An Homage to Fromage: Savor the Flavors of Gruyère Gougères

Through years of professional experience, barge chefs have perfected the art of the small bite — from delicate amuse-bouches to elegant canapés — transforming every nibble into a moment of culinary delight.

On the Ultra-Deluxe, 8-guest Prosperite, longtime crew member Chef Hervé brings this art form to dazzling — and delicious — life. His canapés showcase the region’s most vibrant ingredients — boutique cheeses, fragrant herbs, artisan charcuterie — elevated by his precise technique and inspired imagination. Each morsel is a celebration of Southern Burgundy’s terroir, presented with contemporary French finesse.

Paired effortlessly with a chilled apéritif, these bites transform the barge’s nightly cocktail hour into one of the most memorable moments aboard Prosperite. More than a prelude, this sunset ritual is a celebration in itself — a delicious bridge between the day’s adventures and the gourmet evening ahead, where Burgundy’s story unfolds one irresistible bite at a time.

FEAST IN FRANCE ON FRESH GOUGERES

Of all Chef Hervé’s hors d’oeuvres, none captures the spirit of Burgundy quite like the gougère. Pronounced goo-ZHAIR, this iconic canapé is a golden puff of choux pastry, baked to perfection with farm-fresh eggs and rich French cheeses such as Emmental, Comté, or Gruyère.

Lightly crisp on the outside and meltingly tender within, each gougère distills the flavors of Southern Burgundy into a single, irresistible bite.

Best of all, Chef Hervé’s gougères emerge piping hot from his demonstration galley just as cocktail hour begins aboard Prosperite. Paired with a flute of chilled Crémant de Bourgogne, the lively bubbles slice cleanly through the cheese’s richness. Golden and airy, the trays of gougères circulate among guests in the socializing in the salon or gathering on the deck, each savory puff a sumptuous expression of Southern Burgundy’s epicurean indulgence.

And because good taste travels, Chef Hervé has shared his recipe, inviting Barge Lady guests to savor the flavors of Southern Burgundy at home. Enjoy his homage to fromage: golden Gruyère gougères that turn any hour into cocktail hour!

CHEF HERVE’S RECIPE FOR GRUYERE GOUGERES

Makes approximately 50

Ingredients:

• 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of whole milk
• 1/3 cup of cubed French butter
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/3 cup of grated Gruyère cheese
• 4 eggs

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Pour the milk and cubed butter in a small saucepan on medium heat, and bring to a boil
3. Remove from the stove and add the flour, stirring the mixture with a plastic spoon until the flour is completely absorbed
4. Place the saucepan back on the stove with medium heat
5. When the mixture doesn’t stick to your finger, add the cubed Gruyère cheese, stirring the mixture with a plastic spoon until cheese is fully melted
6. Remove the saucepan from the stove and transfer the mixture to a large bowl
7. Add one egg and stir until the egg is absorbed, and repeat this step, adding two more eggs
8. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag (or scoop rounded tablespoons)
9. Use the pastry bag to place 25 dollops of the mixture on each of two baking trays
10. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg
11. Glaze beaten egg on the dollops of pastry
12. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes

Remove from the oven and serve the freshly baked Gruyère gougères to your grateful guests!

Bon appetit from Barge Lady Cruises!