Month: July 2017
A Match Made In Heaven: When Bread Meets Cheese- Part One
Pao de Queijo- Brazil
Usually served at breakfast, this cheese-flavored roll is crispy on the outside and very chewy on the inside. Parmesan is often the cheese of choice in which this roll is made with for a delicious hit of cheese.
Cuñapé- Bolivia
The crispy outside of this Bolivian treat contrasts so well with the soft, cheesy inside. The key ingredients to this delicious bread are either cassava or tapioca flour inside of all-purpose flour that most people use.
Smørrebrød- Denmark
In the U.S, people often call a “Danish” something that consists of sweet cheese and pastry but traditionally in Copenhagen, a Danish is a delicious piece of rye bread which is coated in meats and butter with smoked or pickled fish as well as sliced cheeses.
Banerov Hatz- Armenia
This is a delicious combination of cheese and onions which are spread over a thin piece of dough which looks quite like a pizza. Some might say that it resembles an Alsatian Tarte Flambee.
Panino- Italy
Nobody combines bread and cheese better than Italy! This grilled cheese sandwich is known as Panino and dates back to Milanese sandwich bars called Pani note Che from the 1970s. It can often contain salads and of course, delicious melted cheese.
Paneer Paratha- India
This famous cheese “Paneer” of India is used in this Indian delicacy which is paired with unleavened bread “Paratha”. These two pairs up and get filled with spiced and are fried and served at breakfast or on it’s on for a light meal.
Beer And Cheese Soda Bread- Ireland
Since the Irish love beer and sharp cheese, it is no surprise that their contribution to this list is beer and cheese soda bread. There is no yeast in the soda bread but there are beer and cheese, which is good enough for us. Some people even add bacon to the mix, what could be better?
Toastie- England
For toasties, cheddar cheese is the selected cheese for this English delicacy. It is pretty much England’s version of the grilled cheese from the U.S. However, the difference between toastie’s and grilled cheese is that the toastie is buttered on the inside and is toasted.
Rasgulla- Bangladesh
These little bread balls are sweet and spongy which are served throughout Indian subcultures in Southeast Asia, Bangladesh in particular. Rasgullas are usually made with an Indian cottage cheese known as ‘Chhena’. They are also made with semolina dough and light syrup. People often eat them as a dessert.
Pan de Bono- Colombia
Very similar to a Colombian bagel, Pan de Bono is usually paired with a hot chocolate. It is made out of cornmeal, question, egg, starch and feta cheese.
Lángos- Hungary
Fried bread is one of the most popular street foods in Hungary. However, the sour cream and melted shredded cheese on top make it a lot more savory. A lot of the time, vendors will add other toppings to it or stuff them with requested ingredients.
Flammkuchen- Germany
Flammkuchen translates to flame cake and is quite similar to pizza. Its thin dough is topped with onions, pork, and soft cheese. It is then cooked in a wood-fired oven to create the perfect combination of gooey, crispy cheese bread.
Tiropsomo- Greece
This perfect combination created by Greeks is feta and bread which is best served warm. It is usually served with dinner, however, leftovers can be reheated to accompany breakfast.
Croque Monsieur- France
Despite this sandwich not being able to exist without the ham, it still is best known for its cheese as well. The French cheese is similar to Gruyere with its nutty flavor which is placed in between two slices of bread and topped with nutmeg. It is then baked, broiled and served.
Khachapuri- Georgia
This popular snack is eaten instead of pizza in Georgia. It is made with sugar, dry yeast, flour, salt, and olive oil. It is topped with lots of butter, eggs and feta cheese and a melty cheese. Yum!
Pasteurized Or Unpasteurized- Which Is Best?
At Shisler’s Cheese House, we home a number of cheeses soft, hard, blue- you name it. These cheeses are either made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk, it usually comes down to the cheesemakers choice, however, some regulations restrict cheesemakers, for example, Stilton has to be made with pasteurized milk and Comte, which has been subject to many controversies, has to be made using unpasteurized milk.
