Posted on 03/06/2002 8:53:28 AM PST by Uncle Miltie
Cheese! From the big cheesy mozzarella pull you get when grabbing a slice of pizza pie to the tangy twang from a crumble of Oregon blue cheese over your salad, I think there isn't a person who doesn't love it.
And then there's the "something that I love to hate" about a slice of American on a burger. Delish cheddar — although a favorite — just doesn't bite the same.
We love cheese in our resurgent craze for mac-and-cheese, melted in enchiladas and stuffed in mushrooms, and nibbled after dinner with a glass of port.
Now that I think our society is starting to get over the fear of fat and realizing that fat has taste (and it tastes good!), cheese is making a comeback. People not only want to enjoy the different flavors, they want to know where the cheeses are coming from, too. So for those of you who have yet to venture beyond cheddar, Swiss or American cheese, a whole world of scrumptious temptations awaits you from our own Northwest cheeses — Sally Jackson's, Quillisasquat and Rogue River Oregon Blue — to California boutique cheeses and Europe's ultimate fromage.
Recently Clark Wolf, food-industry trend consultant and longtime supporter of the American Cheese Society, was in town touting some faboo California cheeses. He popped over during his whirlwind Seattle tour and we settled in for some nibbling and cheese chat. (Look for his upcoming cheese book, published by Simon & Schuster.)
For the amateur cheese lover, Clark suggests trying a new cheese every week. When you can, buy your cheese from a person who knows what he's selling. This will allow you to ask questions.
When serving cheese, use a wood or marble board and serve three to five cheeses. On one board serve a soft, creamy cheese like brie or Cow Girl's Creamery triple cream, a sharp-flavored cheese such as Gouda, and a firm cheese such as St. George or a dry Jack. On a separate board, use two stronger cheeses, one stinky and one blue.
Remove cheese from the fridge at least a half-hour to an hour before eating. This helps to bring it to a proper temperature. Some cheeses ooze as they get warm, so place them, unwrapped, directly on the serving board or platter. (You can have a gooey mess when transferring between plates.) Loosely cover the entire dish.
Serve the cheese in whole natural pieces and cut the pieces in half. Most guests are timid in going for the first slice and ruining the perfect rind, so be a good host and start the cheese for them. Then they won't be afraid. Although, Wolf says, "Don't put your cheese into cubes, that's just creepy."
If unsure what to serve with your cheese, Wolf confirms that wine and cheese go hand-in-hand. Chardonnay goes well with cheddar and, if tasting a tangy cheese, go for a more acidic wine or a creamy wine, such as a port, to soften the cheese taste.
Besides wine, some nibbles that are great to serve with cheeses are fruits — pear or apple slices, grapes or dried fruits — and nuts — toasted or natural, or nut breads. And what could be an easier appetizer than that? Just slice up some rustic breads, or serve flatbread or crackers.
To store your cheeses, keep the pieces in plastic wrap in your fridge. Each time you use the cheese, change the plastic wrap so it is always fresh. Soft cheeses with a bloomy rind, like Camembert and bloomy-rind goat cheeses, are best stored in a plastic container with the lid slightly open. This creates a light humid atmosphere with a little air for the cheese to breathe.
Like any dairy product, cheese is perishable, so it's best not to buy more than you'll use in a week. If you purchase a larger piece, cut off a bit for the week and store the larger piece in fresh plastic, in the bottom of the refrigerator where it's colder. This works great with firm cheeses.
Alison Leber, local food and wine consultant and former owner of Brie & Bordeaux, gets down to the rind and clues us in on some key information
• All cheese that has a rind, soft or firm, stops aging when cut, so you shouldn't expect the pre-cut brie you purchased at the grocery store to age at home in the fridge.
• And if you thought the rind was good for nothing, think again. Leber suggests saving old rinds in the freezer, particularly those from the premium Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano. They are great for soup, stocks and risottos. Just put a rind in the dish while cooking, then discard (or munch on) when the dish is done.
These recipes are some of my favorites that use cheese, from the "one-ingredient" Parmesan Crisps that go so perfectly with a Caesar salad, to the exotic preparation of fromage blanc with "popped" Indian spices and green chutney, to the marinated fresh mozzarella with vine-ripe tomatoes and basil, to the absolute sexiest blue-cheese scalloped potatoes.
Ick. Brie.
A moose thread can't be far behind........FRegards
-ccm
Owl_Eagle
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