair and looked for work in the service sector,” he confides.  From stage to service  It was in 2007 that Vannara first walked through the doors of Malis in Phnom Penh, where he was hired as a bartender.   “Initially, working in the service and catering industry wasn’t part of my ambitions, I wanted to invest a year or two to gain new experience, but then I changed my mind”.  Khuon Vannara then moved to the dining room as a waiter. Two years later, he became a chef de rang and learnt management methods. After three years, he was promoted to supervisor and completed his apprenticeship by spending two years as assistant manager. Now, through sheer determination and perseverance, not forgetting the support of his team, he runs the restaurant.   Passion  This passionate Cambodian says he spends countless hours trying to provide the best possible service in one of the capital’s finest Cambodian restaurants. Most of his time is spent on operations.  His main role is to coordinate and direct the work of the staff in preparing the tables and serving the food. In between morning meetings with his supervisor and colleagues, he ensures good communication between the brigade and the dining room team, giving advice and recommendations and supporting the morale of the team.  Challenges faced   Vannara has been able to overcome the few obstacles he has encountered thanks to his characteristic perseverance: “When I became a waiter, learning English was a big challenge”.  “Becoming bilingual was essential because we also welcome foreign customers”.   “Then, as soon as I became head waiter, I had to learn management techniques. As I’m very close to my manager, I told him that I needed to learn more in order to be more efficient. His presence and sound advice really helped me, and I was also able to count on the support of the Thalias Group. The company offers training in all aspects of our profession, from wine to management.   As for the future, Vanara remains ambitious. For him, life is a series of tests that should be seen as experiences: “I have a constant need to evolve and I’d like to become a manager or director of an establishment within my company. I need a few more years to perfect myself and acquire new skills. I’m happy and fulfilled at Thalias and I don’t intend to leave any time soon,” concludes the young man.   Subscribe to Thalias Newsletter https://thalias.com.kh/email-signup  

Thalias’ guests: Spotlight on the Siena Business Lunch with our friends from the press

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Siena Restaurant recently had the pleasure of welcoming Sotheavy Nou and Sokarhena Va, two young Cambodian women working for Prestige Online magazine, who had the privilege of discovering Siena’s very first Business Lunch.  Prestige Online is a regional digital platform dedicated to fashion, beauty, wellness, travel, restaurants, art and design. In the words of our guests, “a magazine aimed at business leaders, celebrities and Asia’s social elite”.  For this gastronomic rendez-vous, the two young women had the opportunity to enjoy the many varied and original compositions passionately proposed by Chef Giuseppe aka ‘Pino’.   Among the tasty recipes offered for this “inaugural” lunch was the smoked beef tartare with a “perfect” boiled egg and a tasty anchovy sauce, a creamy, absolutely delicious composition, not to mention an original presentation. A simple recipe that subtly blends flavours and soft textures to create a true harmony of the senses.  For the record, the perfect egg is the result of 35 to 45 minutes cooking in water at 64°C, to be precise. The egg cooks gently in its shell, leaving a yolk that is as soft and fried as the white. Chefs generally use this technique to create a series of starters, each more original than the last.  There’s also the ‘very Italian’ home-made green tagliatelle with a rich but light sauce and juicy, tender local mushrooms. Two starter dishes that are undoubtedly among our favourites, and a perfect starter for what’s to come.  Our guests then opt for slices of beef cooked in a rich Primitivo wine sauce, served with gratinated potatoes and a colourful selection of spring vegetables. The meat is impeccably tender and the sauce is a perfect match for this quality meat, complemented by a delicately selected vegetable accompaniment. In keeping with this quest for excellence, but also for originality, the Business Lunch offers an exclusive house recipe, a medallion of pork with sage and lemon butter, served with creamy mashed potatoes. A very pleasant surprise, a dish that melts in the mouth and a masterly accompaniment that is, as always, aesthetically pleasing.  An authentic Italian or Italian-style lunch could only end on a high note with pistachio tiramisu or a selection of Tuscan biscuits.  Subscribe to Thalias Newsletter https://thalias.com.kh/email-signup Siena Italian Steakhouse Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SienaRestaurantwinebar  

