Cheese Admiration and Celebration
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If you are keeping an eye out for unbranded dutch goat gouda, which might be cheaper, this is what a (partially consumed) wedge we bought in September when we were in the Netherlands looks like. There is some labelling information on the waxy back. In dutch it will be called geitenkaas. Look for belegen(=mature) or oud(=old). The size and shape of the wheel is the same as gouda, but the goat gouda is much paler. It is one of my favourite cheeses ever.
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Looks delicious. It reminds me of "Heidi, Girl of the Alps", my favourite anime from 1974, where goats, goat milk and goat cheese play an important role. I should watch it again. It has been a while.If you are keeping an eye out for unbranded dutch goat gouda, which might be cheaper, this is what a (partially consumed) wedge we bought in September when we were in the Netherlands looks like. There is some labelling information on the waxy back. In dutch it will be called geitenkaas. Look for belegen(=mature) or oud(=old). The size and shape of the wheel is the same as gouda, but the goat gouda is much paler. It is one of my favourite cheeses ever.
https://youtu.be/9lP4gTWocgs?t=720
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Whenever we are on vacation we spend the last hour at the supermarket or market for edible souvenirs. I asked for cabrales (blue goat) and idiazabal (smoked sheep) at a cheesemonger but got what seems to be a blue sheeps cheese instead of idiazabal. The cabrales is very smooth so I used it in a salad tonight with tangerine slices, croutons and a few dried cherries. Hubby found the cabrales quite strong so it was used sparingly. Not so crazy about the sheeps blue which is quite acidic and more aggressive. Will probably use some in a blue cheese sauce to have on some potato gnocchi I have in the freezer tomorrow.
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One of the things I used to love, was blue cheese (and blue cheese) melted and mixed with heavy cream, as a dip or a sauce. I was crazy about the stuff. Still miss it now, years later.Whenever we are on vacation we spend the last hour at the supermarket or market for edible souvenirs. I asked for cabrales (blue goat) and idiazabal (smoked sheep) at a cheesemonger but got what seems to be a blue sheeps cheese instead of idiazabal. The cabrales is very smooth so I used it in a salad tonight with tangerine slices, croutons and a few dried cherries. Hubby found the cabrales quite strong so it was used sparingly. Not so crazy about the sheeps blue which is quite acidic and more aggressive. Will probably use some in a blue cheese sauce to have on some potato gnocchi I have in the freezer tomorrow.
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Made souffle with some of the blue sheeps cheese I accidentally bought in Valencia. Not entirely successful because i chilled the buttered and breadcrumb lined dishes so the mixture rose high in the centre but not on the edges, causing eruptions. Still tasty and fluffy and putting the acidic, aggressive cheese in a souffle toned it down.. Served with salad with cecina.
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I was at the grocery today, and I almost bought some of that cheese that will remain nameless because you know what it is, and I really want some. They had some cut chunks that were less than ten bucks, and I almost just brought one home.
They also had an entire five pound wheel. The price tag was $180 and change. I probably wouldn't have eaten it all in one sitting....5 -
That is one of the reasons I stopped buying cheese altogether. It is a trigger food. I almost certainly would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting, and it would have been followed by other unrelated stuff, just because cheese is really a trigger/gateway food for me.I probably wouldn't have eaten it all in one sitting....
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BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
That is one of the reasons I stopped buying cheese altogether. It is a trigger food. I almost certainly would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting, and it would have been followed by other unrelated stuff, just because cheese is really a trigger/gateway food for me.I probably wouldn't have eaten it all in one sitting....
Neither of us could have eaten this cheese in one sitting. The two of us together probably wouldn't have a chance. But if we did, we'd have claim to eating near a hundred dollars worth of goaty goodness.
Looks like Jeff Bezos will send me some for not much more than $200.1 -
Good point. Since I did not know how much cheese there was, I should not have said that. 5 pounds would indeed be uncomfortable.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
That is one of the reasons I stopped buying cheese altogether. It is a trigger food. I almost certainly would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting, and it would have been followed by other unrelated stuff, just because cheese is really a trigger/gateway food for me.I probably wouldn't have eaten it all in one sitting....
Neither of us could have eaten this cheese in one sitting. The two of us together probably wouldn't have a chance. But if we did, we'd have claim to eating near a hundred dollars worth of goaty goodness.
Looks like Jeff Bezos will send me some for not much more than $200.
That said, I credit cheese with "feeling full and satisfied" for the first time in my life, in the beginning of this year. I had to eat about 850 g of cheddar/Gouda/Emmental to accomplish it. The feeling was heavenly. While I was not uncomfortably full, I was not hungry at all and lost all interest in food for several hours. It was the best feeling I have ever had. Unfortunately, after a few hours, about four, hunger slowly returned. The result was that I have banned cheese altogether. Feeling full and satisfied at the price of around 800 kcal per hour is not much of a victory. And yes, I miss it. A lot. But life is better without it.
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This morning, I noticed that Marktcheck, a programme from SWR, a German public broadcaster, had made a segment on Gouda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwy_HPG60Lw 1 -
@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?2 -
I used some of the accidentally bought blue sheeps cheese from Valencia in a sauce for potato gnocchi I pulled out of the freezer. For two people I used 45g of the very strong acidic blue cheese with 15g parmesan and it was very nice.
Potato gnocchi BTW is great for transporting cheese. When I first made it 15 years ago it took me the better part of an afternoon but I can now do it in 30 minutes. For 2 people, prick 2 large baking potatoes with a fork to prevent explosions and microwave 6-10 minutes on the highest setting until tender. Cut the potatoes in half and put them cut side down in a potato ricer and press to remove the skins. You will need to scrape out spent skins from the ricer with a fork. Add one egg yolk for every two potatoes, and just enough flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Optional salt and finely grated parmesan. Keep flour and kneading to a minimum for fluffy gnocchi, but if you prefer them chewy and rubbery add more flour and handle the dough more. Roll into a sausage shaped logs, and cut into 1-2 cm lengths. I don't bother with making identations with the tines of a fork, which helps the gnocchi hold more sauce. At this point you can freeze any excess gnocchi on a tray, transferring to ziplock bags once frozen (and no longer sticky). Cook in rapidly boiling until they float to the top, lift out and stir to warm up in your sauce. Cook from frozen by dropping frozen gnocchi into rapidly boiling water, which are done when they float to the top.
Maybe this is mac and cheese for potato fans.
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I thought I would share an idea for a thanksgiving first course/side dish. I am someone who experiments in the kitchen and cooks mostly by sight and smell until ready so I can’t say that this is a “real” recipe or tested … but I am planning to halve and core pears, brush them with a balsamic glaze or a vin cotto for flavor and pre-bake them in the oven until they are hot & soft, but still hold their shape, (you may want to cut a sliver off the bottom to make the sit flat in the baking dish) then top/stuff the cores with some soft blue cheese or brie (I have a carambazola blue, but a dolce gorgonzola or if you don’t like stinky cheeses, a mild brie) and put back in the oven to melt. Top with some crushed nuts (pistachios or sliced almonds) toasted for a few seconds on a pan to crisp and get fragrant. Maybe a turn or two of black pepper. Serve on greens with a sprinkle of vinegar and oil and maybe some pomegranate arils or dried cranberries.
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Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
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BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
Cultural I guess. Sliced cheese is extremely common here in Belgium, to put on bread. You're originally from Belgium, no?
Nothing to do with junk food. (And since when is croque monsieur junk food? It's just bread, cheese and ham, but toasted/grilled)2 -
Haa, nicely put. Yes, I am from Belgium. Lived there for most of my life.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
Cultural I guess. Sliced cheese is extremely common here in Belgium, to put on bread. You're originally from Belgium, no?
