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--> --> May 1: Orval cheese & orval potatoes This column took 43 years to write. My wife and I were married July 18, 1958. We spent part of our honeymoon in Paris, then drove to Brussels to see their worlds fair, then we checked into a small, family owned hotel in Hal, a hamlet about 15 miles outside the capital city. At dinner one evening, our host served a soft, white cheese. The taste was midway between Brie and Roquefort. The wrapper depicted a fish with a ring in its mouth. Our host identified it as Orval cheese, and told us a legend. Long ago, the Queen of Orval was rowing on a lake near her castle. Her wedding ring slipped off her finger and sank out of sight. Fearing her husband's anger, she promised God she would build an abbey if it was returned. The next day, still searching, a fish jumped into her boat. It held her precious wedding ring in its mouth. True to her promise, she built an abbey on the nearest shore. Now, jump forward to 2001. I wanted to write a column on Orval cheese. I spent hours researching but found nothing. There was Orval the herb, and Orval beer, and even a recipe for Orval potatoes, a dish invented centuries ago by a monk named Vanderle, but no Orval cheese. Wanting to be accurate, I wrote the Belgian Embassy in Washington. Soon after, I received a long, friendly letter from Patrick Everarts de Velp, Economic and Commercial Counselor, which is quoted in part. "Dear Mr. Cheek. Thank you for your kind letter dated Feb. 27, 2001. It was nice for me to hear that you have kept such warm memories of Belgium. This combined with your literary talent leads me to assume that you may enjoy the book, which I send you in annex to this letter: 'A Lively Description of Belgium Today, Topped With Some Culinary Recipes.'" The book is an illustrated, hard cover combination travel guide and cookbook. Plowing through the guide, I found my error. Orval makes at least five cheeses: Boulette, Aclots, Blanc Stofe, Maton, and Maquee. My host probably said the cheese came from Orval, I assumed that was the name of the cheese. I had been searching for a cheese that did not exist. But the story of the abbey and Orval beer are well-documented. There is no proof of the legend, but Benedictine monks built the Abbey Notre Dame d'0rval in 1070, with the help of a noble family. The legend probably grew from this. The abbey burned in 1252, but was rebuilt. It burned again in 1793, and was abandoned. In 1926, Trappist monks started rebuilding the abbey. It has been their home ever since. To support their community, the monks started a brewery in 1931. Orval beer is the strongest brewed in Belgium as the Trappists use the double hops process. The result is a bitter, aromatic brew that is 7.2 percent alcohol. Some wines are 11 percent, which gives you some idea of its potency. Orval Potatoes are unique and tasty. If you make them, be sure the fat is very hot, or they will be soggy. INGREDIENTS: 1/3 cup boiling water 1/4 cup lard 1/2 cup flour 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups mashed potatoes Salt and pepper to taste PREPARATION: Boil potatoes in jackets. Peel and mash. Set aside to cool. Put lard in mixing bowl. Pour in boiling water. Stir in flour and onions. Add potatoes. Mix well, then beat in eggs. Salt and pepper to taste. Drop rounded spoonfuls in hot fat. Fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and put on paper towel to drain. Serve. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing