Cheese Admiration and Celebration

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Replies

  • ToffeeApple71
    ToffeeApple71 Posts: 121 Member
    Cheese is the one thing that prevents me from being Vegan as opposed to Vegetarian.

    Me too! Or at least plant-based (can't be bothered worrying about minutiae which I probably don't know about which would mean I'm not vegan anyway).

    Vegan cheese is just dire and often contains coconut oil which I can't tolerate.

    My favourite cheese is a local one, made by "over the moon" here in NZ. It was an accidental light blue... something happened that didn't work but the cheese is soft, spreadable if you want, sweet and so flavoursome with very little blue. They sell it at our farmer's market and it is divine.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    Cheese is the one thing that prevents me from being Vegan as opposed to Vegetarian.

    Me too! Or at least plant-based (can't be bothered worrying about minutiae which I probably don't know about which would mean I'm not vegan anyway).

    Vegan cheese is just dire and often contains coconut oil which I can't tolerate.

    My favourite cheese is a local one, made by "over the moon" here in NZ. It was an accidental light blue... something happened that didn't work but the cheese is soft, spreadable if you want, sweet and so flavoursome with very little blue. They sell it at our farmer's market and it is divine.

    That sounds wonderful, but I don't think they'll let me into NZ right now to get some. 😉 I'll have to put that on my "cheese goals" list, too.

    Me, I have nothing useful to add, except that it turned out that cubed-up queso fresco was oddly tasty with broccoli, black vinegar and tamari - sort of a cross-cultural quick vegetarian dinner experiment. I think it (queso fresco) might be good marinated in various things, too.

    Speaking of vegetarian (one of which I've been for 47+ years) my understanding of the terminology is that "plant based" describes eating patterns, and overs a wide range, with the universal factor that most of the diet is plant-sourced. May or may not include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, other animal products in small amounts.

    Vegetarianism you apparently are familiar with, and are, I think? You probably know it comes in sub-types, like ovo-, lacto-, ovo-lacto, and strict, depending on whether the person eats eggs, dairy or no animal sourced foods at all.

    Vegan , IMU, goes beyond eating patterns to be a moral/ethical whole-lifestyle perspective that avoids any foods or other products that exploit animals either directly, or in their processing. Animal foods not eaten, animal products not worn (like leather) or used in other ways to the extent possible, foods processed with animal products that aren't in the finished food are not eaten (like many refined sugars, some beers, etc.), honey may not be eaten, etc.
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,919 Member
    Tillamook. Yum! We did a trip down the Oregon coast a few years ago and that was definitely a highlight. Actually it was the Tillamook ice cream that caught my fancy the most. I tried to bring some home in our RV freezer but ended up eating it before we even got to the border LOL
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,943 Member
    I'm currently on holiday in France (Jura region) and yesterday we went to a restaurant for a typical regional dish: cheese fondue! It's been years, and last time was a Swiss (or maybe Savoyard) version of it.

    Jura version: three types of Comté cheese (young, semi aged and aged) melted and mixed with white wine and some Marc égrappé (a type of eau-de-vie). Not my picture, but to illustrate 😉
    d1dotjmc03bp.jpg
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,919 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    I'm currently on holiday in France (Jura region) and yesterday we went to a restaurant for a typical regional dish: cheese fondue! It's been years, and last time was a Swiss (or maybe Savoyard) version of it.

    Jura version: three types of Comté cheese (young, semi aged and aged) melted and mixed with white wine and some Marc égrappé (a type of eau-de-vie). Not my picture, but to illustrate 😉
    d1dotjmc03bp.jpg

    Oh. My. I am salivating as I type this. We lived in Germany for 4.5 years and spent many, many weekends camping or skiing in Switzerland. I use Emmentaler, Gruyere, white wine, a bit of Kirschwasser (would that be considered an eau-de-vie?) and a rub around the dish with a clove of garlic when making my fondues. I'd love to find some Comte and try that instead for a change.