Nothing to do with junk food. (And since when is croque monsieur junk food? It's just bread, cheese and ham, but toasted/grilled)
As for junk food, my view on what junk food is or isn't, has change a bit over the years. The first time I heard of cheese as being a junk food, was when Stephen Harper, an ex-prime minister of Canada, was said to love junk food, and that junk food was cheese. It made me think. I was raised to see cheese as a "culture food", and I had always accepted that idea, but when I started to really think about what cheese is, I changed my mind.
I still love cheese, especially –but not exclusively– the really strong-tasting ones. That said, just because *I* like something does not turn it into Good-For-You food. Except, and then only perhaps, when it is eaten in the tiniest of amounts, it really is a junk food.
As for slices, in our family, croque-monsieur really is the only way we ate it. Otherwise, we just cut of a piece of the wedge, nothing more complicated.
Is croque monsieur a junk food? When you turn a blind eye to the culture-related aspects, it is. Bread is junk, cheese is junk, ham is junk and the butter that is often spread on the bread (something I never did) is also junk. It is bad for us, it is bad for the animals, it is bad for the environment, so while there certainly are things that are worse, it is by no means Good. Hence, it is a junk food.
Just compare it to pizza, something that is incredibly popular in North America. Yet, when I was in Belgium, pizza was called junk food. But think of it, while it has most of the junkiness of croque monsieur, it actually contains more vegetables (a little bit, anyway). So, if we call pizza junk, should we not call croque monsieur junk as well?0 -
BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Haa, nicely put. Yes, I am from Belgium. Lived there for most of my life.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
Cultural I guess. Sliced cheese is extremely common here in Belgium, to put on bread. You're originally from Belgium, no?
Nothing to do with junk food. (And since when is croque monsieur junk food? It's just bread, cheese and ham, but toasted/grilled)
As for junk food, my view on what junk food is or isn't, has change a bit over the years. The first time I heard of cheese as being a junk food, was when Stephen Harper, an ex-prime minister of Canada, was said to love junk food, and that junk food was cheese. It made me think. I was raised to see cheese as a "culture food", and I had always accepted that idea, but when I started to really think about what cheese is, I changed my mind.
I still love cheese, especially –but not exclusively– the really strong-tasting ones. That said, just because *I* like something does not turn it into Good-For-You food. Except, and then only perhaps, when it is eaten in the tiniest of amounts, it really is a junk food.
As for slices, in our family, croque-monsieur really is the only way we ate it. Otherwise, we just cut of a piece of the wedge, nothing more complicated.
Is croque monsieur a junk food? When you turn a blind eye to the culture-related aspects, it is. Bread is junk, cheese is junk, ham is junk and the butter that is often spread on the bread (something I never did) is also junk. It is bad for us, it is bad for the animals, it is bad for the environment, so while there certainly are things that are worse, it is by no means Good. Hence, it is a junk food.
Just compare it to pizza, something that is incredibly popular in North America. Yet, when I was in Belgium, pizza was called junk food. But think of it, while it has most of the junkiness of croque monsieur, it actually contains more vegetables (a little bit, anyway). So, if we call pizza junk, should we not call croque monsieur junk as well?
It's interesting reading different reasoning why cheese is a junk food, or butter, or ham etc. People never cease to amaze me. More cheese for me. Cheers6 -
BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Haa, nicely put. Yes, I am from Belgium. Lived there for most of my life.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
Cultural I guess. Sliced cheese is extremely common here in Belgium, to put on bread. You're originally from Belgium, no?
Nothing to do with junk food. (And since when is croque monsieur junk food? It's just bread, cheese and ham, but toasted/grilled)
As for junk food, my view on what junk food is or isn't, has change a bit over the years. The first time I heard of cheese as being a junk food, was when Stephen Harper, an ex-prime minister of Canada, was said to love junk food, and that junk food was cheese. It made me think. I was raised to see cheese as a "culture food", and I had always accepted that idea, but when I started to really think about what cheese is, I changed my mind.
