How do you like your cheese?

[no mayonnaise]

My favorite cheese is blue cheese. I just wish it melted better.
My favorite way to use it is I make veggie burgers with blue cheese, crispy shallots, BBQ sauce, dijon, lettuce, tomato, spicy pickles, and a fried egg. Sesame seed bun. It's so fire.

 

[Addie]

PF, I'm happy to send out our nice, creamy cheeses. I wish curds would make it to people still squeaky. They lose it after a day though ...

Addie, if you have Sam's by you, they carry several Tillamook lines (at least by us). It could be because they are actually packaged here in Wisconsin at the Marathon Cheese plant, just a short 20 miles from me.

I am not kidding when I say I am in the heart of cheese country

No Sam's by me. The one that we did have closed due to lack of business. They couldn't complete with BJ's or Costco. And yet our Costco's had to expand just two years after they opened their doors. Makes Home Depot look like your corner Mom and Pop store.

 

[Steve Kroll]

PF, I wish curds would make it to people still squeaky. They lose it after a day though ...

Actually, there's a trick to keeping the squeak.

I'm from Wisconsin myself and spent a couple of summers working in a cheese factory when I was in high school. The head cheesemaker taught me this. Curds only squeak when they are at room temperature and still moist. So what you do is put them in a bowl and add enough hot tap water to cover them. Let it sit for a minute or two and then drain off the water. Voila! Instant squeak.

This will work as long as the cheese curds are less than a week old. After that, the squeakiness is gone forever.

Try it for yourself.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Cheese sauce recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Cabbot Seriously Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, or comparable cheddar - grated
1/2 cup smoked gouda - grated
2 eighth inch-thick slices of Velveeta processed cheese, cut into chunks.
3 tbs. butter
3 tbs. AP flour
dash of salt
Milk.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and a dash of salt, and cook until blonde. Slowly whisk in milk until you have a thin Bechemel sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the cheddar and stir until creamy smooth. Add the gouda and stir until smoth. Add the Velveeta and stir until smooth.

When this cools, it will turn into a cheese product, similar to Velveeta, but with a richer flavor, and a bit of smokiness. If you stir in a little more milk, while it's hot, it be more like Cheese Whiz. Add a little more milk and it will remain a sauce. As the processed cheese, it makes great grilled cheese sandwiches. As a sauce, it's great over cauliflower, or other veggies, or in home-made mac and cheese.

I even accidentally brought this sauce to a boil while making it, and it didn't break. Unless you burn it, this recipe is foolproof, and tasty.

And of course, I invite you to change it; maybe add a little mustard, or garlic, maybe even dill. Make it your recipe.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CraigC]

I don't know where to start. I have no absolute favorite, so I'll go by usage.

Parmigiano Reggiano
Mozzarella (cows milk)
Muenster
Sharp cheddar
Jack
Ricotta
Smoked Mozzarella
Gruyere
Papillon Roquefort, Black Label

These are also great, but not used on a regular basis
Mascarpone
Manchego
Butterkase (sorry don't know how to add an umlaut above the a)
Any Triple Creme
Oaxaca
Gorgonzola
Swiss

There are many others, I just can't recall the names.

 

[Addie]

I saw a small article yesterday stating that Parm Cheese cost $26.00 a pound. Where are these people shopping? The most I have ever paid is $6.99 a pound grated. For a chunk right off the wheel, $5.99 a pound. I get the chunk!

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I was at a store yesterday. They have a big display of Dubliner Cheddar just in time for St Paddy's day coming up. Not sure it was on sale or a feature item. In an effort to be more economical, I had brought only a limited am't of cash, no cards. It's a nice cheddar to try too if you have never tasted it.

It's available at TJ's and I think Costco.

 

[CraigC]

I saw a small article yesterday stating that Parm Cheese cost $26.00 a pound. Where are these people shopping? The most I have ever paid is $6.99 a pound grated. For a chunk right off the wheel, $5.99 a pound. I get the chunk!

I'd expect to pay $26.00 a pound for Prosciutto di San Daniele, not Parmigiano Reggiano. That sounds awful cheap for the real thing.

 

[taxlady]

I don't know where to start. I have no absolute favorite, so I'll go by usage.

Parmigiano Reggiano
Mozzarella (cows milk)
Muenster
Sharp cheddar
Jack
Ricotta
Smoked Mozzarella
Gruyere
Papillon Roquefort, Black Label

These are also great, but not used on a regular basis
Mascarpone
Manchego
Butterkase (sorry don't know how to add an umlaut above the a)
Any Triple Creme
Oaxaca
Gorgonzola
Swiss

There are many others, I just can't recall the names.

ä: If you are using a Windows computer, then Alt+0228 (but you have to use the numeric key pad). Or you could use Character Map.

 

[CharlieD]

Having spent some time in Europe, I am kind of spoiled. There a lot of cheeses that states just do not have or if they do they are of inferior quality, as the matter of fact dairy products in US are far from what you can get in Europe, Israel, and even Soviet Union in the past. Though I have to say situation greatly improved lately. Of course during this "lately" time, I started to keep kosher and kosher cheeses are far and few between compare to non-kosher Variety so I really should not comment. But in the spirit of this thread, I do like Havarti a lot.