    Most people drink white wine with their cheese fondues. Me included. However we were once enjoying one in Switzerland (I think we were in Verbier) where the server told us that to really get the full flavour of the cheese, we should be drinking a hot beverage with it. I wonder if it was a regional thing, or just a personal preference. Has anyone else ever heard that recommendation before?
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,732 Member
    @ridiculous59 yes I think a hot drink was suggested in Brussels when we had the most amazing fondue too. I have a feeling it was still alcoholic and maybe a bit sweet to counteract the saltiness of the cheese 🤔 I also adore Comte, and I’m intrigued by the Parmesan with balsamic - as a cheese fan, I may be outing myself but I usually only have Parmesan with cooked stuff (ie in a sauce). What have I been missing all these years?! 😮
  • ToffeeApple71
    ToffeeApple71 Posts: 121 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Cheese is the one thing that prevents me from being Vegan as opposed to Vegetarian.

    Me too! Or at least plant-based (can't be bothered worrying about minutiae which I probably don't know about which would mean I'm not vegan anyway).

    Vegan cheese is just dire and often contains coconut oil which I can't tolerate.

    My favourite cheese is a local one, made by "over the moon" here in NZ. It was an accidental light blue... something happened that didn't work but the cheese is soft, spreadable if you want, sweet and so flavoursome with very little blue. They sell it at our farmer's market and it is divine.

    That sounds wonderful, but I don't think they'll let me into NZ right now to get some. 😉 I'll have to put that on my "cheese goals" list, too.

    Me, I have nothing useful to add, except that it turned out that cubed-up queso fresco was oddly tasty with broccoli, black vinegar and tamari - sort of a cross-cultural quick vegetarian dinner experiment. I think it (queso fresco) might be good marinated in various things, too.

    Speaking of vegetarian (one of which I've been for 47+ years) my understanding of the terminology is that "plant based" describes eating patterns, and overs a wide range, with the universal factor that most of the diet is plant-sourced. May or may not include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, other animal products in small amounts.

    Vegetarianism you apparently are familiar with, and are, I think? You probably know it comes in sub-types, like ovo-, lacto-, ovo-lacto, and strict, depending on whether the person eats eggs, dairy or no animal sourced foods at all.

    Vegan , IMU, goes beyond eating patterns to be a moral/ethical whole-lifestyle perspective that avoids any foods or other products that exploit animals either directly, or in their processing. Animal foods not eaten, animal products not worn (like leather) or used in other ways to the extent possible, foods processed with animal products that aren't in the finished food are not eaten (like many refined sugars, some beers, etc.), honey may not be eaten, etc.

    And this is the minutiae I struggle with. Happy to avoid the obvious, like honey, but the additives and colourings to look out for, plus things in shampoo, face creams etc means I could never call myself vegan.

    I don't really give myself a label. I guess I'm a vegetarian, I do eat eggs and cheese. Occasionally I'll eat fish (if I've caught it) and we always have salmon on Xmas Day.

    But cheese really, really is my downfall!
    We have a great shop here that sells amazing cheese and I'll sometimes go in and try something new. Found a washed rind cheese that my goodness was so smelly but she promised me it tasted good. Had it with some homemade crackers, and really enjoyed it. Wouldn't get it again unless I was sure it would be eaten at one go, because the leftovers stank out my fridge!
  • MaggieGirl135
    MaggieGirl135 Posts: 1,038 Member
    This thread is amazing! A few years back, I was asked what my favorite food was and was truly stumped (I like all foods, excluding black licorice, which (I believe) goes without saying, but I digress). After much thought, I realized that cheese is my favorite food. I had no clue as to all the cheeses (and pairing with other foods) that I didn’t know about. Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions; I need to go on a serious cheese hunt!
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    Cheese is life. I quite still like to make a good old grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.

    I also eat chees a lot just on it's own. I keep the Babybel cheese and Laughing Cow to have with veggies or some sort of cracker/pretzel. I like cheese spreads (like the Boursin).

    I'll just cut off a bug chunk of cheese (brie or bellviato...smoked gouda - or any smoked cheese really) and have it with olives, pickles and cold cuts .... like a basic b charcuterie.