I still love cheese, especially –but not exclusively– the really strong-tasting ones. That said, just because *I* like something does not turn it into Good-For-You food. Except, and then only perhaps, when it is eaten in the tiniest of amounts, it really is a junk food.
As for slices, in our family, croque-monsieur really is the only way we ate it. Otherwise, we just cut of a piece of the wedge, nothing more complicated.
Is croque monsieur a junk food? When you turn a blind eye to the culture-related aspects, it is. Bread is junk, cheese is junk, ham is junk and the butter that is often spread on the bread (something I never did) is also junk. It is bad for us, it is bad for the animals, it is bad for the environment, so while there certainly are things that are worse, it is by no means Good. Hence, it is a junk food.
Just compare it to pizza, something that is incredibly popular in North America. Yet, when I was in Belgium, pizza was called junk food. But think of it, while it has most of the junkiness of croque monsieur, it actually contains more vegetables (a little bit, anyway). So, if we call pizza junk, should we not call croque monsieur junk as well?
Two Belgians, two very different views. And I certainly don't apply it to ham, bread and cheese. Not to pizza either, unless perhaps the domino's/pizza hut type.
I don't particularly like the term junk food. I don't really see the point of labeling individual foods as junk or any other 'demonizing' term, and if I had to label some foods that way, I certainly wouldn't apply it to ham, cheese and bread. I wouldn't class then as unhealthy either. Ham, bread and cheese all contain nutrients and calories, things we need to survive. And they can all fit into a healthy diet. (And how bad something is for the environment hardly seems relevant, a totally different discussion. Humans are bad for the environment, perhaps in that respect we should all just stop eating altogether then)
Anyway, back to cheese.
I had an interesting dessert in Spain recently, while traveling. I shared a 'postre vigilante' ('vigilant dessert') with my boyfriend. Basically a layer of thick/firm quince jelly between two slices of cheese, typically South American apparently. Simply but quite nice. Not my picture, but it looks something like this:
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I agree with you that "junk food" is not necessarily an appropriate term. I use it all the time though. Maybe it is because I am an older generation, maybe it is because I spent part of my school time in Wallonia and am therefore influenced by French views where the US is known as "Le pays de la malbouffe". I don't know.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Haa, nicely put. Yes, I am from Belgium. Lived there for most of my life.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Only when it is used as a junk food, in my opinion. For example, when it is used in a croque-monsieur. Otherwise, I don't see any legitimate uses either. It just doesn't make any sense.@BartBVanBockstaele
Who buys ready sliced Gouda?
Cultural I guess. Sliced cheese is extremely common here in Belgium, to put on bread. You're originally from Belgium, no?
Nothing to do with junk food. (And since when is croque monsieur junk food? It's just bread, cheese and ham, but toasted/grilled)
As for junk food, my view on what junk food is or isn't, has change a bit over the years. The first time I heard of cheese as being a junk food, was when Stephen Harper, an ex-prime minister of Canada, was said to love junk food, and that junk food was cheese. It made me think. I was raised to see cheese as a "culture food", and I had always accepted that idea, but when I started to really think about what cheese is, I changed my mind.
I still love cheese, especially –but not exclusively– the really strong-tasting ones. That said, just because *I* like something does not turn it into Good-For-You food. Except, and then only perhaps, when it is eaten in the tiniest of amounts, it really is a junk food.
As for slices, in our family, croque-monsieur really is the only way we ate it. Otherwise, we just cut of a piece of the wedge, nothing more complicated.
Is croque monsieur a junk food? When you turn a blind eye to the culture-related aspects, it is. Bread is junk, cheese is junk, ham is junk and the butter that is often spread on the bread (something I never did) is also junk. It is bad for us, it is bad for the animals, it is bad for the environment, so while there certainly are things that are worse, it is by no means Good. Hence, it is a junk food.
Just compare it to pizza, something that is incredibly popular in North America. Yet, when I was in Belgium, pizza was called junk food. But think of it, while it has most of the junkiness of croque monsieur, it actually contains more vegetables (a little bit, anyway). So, if we call pizza junk, should we not call croque monsieur junk as well?
