Apricot Jam Amuse Bouche with Goat Cheese and Taiwanese Magou Tofu

This is a creation of my version of “West meets East” - a combination of two different kinds of goat cheese from Bordeaux and the Magon tofu from Taiwan

The cheese from the local farmer

The dairy free version - No cheese was added in this dish, so I used Charles’ homemade capers to enhance the acidity and double the amount of Magon tofu for the umami flavor.

In Charles Michel’s Ecology of Food Masterclass this July, we visited the local goat cheese farmer again. To make a difference of what I did last year (please see my “Goat Cheese with Apricot and Honey Miso Vinaigrettes”), I created a “taste bomb” in the mouth for our last meal at a beautiful winery in Bordeaux.

The idea was to create a fusion taste by mixing the western flavor (the goat cheese) and the oriental one (Taiwanese Magon tofu) for the layers of saltiness and umami. For the sweet taste, I used our freshly-made apricot jam, but also added some chopped dried apricot for the texture.

When I was making the jam, I also mixed in different chopped herbs for building up the flavor profile.

Lastly, I pickled two different ingredients: shallots and peppers with honey and vinegar. Topped with basil flowers and dill flowers for final touch~ Then drizzled with walnut oil~