    I also love limburger sandwiches. I know that puts some ppl off but the taste is better than the smell, lol.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,732 Member
    Little bit off topic as it’s a combo but - feta and olives, or small spicy peppers stuffed with cream cheese. Treated myself to both today with a baguette - incredibly tasty 😀
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,732 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg
    @AnnPT77 what’s the layer in the middle of that amazing looking cheese? Is it ash or something like nettles?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg
    @AnnPT77 what’s the layer in the middle of that amazing looking cheese? Is it ash or something like nettles?

    That's my understanding, that it's a layer of edible vegetable ash.

    WRT your other post: Please, do feel free to contribute posts to this thread about your favorite cheese combinations.

    I have a feta I adore from a local farmstead cheesemaker, but many fetas are good.

    I was skeptical, but there was a TikTok recipe folks were viralizing, so I tried it. One puts cherry tomatoes, a single unchopped hunk of feta, some minced garlic, maybe some pepper, and a bit of olive oil over all, in a baking dish, then bakes at 400F until all gets soft. Stir to mix, use on pasta. Ridiculously easy, so tasty! (I started doing a separate baking dish of onions and fresh mushrooms alongside, then to that adding handfuls of spinach in the last few minutes while there was still some mushroom liquid. Can't combine with the tomato/feta dish while baking, because the tomatoes are then too hydrated to roast to richness, but combine once it's out of the oven.)

    Another thing I like, especially to take to potlucks (mostly so I don't eat it all myself!) is to get a package of frozen filo. Thaw, layer with olive oil spray (time saver vs. the traditional painted-on melted butter), put in baking pan; fill with a mix of ricotta, feta, eggs, garlic, an herb (I like minced fresh rosemary), pepper, maybe a bit minced onions; top with more feta/olive-oil layers and crimp/trim; bake until cooked through and crispy/lightly browned. People think it's fancy, but it's not hard . . . and it's soooo good.
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,919 Member
    edited February 2022
    @AnnPT77 That Filo wrapped recipe sounds amazing!!

    A while back I posted that our Christmas Eve tradition is to do a raclette, however we had a hard time finding raclette cheese this year and ended up using a mixture of Gruyere and a bit of raclette (not the same melting characteristics 🙁). Our favourite deli said that they hadn't been able to get raclette cheese for about a year. Well, I got a phone call from them last week to tell me they'd finally got some in. A little late for Christmas.....but maybe a new Spring tradition?? Haha
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg
    @AnnPT77 what’s the layer in the middle of that amazing looking cheese? Is it ash or something like nettles?

    That's my understanding, that it's a layer of edible vegetable ash.

    WRT your other post: Please, do feel free to contribute posts to this thread about your favorite cheese combinations.

    I have a feta I adore from a local farmstead cheesemaker, but many fetas are good.

    I was skeptical, but there was a TikTok recipe folks were viralizing, so I tried it. One puts cherry tomatoes, a single unchopped hunk of feta, some minced garlic, maybe some pepper, and a bit of olive oil over all, in a baking dish, then bakes at 400F until all gets soft. Stir to mix, use on pasta. Ridiculously easy, so tasty! (I started doing a separate baking dish of onions and fresh mushrooms alongside, then to that adding handfuls of spinach in the last few minutes while there was still some mushroom liquid. Can't combine with the tomato/feta dish while baking, because the tomatoes are then too hydrated to roast to richness, but combine once it's out of the oven.)

    Another thing I like, especially to take to potlucks (mostly so I don't eat it all myself!) is to get a package of frozen filo. Thaw, layer with olive oil spray (time saver vs. the traditional painted-on melted butter), put in baking pan; fill with a mix of ricotta, feta, eggs, garlic, an herb (I like minced fresh rosemary), pepper, maybe a bit minced onions; top with more feta/olive-oil layers and crimp/trim; bake until cooked through and crispy/lightly browned. People think it's fancy, but it's not hard . . . and it's soooo good.

    Eek, I just re-read myself. The bolded should be "more filo/olive-oil layers", not more feta. It's an "enclosed in filo" thing.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,732 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg
    @AnnPT77 what’s the layer in the middle of that amazing looking cheese? Is it ash or something like nettles?

    That's my understanding, that it's a layer of edible vegetable ash.

