cheese lovers

Wiseandcurious wrote: »

I think they mean processed cheddar. Real cheddar is barely known in non-english speaking countries.

Then again, real cheddar is rare in tbe US and Canada too and some people equate "cheddar" with processed cheese.

On first entering A Canadian supermarket, what they call "mozzarella" here completely blew my mind

NOT Cheddar:
http://www.instagroceries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/compliments-old-cheddar-cheese-bar.jpg

NOT Mozzarella:
http://www.instagroceries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/compliments-mozzarella-cheese-bar.jpg

I will not post images of the real stuff because I will surely crave it immediately but they're pretty easy to google.

I want cheese now

I see - it's a lost in translation thing. What is in those pictures is not the cheddar we have in the UK.

All is ok with the world again (especially after eating some real cheddar).

yeah i understood that.
The UK has some yummie cheeses and i always loved the Irish butter too.

Cc215 wrote: »

Wiseandcurious wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1262524/TOM-PARKER-BOWLES-Real-Cheddar-comes-farm-factory--chuck-plastic-imposters.html

Now that's what I'm talking about! Mmmmmm cheddar!

yummieeeee

Laughing cow extra light triangles Are only 19 calories !

Same here, I am in Quebec so I have access to delicious fresh local cheeses, even in the supermarket (depending on the chain), let alone the farmer's market and you can get it straight from the farms themselves too.

I think what the rest of the world sees as "bad American food" is cheep processed stuff that's easily available in the supermarkets. There are the same fantastic local products here as in Europe - artisanal cheese, bread, microbrewery beer (yummmmm!), fresh and yummy meat products, fruit preserves, liquors, you name it... of course there are, all the natural conditions are in place and the know-how was brought over centuries ago so why wouldn't there be?! The big, big problem is that they are a lot more expensive and harder to access than in Europe

ETA: Sorry, seems like hi-jacking thread... Back on topic - I would say it's better to spend your calories on real cheese, and skip the plastic stuff. If aged cheeses are not your thing or are too expensive money- and calorie-wise, cottage cheese is more protein per calorie and more easily obtainable. But cheese-type spreads, melts, slices and what have you... Not for me, thanks.

Kraft makes a new fat free cheese that is super low cal. It tastes a little bit different but to still hit your calorie goal and have cheese at the same time.. totally worth it!

Wiseandcurious wrote: »

I think what the rest of the world sees as "bad American food" is cheep processed stuff that's easily available in the supermarkets. There are the same fantastic local products here as in Europe - artisanal cheese, bread, microbrewery beer (yummmmm!), fresh and yummy meat products, fruit preserves, liquors, you name it... of course there are, all the natural conditions are in place and the know-how was brought over centuries ago so why wouldn't there be?! The big, big problem is that they are a lot more expensive and harder to access than in Europe

Yes but a lot of it is cultural, too. I'm also in Montreal, and we are spoiled here. I don't always remember that, but occasionally I get forcefully reminded -- like the time I was in Calgary on business and was asked if I wanted "cheddar or swiss?" in my sandwich wrap... only to learn too late that she didn't actually mean cheddar or swiss, she meant yellow plastic cheese or white plastic cheese?

I am a devotee of artisinal cheese, fresh baked bread, craft microbrews, single-origin chocolate, fresh fruit preserves, etc. I spend more money to buy them because to me, they're worth it. My calories are more precious than my dollars. Besides, restricting calories means that I'm eating all these things slowly, so I can afford to spend a little extra on them because I'm buying less food overall.

ravenzwart wrote: »

Okay, i was trying to say those slices are not cheese and are not something i crave for. I will try not be so outspoken anymore.
So for everyone who felt insulted: I am sure every country has lovely cheeses and has some cheeses that arent that great. Maybe it was a case of lost in translation....and it wasnt my intention to hurt or offend anyone ( or there local cheese).

But those yellow/orange slices compared to old amsterdam ore a nice blue cheese or a nice goat cheese, no way they should count in the same category.
In the risk of being missunderstood again, edam in poland isnt always like edam here. I understand now thats the case with cheddar also.

All this thinking/ about cheese, i am going to have some tonight, mmmm.

I just bought a nice chunk of brick cheese and am looking forward to eating some tonight. (Brick is a surface ripened rather sharp cheese that is kind of like a milder Limberger. It is called "Brick" because the curds are pressed with clay fired bricks)

You just eat less of it... a LOT less of it

I'm French too living in the US so it helps some because good cheese is so expensive here, but still. I remember going to Whole Foods and buying $20 worth of cheese and a baguette and eat half the cheese and the whole baguette. I was actually craving a camembert sandwich last week so I bought a baguette and an overpriced camembert and made myself a small sandwich (with maybe 1/6 of the baguette and less than 1/4 of the cheese)... and it still clocked in at 400 calories. *sigh* I used to eat 5 times that for a meal.

For Christmas we got 6 fantastic cheeses from Wisconsin as a present, and I had to go through them one ounce at a time... oh that was such a pathetic amount of cheese. Needless to say I got to have maybe 3 servings by the time they were gone.

ETA: fat free and low fat cheese are not cheese.

My solution to cheese and calories was to fall in love with GOOD cheese. GOOD cheese is only made in Europe and they don't export it, believe me. I can only afford to go there once a year, so I am safe. Besides when I have good cheese, wine and bread it takes a looonnnggg time to savor each bite. So, I don't consume as much as when I am shoveling down the American dreck that passes under those names. Oh, to be sitting on the beach near Gallipoli with my Italian friends, a slice of peccorino and a glass of Salentino.

diegops1 wrote: »

My solution to cheese and calories was to fall in love with GOOD cheese. GOOD cheese is only made in Europe and they don't export it, believe me. I can only afford to go there once a year, so I am safe. Besides when I have good cheese, wine and bread it takes a looonnnggg time to savor each bite. So, I don't consume as much as when I am shoveling down the American dreck that passes under those names. Oh, to be sitting on the beach near Gallipoli with my Italian friends, a slice of peccorino and a glass of Salentino.

That's just not true at all. First of all, there are cheesemongers here who can import fantastic European cheeses and the FDA is loosening it's restrictions on unpasteurized. Second of all, there are cheese producers here as well who make fantastic cheese. Doe Run Dairy, for example.

PRMinx wrote: »

diegops1 wrote: »

My solution to cheese and calories was to fall in love with GOOD cheese. GOOD cheese is only made in Europe and they don't export it, believe me. I can only afford to go there once a year, so I am safe. Besides when I have good cheese, wine and bread it takes a looonnnggg time to savor each bite. So, I don't consume as much as when I am shoveling down the American dreck that passes under those names. Oh, to be sitting on the beach near Gallipoli with my Italian friends, a slice of peccorino and a glass of Salentino.

That's just not true at all. First of all, there are cheesemongers here who can import fantastic European cheeses and the FDA is loosening it's restrictions on unpasteurized. Second of all, there are cheese producers here as well who make fantastic cheese. Doe Run Dairy, for example.

Some good ones around here are Widmer's and Carr Valley. There are many excellent North American cheeses. You just have to either know where to look or be in a good location.