Stron d’Poye (Belgium) on Sandwiches of History⁣

Stron d’Poye (Belgium) — Sandwiches of History

Presenter / channel: Sandwiches of History Recipe recommended by Maxime (provided the syrup recipe)

Ingredients

• Apple juice (amount not specified)
• Pear juice (amount not specified)
• Dates — “a couple” (used in the syrup)
• Bread — one piece per sandwich (type not specified)
• Washed-rind cheese — traditional: Herve (hard to find). Substitute used: Taleggio (washed-rind, slightly funky)
• Optional seasoning: Chinese five-spice (sprinkled on top)
• Mentioned but not recommended: Irish “spice bag” seasoning (too salty for this application)

Equipment & prep

• Saucepan or small pot for reducing juices
• Stove set to low flame for the syrup reduction
• Plate or board for assembling the open-faced sandwich
• No special preheating or marinating steps mentioned

Method

1. Make the syrup
   • Combine apple juice and pear juice in a saucepan over a low flame.
   • Add a couple of dates to the pot.
   • Simmer/reduce on low heat until the mixture becomes dark, caramelized and syrupy.
     • Technique note: the recipe states 30–40 minutes, but in practice it often took several hours to reach the desired consistency.
2. Assemble the sandwich
   • Place a piece of bread as the base.
   • Top with a slice of washed-rind cheese (Herve traditionally; Taleggio used as a substitute).
   • Drizzle the prepared apple/pear/date syrup over the cheese.
3. Optional finishing
   • Sprinkle a small amount of Chinese five-spice over the syrup/cheese for warm spice notes.

Timing & temperatures

• Syrup: simmer over a low flame.
• Expected time per original note: 30–40 minutes; actual time may be much longer (video reported “a few hours”) depending on heat and quantity.

Chef tips, observations & common pitfalls

• The syrup needs time to reduce and caramelize; allow more time than the stated 30–40 minutes if necessary.
• Washed-rind cheeses (Herve, Taleggio) pair well with the sweet, caramelized fruit syrup — the cheese’s funk balances the sweetness.
• The sandwich is intended to be open-faced.
• Chinese five-spice adds warm aromatic complexity and is recommended; an Irish spice-bag seasoning was found too salty for this dish.
• You can buy a commercial syrup online, but it may require large quantities and high shipping costs — making the syrup from juice + dates is a practical alternative.

Plating / serving suggestions

• Serve as an open-faced sandwich: bread + washed-rind cheese + drizzle of syrup.
• Optionally finish with a light sprinkle of Chinese five-spice.

Variations

• Traditional: Herve cheese with apple/pear/date syrup.
• Substitute cheese: Taleggio (used in the video).
• Plussed-up: add Chinese five-spice on top.
• Not recommended: using a salty Irish spice-bag seasoning.

Sources / credits

• Recipe recommendation and syrup recipe credited to Maxime (as referenced in the video)
• Video/channel: Sandwiches of History