    WRT your other post: Please, do feel free to contribute posts to this thread about your favorite cheese combinations.

    I have a feta I adore from a local farmstead cheesemaker, but many fetas are good.

    I was skeptical, but there was a TikTok recipe folks were viralizing, so I tried it. One puts cherry tomatoes, a single unchopped hunk of feta, some minced garlic, maybe some pepper, and a bit of olive oil over all, in a baking dish, then bakes at 400F until all gets soft. Stir to mix, use on pasta. Ridiculously easy, so tasty! (I started doing a separate baking dish of onions and fresh mushrooms alongside, then to that adding handfuls of spinach in the last few minutes while there was still some mushroom liquid. Can't combine with the tomato/feta dish while baking, because the tomatoes are then too hydrated to roast to richness, but combine once it's out of the oven.)

    Another thing I like, especially to take to potlucks (mostly so I don't eat it all myself!) is to get a package of frozen filo. Thaw, layer with olive oil spray (time saver vs. the traditional painted-on melted butter), put in baking pan; fill with a mix of ricotta, feta, eggs, garlic, an herb (I like minced fresh rosemary), pepper, maybe a bit minced onions; top with more feta/olive-oil layers and crimp/trim; bake until cooked through and crispy/lightly browned. People think it's fancy, but it's not hard . . . and it's soooo good.

    Eek, I just re-read myself. The bolded should be "more filo/olive-oil layers", not more feta. It's an "enclosed in filo" thing.

    No no no - I’m sure it should read more feta! Can never have too much feta! 🤣
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg
    @AnnPT77 what’s the layer in the middle of that amazing looking cheese? Is it ash or something like nettles?

    That's my understanding, that it's a layer of edible vegetable ash.

    WRT your other post: Please, do feel free to contribute posts to this thread about your favorite cheese combinations.

    I have a feta I adore from a local farmstead cheesemaker, but many fetas are good.

    I was skeptical, but there was a TikTok recipe folks were viralizing, so I tried it. One puts cherry tomatoes, a single unchopped hunk of feta, some minced garlic, maybe some pepper, and a bit of olive oil over all, in a baking dish, then bakes at 400F until all gets soft. Stir to mix, use on pasta. Ridiculously easy, so tasty! (I started doing a separate baking dish of onions and fresh mushrooms alongside, then to that adding handfuls of spinach in the last few minutes while there was still some mushroom liquid. Can't combine with the tomato/feta dish while baking, because the tomatoes are then too hydrated to roast to richness, but combine once it's out of the oven.)

    Another thing I like, especially to take to potlucks (mostly so I don't eat it all myself!) is to get a package of frozen filo. Thaw, layer with olive oil spray (time saver vs. the traditional painted-on melted butter), put in baking pan; fill with a mix of ricotta, feta, eggs, garlic, an herb (I like minced fresh rosemary), pepper, maybe a bit minced onions; top with more feta/olive-oil layers and crimp/trim; bake until cooked through and crispy/lightly browned. People think it's fancy, but it's not hard . . . and it's soooo good.

    Eek, I just re-read myself. The bolded should be "more filo/olive-oil layers", not more feta. It's an "enclosed in filo" thing.

    No no no - I’m sure it should read more feta! Can never have too much feta! 🤣

    Non no no - as much feta as you like! 😉🤣

    You can use buckets of the stuff, potentially. Just put it in the middle, between the filo "crusts". Use a deeper baking dish, bake longer, maybe drop the bake temp a bit so the nice flaky filo doesn't get over-browned, make sure the flavorings are also adjusted proportionately. Don't diss the ricotta, either, for smoother texture and to moderate the salt from the feta (yeah, I know that salt is good - I loooove salt).

    (Kidding around, as I know you are, but really: Nothing wrong with more feta. 😋)
  • Nicoles0305
    Nicoles0305 Posts: 313 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    OK, back to my OP obsession: The Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. So good!

    It might be the best food ever . . . but then again, morels exist, and they aren't even cheese. Hard question! Not too many other foods in the running, for me (maybe a few . . . but I know it's personal taste, more importantly).