The biggest wonders that come up when discussing the two kinds of milk are first, is pasteurized milk safer than unpasteurized milk? Secondly, does cheese being made with unpasteurized milk taste better?
The most important subject to discuss is obviously if pasteurized milk is safer. It is not an easily answered question, you need to look at the risks and safety concerns surrounding unpasteurized milk, first.
It is common that cheesemaking rooms will contain lots of different bacteria, mainly good bacteria, but then there are quite a few bad bacterias. Some of the bad bacterias that may be present can contaminate milk or cheese with E-coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. However, there are ways to keep these under control and minimize the risks. Some of these ways are actually part of the cheesemaking processes, such as salt dehydrates, these help a lot because a lot of bacteria requires moisture to thrive. Other processes include appropriate procedures during the handling of the milk, the cheesemaking and the maturing of the cheese, shipping, and packaging.
What Is Pasteurisation?
Pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to around 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-25 seconds. This is to kill the pathogens which were mentioned above, not only that, but it kills pretty much everything else, which can be bad as some are important in cheesemaking as they act as a natural defense which comes from the milk. This process also allows for more errors as cheesemakers can become complacent which increases contamination risks. However, that being said, all cheesemakers that Shisler’s Cheese House works with, are never complacent and work to a high and safe standard at all times.
The main thing we believe is that with the safe and controlled handling of milk and cheese, whether it is pasteurized or not, the outcome will be the cheese that is safe to eat, with no significant risks either way.
Does Unpasteurised Milk Taste Better?
This question is equally as challenging as the previous one. Tying it back into how the process of pasteurization kills all bacteria, good and bad, a lot of friendly cultures essential for tasty cheese are destroyed and therefore they have to be reintroduced back into the milk after pasteurization. However, this still doesn’t help because the microflora is damaged and not passed onto the cheese no matter what. This poses a potential drawback in using pasteurized milk. That being said, it’s not justifiable to just say that unpasteurized milk is better, it is indeed a big factor for great cheese which has the potential to make better cheese. Then again, there are many amazing pasteurized milk kinds of cheese because of the skill of the cheesemaker.
In conclusion, cheeses which are made with unpasteurized milk are equally as safe to eat as those made with pasteurized milk and cheese which is made with unpasteurized milk has potential to taste better but that is just one of the factors that go towards the overall quality of cheese.
Get Cheesy This Fourth Of July!
With the 4th of July being a huge milestone in our country’s history, it is a day where families and friends get together and celebrate it at parades, cookouts, parties- you name it! And the biggest things that center these celebrations are food, alcohol, and fireworks (in no particular order!)
Now, focusing on the food aspect which I’m sure we are all most excited for, let’s take a look at one particular dish which is not only patriotic but also a cheesy delight. Here is a delicious cheese dip that you can make ahead of time so you only have to warm it up before the festivities.
The best cheese found for this delicious dip has got to be our White Cheddar at Shisler’s Cheese House. With its sharp flavor, it really pairs well with the sweet Vidalia onions which are also used in this recipe.
This cheese is so high quality and has such a creamy texture and flavor that it makes it perfect for this recipe as it focuses mainly around the cheese. Not only that but it is a great melting cheese, as discussed in some of our other articles, the type of cheese you melt is important, as not all melt the same or at all. You might know already about how good white cheddar is for melting with it being the season for grilling!
To impress even more at your event, you can keep it festive by making your own tortilla chips to go with the dip. It is very easy, all you have to do is take some flour tortillas and a star cutter and go nuts! You bake for a few minutes on 350 or until they begin to become golden.
Be warned, these are addictive so you might want to make a lot! Enjoy!
Recipe For Cheese Dip
What You Need
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1-1/2 cups Cracker Barrel Vermont White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
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1/3 cup mayonnaise
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3 ounces cream cheese, softened
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1/3 cup diced Vidalia onion
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1/2 teaspoon pepper
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1/4 teaspoon herbs de Provence
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1/4 teaspoon creole seasoning