Behind the scene: The perfect restaurant kitchen by Siena

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Organization, training and hygiene are key to the smooth running of a professional kitchen. The quality of the food prepared and the speed of service depend to a large extent on the layout of the kitchen, the quality of training and the attention paid to hygiene. Whether the kitchen is large or small, if it is well designed, well equipped and clean, the staff will be able to work in optimum conditions and the customer will be even more satisfied with a clean, fast and impeccable service. Restaurant kitchens are made up of different work areas, each dedicated to a specific task. There is no magic formula for organising a professional kitchen, but all chefs agree that the most important thing is to ‘zone’ the work area. The kitchen at the Siena (Thalias Hospitality Group) is an example of organisation and rigorous attention to hygiene.   The importance of the workplace  As Giuseppe Napoletano, master chef at Siena, explains, there are standards for dividing a professional kitchen into sections, which can vary according to the type of cuisine offered by the restaurant. A restaurant that specialises in grills, for example, will have a very different kitchen layout to one that serves seafood. So when he arrived to ‘design’ the kitchen at Siena, the Italian chef set about maximising the space.   “It’s not a very big kitchen and we offer a wide variety of Italian dishes, so I had to adapt to make it as flexible as possible and ensure that things run smoothly. I attach a lot of importance to this aspect because it dictates our day-to-day operations,” he says, adding:  “We have preparation, cooking, serving, cleaning and tidying areas. And each area has its own importance, so it’s important that the waiters and waitresses can do their job properly without disturbing the chefs.”  The chef then goes on to describe the various meat and vegetable preparation stations, proudly showing off the modern heat lamps he has installed and the line of perfectly aligned cooking appliances for pasta, meat and other dishes. Giuseppe then shows how the salad preparation station works. This may seem like a minor detail, given the simplicity of the dishes involved, but Giuseppe says it’s essential because it’s here that the commis chefs learn to work methodically and in strict compliance with hygiene standards.  Training  “We’ve assigned our latest recruit, Chealeak, to prepare the vegetables for the salads, so she’s learning how to select them, peel them, wash them carefully, drain them and then place them in the trays provided for preparing the salads. It’s a simple job, but it has to be done with great care,” explains the chef.  If Chealak performs to his satisfaction, she will be able to learn other, more demanding tasks such as cooking, preparing recipes or garnishes. This is the aspect of training that Giuseppe insists on: “Quality training is essential. Everyone has to learn all the facets of the trade before they can claim the title of cook or chef. I’ve taught a lot in restaurants, hotels and schools over the last 40 years, and I can guarantee that good training, both in theory and practical experience, is essential to running a successful restaurant. It’s also a prerequisite for those who want to continue in the field to be able to develop themselves. For example, we had to train some of our staff to make pizzas in record time, but it worked and today we can offer excellent Italian-style pizzas”.    In addition, according to the chef, each of the different tasks requires well-trained staff who are able to use all the specific equipment, from the draining and cleaning areas to the fryers, cooking appliances and robots of all kinds.  Hygiene  Training goes hand in hand with compliance with hygiene standards, and the Siena chef is adamant on this point. “Before touching the food, you have to know the rules of HACCP, the food safety management system, which aims to identify health hazards and define strategies to prevent or eliminate them. As far as my staff are concerned, the first thing they do before entering the kitchen is to wash and disinfect their hands. A simple but essential step”.   Then, even if the whole kitchen looks clean, we disinfect it once a week according to European washing and disinfection standards,” he explains, adding: “When it comes to hygiene, even the details are important. In our kitchen, for example, recipes are not written on the walls because they attract bacteria; they are carefully stored in a separate filing cabinet”.  Finally, and not without a touch of pride, the Siena chef points out that the hygiene officers who come to inspect the kitchen are regularly surprised by the impeccable cleanliness of the workspace and wonder “if this isn’t more of an exhibition than a working kitchen”.  More tips and advice behind the scene to come in Thalias Newsletter. You want to try one one the best table in town, please visit Siena Restaurant       

C’est Délicieux: What’s new in Thalias’ offer?