    0r1vpx6ppnra.jpg


    I’ve died and gone to heaven finding this thread! Ann, that Humboldt Fog is my second favorite cheese, only beat out by Black Label Cambozola. I go to the local market almost every week and buy a big old chunk of the Cambozola.

    I’ve yet to meet a cheese didn’t like. I love them all. Aside from the local farmers market( I get a lot of fun cheeses from Aldi. They’ve got a great borgonzola. They also have some wonderful goat cheeses- one with blueberries and another with cranberries. I love a good white Stilton with mango and ginger or lemon peel. And Raclette…. Oh Raclette!

    I could go on and on really. I love cheese so much that I’ve now just started making my own. Freshly made ricotta is out of this world. The grocery stores can keep their tubs of mediocre ricotta now! Lol I’ve got a butterkase aging, as well as a salata ricotta and one called Guido’s hard Italian cheese. Just today I started on a farmhouse cheddar. I can’t wait to taste it…in 1-9 months! 😂🤣 Oh but they’ll be so worth the wait. I do plan to try my hand at making my own Cambozola, probably next week. But I want to make them all- Brie, Camembert, Stilton, and if I can find a source for goat and sheep milk, you better watch out! 😂

    But anyway. I love cheese. It’s my favorite once a week treat- every weekend my husband and I make a nice big cheese tray. I mean, I have cheese every day, but it’s a bite or two. The cheese tray is heaven, absolute heaven.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    @Nicoles0305, you and I like a lot of the same cheeses! The white Stiltons, both mango/ginger and lemon peel, are wonderful, I agree. I haven't tried the Black Label Cambozola, but I'll have to look for it. I understand that it's a milder blue, and I do like blue cheese, but to me the blues are a little more specialized to eat or use, and as someone who lives alone it's hard to use up a big chunk while it's a peak stage.

    I've been too lazy to even try making cheese (unless labneh counts, which I think it doesn't), but I do enjoy my local cheesemakers' wares. Your efforts are inspiring, though, and your butterkase looks lovely!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    drmwc wrote: »
    My cheese anecdote: Many years ago I was on a diving trip. We were nipping across the Channel to dive in Normandy. (The D-Day landings make for some of the most historically important wrecks one could hope to dive.)

    I lent a friend a tank. He wanted to pay me; I didn't want money. He insisted; eventually the idea of being paid in cheese occurred to me. We were going to France, after all, and French cheese is nice.

    To my surprise, I wasn't paid in French cheese. He went to a specialty cheese shop in Bermondsey in London, and got me a fine selection of superb English cheese.

    My scuba club's underground currency for favours has been cheese ever since.

    Does your club accept members who don't dive, but are in for the cheese? 😉

    Just kidding, of course - but that sounds like a wonderful club tradition. My rowing club tends to go in more for lattes and baked goods as "thank yous", or the occasional beer. Those are nice, too, but . . . . cheeeeese! 😋
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,043 Member
    I'm on vacation on the Canary Islands and have had a cheese tapa apparently unique to this location known as questo ahumado. It is a smoked cheese that is melted under the broiler either on bread or served like raclette with bread rolls. It is sweetened with either a drizzle of date molasses, blueberry jam or marmalade. Pictured twice. Once at a great tapas place grilled on a plate on its own with blueberry jam, another time at a mediocre tapas place grilled on bread with date molasses on the side.
    9d6wxl38qubc.jpeg

    1qsw0bfatik6.jpeg
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,050 Member
    @acpgee, based on this and other recipes you've posted in other threads, I really need to find some pomegranate molasses (not stocked at my usual haunts, but I can cast a wider net). That queso ahumado with jam/molasses sounds worth trying at home!

    @Nicoles0305, just lemon juice and hot milk? I think I could handle that, and I do like ricotta. Will put it on my list of things to try!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,043 Member
    @AnnPT77
    pomegranate molasses is a middle eastern ingredient so find it at the ethnic grocer. Substitute balsamic vinegar if you can't find it, though that is quite a lot more expensive. If you do make it to a Turkish or Middle Eastern shop, also pick up some date molasses which is much sweeter and can be used to replace molasses if you want more fruity complexity.