P.S. of topic. The same goes with cold cuts. European cold cuts are by far superior.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Having spent some time in Europe, I am kind of spoiled. There a lot of cheeses that states just do not have or if they do they are of inferior quality, as the matter of fact dairy products in US are far from what you can get in Europe, Israel, and even Soviet Union in the past.

Charlie, 15 years ago I would have agreed with you on this, but it really isn't true any longer. There are an estimated 1,200 artisanal cheesemakers in the US. Many have trained in Europe, and the quality here has improved tremendously.

Granted, you aren't going to find most of these cheeses in your typical supermarket, though.

 

[CharlieD]

Charlie, 15 years ago I would have agreed with you on this, but it really isn't true any longer. There are an estimated 1,200 artisanal cheesemakers in the US. Many have trained in Europe, and the quality here has improved tremendously.

Granted, you aren't going to find most of these cheeses in your typical supermarket, though.

well that is why I said "I have to say situation greatly improved lately".
For an almost old man like me 15 years is nothing. I still will argue that the variety of dairy you get in European countries and Israel is much better. Even a simple Russian store here in the city has amazing things that you do not find in a regular store. And Russian stores here are pretty lousy. NY, that is the place to go shopping.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I saw a small article yesterday stating that Parm Cheese cost $26.00 a pound. Where are these people shopping? The most I have ever paid is $6.99 a pound grated. For a chunk right off the wheel, $5.99 a pound. I get the chunk!

Like cuts of different steaks (chuck vs rib vs filet), Parm is priced according to it's quality and "birthplace". I'm perfectly happy with Market Basket's Parm, made in Wisconsin. However, I did pay almost $25/pound for a wonderful Parm from a little Italian shop in Philly's Italian Market. It was exquisite! Certainly out of our price range for everyday use, but every once in a while you have to break the bank for a special treat.

 

[Addie]

Like cuts of different steaks (chuck vs rib vs filet), Parm is priced according to it's quality and "birthplace". I'm perfectly happy with Market Basket's Parm, made in Wisconsin. However, I did pay almost $25/pound for a wonderful Parm from a little Italian shop in Philly's Italian Market. It was exquisite! Certainly out of our price range for everyday use, but every once in a while you have to break the bank for a special treat.

I buy from the wheel that comes right off the boat from Italy. And I ask for them to turn the wheel so I can see the rind and the stamp. I don't know if it is because Boston has such a large Italian population that our import items here in this city are cheaper. But I am not complaining. Romano cheese is more expensive than the Parm.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

PF, I'm happy to send out our nice, creamy cheeses. I wish curds would make it to people still squeaky. They lose it after a day though ...

Addie, if you have Sam's by you, they carry several Tillamook lines (at least by us). It could be because they are actually packaged here in Wisconsin at the Marathon Cheese plant, just a short 20 miles from me.

I am not kidding when I say I am in the heart of cheese country

We have a cheesemaker up the valley who brings fresh curds in daily. Yum!!!

Anytime you have a Tillamook wish or a Bitterroot Valley cheese request, just holler.

 

[GotGarlic]

I buy from the wheel that comes right off the boat from Italy. And I ask for them to turn the wheel so I can see the rind and the stamp. I don't know if it is because Boston has such a large Italian population that our import items here in this city are cheaper. But I am not complaining. Romano cheese is more expensive than the Parm.

We've discussed this before, but Boston isn't the only place where you can find imported Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese at a reasonable price. At the store where I buy mine, it's also right off the wheel and they have it on sale once a month or so for $10-12 per pound.

 

[taxlady]

I bought a nearly one kilo chunk if 30 month old Parmagiana Regiano at Costco for $26.99/kg ($12.25/lb).

 

[Mad Cook]

Brie, Stilton, creamy Lancashire (not so sharp as the crumbly Lancashire), Wensleydale (a Yorkshire cheese), Parm reg, Buffalo Mozzarella, Jarlsberg, Cheshire (the farmhouse one not the mass-produced one), Leerdammer,
Caerphilly (Welsh).

Not necessarily in that order.

 

[Mad Cook]

I buy from the wheel that comes right off the boat from Italy. And I ask for them to turn the wheel so I can see the rind and the stamp. I don't know if it is because Boston has such a large Italian population that our import items here in this city are cheaper. But I am not complaining. Romano cheese is more expensive than the Parm.

I don't know if it's true now or even if it ever was, but I was told many years ago that the Parmigiano Reggiano trade was controlled by the Mafia.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

... The most I have ever paid is $6.99 a pound grated. For a chunk right off the wheel, $5.99 a pound....

I buy from the wheel that comes right off the boat from Italy. And I ask for them to turn the wheel so I can see the rind and the stamp....

You're getting a heck of a deal Addie. Mind sharing the name of the store you buy your Parm at? Might we worth a trip into civilization from the frontier. Also just wondering, do you know the dairy name or something that would let me know what "brand" it is? Thanks!