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The Thalias Group is always keen to meet the needs of its loyal customers and regularly offers new products, new menus, special promotions and services. We are committed to keeping abreast of the latest trends and the gastronomic aspirations of our customers and friends.  The Malis Business Lunch  As a pioneer of the new Khmer cuisine, the famous Malis restaurant in Phnom Penh has been offering a business lunch with two options since the beginning of this month. This is your chance to discover the best of Khmer cuisine on the go, with the best value.  Two options  The first option of this business lunch, available every day from 11am to 1.30pm, offers pork kebabs and M’chou-style chicken as starters. This is followed by a main course of Fish Amok, Prahok Ktis prawns and wok-fried eggplant, served with steamed jasmine rice. Finally, the menu is rounded off with a 100% Cambodian green bean dessert.  The second option is no less appetising, with Takeo sausages and moringa soup – perfect for your health – as starters. This is followed by Amok fish and steamed chicken curry, before finishing with a corn dessert.  Both menus are priced at $15 each and include a choice of soft drink or beer (Angkor draft) or coffee/tea.  Book now: https://malis.thalias.com.kh/malis-phnom-penh/  Our cheese made in Cambodia  Since 2020, Thalias has been developing its own range of cheeses, 100% made in Cambodia, using fresh local cow’s milk from a local farm (O’More Farm, Prek Leap National Institute of Agriculture) and Kampot salt.  Immediately after milking at the farm in the morning, the chilled raw milk is delivered to Thalias in sustainable stainless steel containers (no plastic). The milk is immediately analysed, pasteurised and processed by the Thalias cheese-makers. All dairy products are made using raw milk.  The first Khmer dairy products launched by Thalias were dairy products such as :  Yoghurt ($ 3.3 for a 180 grams jar and $ 6.6 for a 400 grams one)  Fromage Blanc ( $ 18.90 for a kilo)  The Rousseau, a cow’s milk crottin with a tasty thin crust ( $ 5 for one piece)  The Chanda, a cylindrical cheese coated with vegetable ash and kept in a local straw made from grey sedge grass ( $ 5 for one piece)  Khemabert, a lactic creation based on the Chaource process, with a flowery rind and a chalky core ( $ 6 for one piece)  Nota : to produce Chaource made cheese, the cattle mainly graze for over five months of the year and supplements are limited. This milk is brought to a temperature of 25 to 35 °C and rennet is added. It is then left to coagulate for at least twelve hours. It is thought that the Chaource cheese was made by the monks at the neighbouring Abbey of Pontivy. Its name comes from the town in the Aube region where it was sold at the market.  The Thalias cheese-makers team was then able to learn the techniques of “enzymatic” cheese and is now proud to propose :   The Camembert of Phnom Penh, a soft cheese with a flowery white rind thanks to the famous Penicillium camemberti fungus.( $ 6,6 for one piece)  The Tomme of Phnom Penh, an uncooked pressed cheese with deux original ash lines matured for at least one month, its flavours are unique and express the Khmer terroir ($ 35 a kilo)  The Tomme Annatto, an uncooked pressed cheese inspired by the “Mimolette” but with a softer texture. The colour comes from annatto (rocou), a natural colouring obtained from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana). A specific penicillium is used for the two Tomme crusts, a concentrate of flavours ($33 a kilo)  The Raclette, a large uncooked pressed cheese with washed rind, made from 60 litres of milk. Fruity aromas and an amazing taste and texture when hot and melted.($35 a kilo)  The Blue of Phnom Penh, a creamy and tasty blue cheese, is the best way to appreciate the exceptional quality of fresh Khmer cow’s milk   Find our cheese and yoghurt and special promotions on these products in all Khéma outlets  Le Bistrot de l’Institut français launches weekend brunch  Le Bistrot de l’Institut français is now serving an unlimited brunch menu for just $15. Viennoiseries, eggs Benedict, omelettes, quiches, fresh fruit, pancakes, toast, cheese, charcuterie, coffee, tea, pineapple juice, watermelon juice… there’s something for everyone in this generous new offer. What could be better after a long week at work or a Friday that’s a little too festive than a generous, soothing brunch? For just $15 net, you can be the one to enjoy a brunch with family, friends or on your own on Saturdays, and for those who can’t make it, the formula is also available on Sundays.  A brief history of brunch  Brunch is a meal, sometimes accompanied by champagne or soft drinks, taken in the late morning or early afternoon. It has its origins in the British hunting breakfast. The word “brunch” is a combination of the words “breakfast” and “lunch”. It first appeared in England at the end of the 19th century and became popular in the United States in the 1930s.  The term is thought to have been coined in Britain in 1895 to describe a Sunday meal for Saturday night revellers.  By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch was said to make life more pleasant for Saturday night revellers. It has also been suggested that the term may have been coined by journalist Frank Ward O’Malley, who wrote for the New York newspaper The Sun from 1906 to 1919 in the early 20th century. He is said to have coined the term after observing the lunchtime eating habits of his newspaper colleagues.  Open every Saturday & Sunday from 11am to 3pm at Le Bistrot de l’Institut français  Free Flow for lunch at Khéma Flatiron  Join us at Khéma Restaurant on the 28th floor of Flatiron for an incredible free flow business lunch with … Read more