Two Belgians, two very different views. And I certainly don't apply it to ham, bread and cheese. Not to pizza either, unless perhaps the domino's/pizza hut type.
I don't particularly like the term junk food. I don't really see the point of labeling individual foods as junk or any other 'demonizing' term, and if I had to label some foods that way, I certainly wouldn't apply it to ham, cheese and bread. I wouldn't class then as unhealthy either. Ham, bread and cheese all contain nutrients and calories, things we need to survive. And they can all fit into a healthy diet. (And how bad something is for the environment hardly seems relevant, a totally different discussion. Humans are bad for the environment, perhaps in that respect we should all just stop eating altogether then)
Anyway, back to cheese.
I had an interesting dessert in Spain recently, while traveling. I shared a 'postre vigilante' ('vigilant dessert') with my boyfriend. Basically a layer of thick/firm quince jelly between two slices of cheese, typically South American apparently. Simply but quite nice. Not my picture, but it looks something like this:
I have come to define junk food as "Not Good For You", but then the problem becomes that no food is actually Good For You. And that maybe influence by the fact that I spent some time in a Jesuit school where the motto was that doing good was impossible, and that the most we could hope for was not doing bad.
On the other hand, I also oppose the idea that something is "Bad For You", which would be what most people I know would use the term junk food for. The point is that Paracelsus got it just right: the poison is in the dose. Mothing is good and nothing is bad, it all depends on how much you ingest. Which brings back the idea of "moderation" so often used, but never defined, by dietitians.
That said, I have never seen the jelly-cheese example you are displaying. I am aware of the custom of using jelly on top of cheese on top of bread, my grandmother did that. I am also aware of a habit of putting slices of cheese on top of thin sweet cookies, I have never been able to adjust to that. It's totally disgusting to me.
For me, cheese is something I eat on its own, cubed, or on top of white bread when it is somewhat spreadable. But then, given the current phase in my diet, cheese is a no-no. It is a trigger food for me, and from my experience with alcoholics and drug addicts, I have learned that it is easier to "just say no" than to apply "moderation". "Moderation" may well work for some people, all the power to them. It doesn't for me. Too bad for me.
As for pizza, if you Google "pizza" and "junk food" you will see that opinions are pretty evenly split on that.
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As a friendly reminder, this is not a junk food debate thread: There are various of those around MFP, for those inclined.
It's a cheese thread.
Me, I eat some cheese - sometimes multiple servings - pretty much every day. As an ovo-lacto vegetarian, and one who tends to under-consume fats if she doesn't pay attention, I find it nutritionally helpful. I almost never go over the MFP sat fat default (get a fair fraction of MUFAs/PUFAs from other foods), and the cheeses have useful protein, useful fat . . . plus they're delicious. It seems like a psychological miracle that I can (mostly) moderate them! (I apologize to those who can't for underscoring my good fortune in that way.)
Today, I ate a goat feta - a favorite - from my local farmstead creamery. It's quirky, not a classic feta really, but I adore it. Though I don't love cauliflower rice (bigger chunks of cauliflower have more flavor), tonight's dinner was cauliflower rice with a nice garlic/tomato pasta sauce, an egg, and a portion of that good feta. Enjoyable, and a good macro/micro profile to fill out my day. I'm full and happy.
ETA: That thing @acpgee posted a while back here, with the smoked cheese plus a sweet topping (genericizing the idea) was really good, in experiments I tried. I had some with Cornelian cherry jelly (that a friend made), some with pomegranate molasses, neither of which were exactly the original concept . . . but really good on melty smoked gouda or provolone.
@lietchi, what was the nature of the cheese in the 'postre vigilante' you had? I looked at some web articles, but they were more descriptive of the "dulce" layer (which can be quite various, it seems), and not very specific about the cheese. In your photo, it looks like it could be Halloumi-like, or queso-fresco-like, or paneer-like, or . . . ? Can you describe what you had?4
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