Category: Cheeses
A World of Beer and Cheese!
Beer and Cheese: A New Marriage?
Beer and cheese may not be the first things you’d pair together, but believe it or not, the union of the two go all the way back to the Middle Ages. In fact, in Belgium, exceptional beer and cheeses were such an important part of their everyday lives, that even today it is a delicacy and small bowls of cheese are often served in beer bars to accompany your beer.
You may think the best suited alcoholic beverage to accompany cheese is wine. Although cheese can make the cheapest of wines enjoyable, wine can be overpowering to our taste buds at times and make it hard to relish delicious cheese to the fullest potential.
On the other hand, beer and cheese are both farmhouse products which automatically means they compliment each other. Typically, a farmer’s diet back in the day consisted of cold meat, cheese, and beer. Beer and cheese have very close origins, in the fact that barley, which is a cereal grass, is a product used to make beer and milk is a by- product of a cow eating grass. Consequently, the fact that they share such similar characteristics means that they are both alike in flavor and aroma and ultimately compliment each other greatly.
Source: https://www.craftbeer.com/educational-resources/craft-beer-cheese-style-guide
How to pair beer and cheese
Try having your favorite beer with a plate of different cheeses and find one which you most enjoy with it, as the preference is the best way to find a pairing. Also, putting together complex beers with complex cheeses is a good tip when it comes to pairing the two.
Here’s a list of ideas when it comes to pairing beer with popular cheeses:
* Pale Ale with Sharp Cheddar
* Wheat Beer with Feta
* Fruit Beer with Mascarpone
* Pilsner with American Cheese
* Brown Ale with Colby
* Amber Lager with Parmesan
* Octoberfest Beer with Swiss Cheese
Basically, the main thing when it comes to pairing beer with cheese is having a play around with the process, experiment with your own preferences and remember that beer is the beverage which goes with all types of food or on its own, so theirs a huge variety of possibilities!
A Helpful Serving Tip:
Buy raw milk, cow, goat or sheep cheeses. Milk that is not pasteurized and has not been processed will culture while milk that has undergone pasteurization processes produces cheese whose scents and flavors are removed. Contrarily, cheese that are produced from raw milk are richer, fuller and support traditional cheese-making processes.
Beloved Cheeses From Around The World
The World Of Cheese
The glorious world of cheese began around 4,000 years ago. Although the oldest evidence of cheese comes from Switzerland, an Arab merchant in the Middle East claims to have made cheese by accident, on his journey through the desert. The merchant stored a supply of milk in a pouch made from a sheep’s stomach, which in turn, with help from the desert sun, curdled the milk, forming the mouth-watering flavor of cheese. Obviously, it was an instant hit in the world, and thus came The World Of Cheese!
Source: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/587949417577066499/3uCD4xxY.jpg
So which country loves cheese the most?
It may not ever dawn on you, but cheese consumption is actually dependent on genetics! It sounds bizarre that genetics can take any place in the consumption of glorious cheese, but when it comes to it- roughly 75 percent of the world’s population, 25 percent of that belonging to the U.S. alone, are lactose intolerant.
While only 5% of Caucasians are lactose intolerant, the table turns when it comes to those of east Asian descent and African descent, being that roughly 95% of east Asians and around 50% of people of African descent are lactose intolerant. This is why cheese is mainly found to have flourished in Europe as opposed to the regions of Asia and Africa. Through this knowledge, it is not surprising that the top 10 countries for cheese consumption per capita all fall within Europe, with France topping number 1 at 57.9 pounds per year and Netherlands being at number 10 with 42.7 pounds per year.
What are the most popular cheeses of the world?
A big part is played by climate when it comes to the world’s favorite cheeses. In places such as the Middle East and the Mediterranean, preservation of cheese was a challenge in the hot climate so salt was heavily added, to preserve. This is why Feta cheese is so loved in Greece. On the other end the climate spectrum, places such as the Alps, where caves served as great places to refrigerate cheese, fresher cheeses such as Gouda or Havarti could be relished.
Overall, the most favored cheese is dependent of climate as traditions date back 4,000 years ago, when modern day refrigeration was not an option. That being said, the indigenous adaptations follow through to this day, forming the different Nation favorites. The U.S. is a big combination of all Europe’s favorite cheese as it is a nation of immigrants, so it cannot really claim one indigenous favorite. (Native Americans had no dairy in their diet.) There are American cheeses today, but they’re mainly adaptions of European recipes. Latin America also holds a part in the United States’ favorite cheeses, with a lot of the nation being of Hispanic descent.
So, You Think You Know Cheese?
Cheese is one of the most hallowed and beloved foods on the planet, and is seemingly consumed on a daily or near-daily basis by a majority of the world’s populations. Cheese has been around since the beginning of time, it seems, and has transpired from a staple food to a culinary masterpiece.
Source: http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=15982
Here are a list of cheese facts that may just add to the mystery, that is cheese and its curious cases…
Albeit, there is not much specific information concerning the history and origins of cheese, it is believed that cheese dates back to approximately 6,000 BCE, according to archaeologists. Experts have determined that, based on their findings, during that era, cheese was produced from the milk of cows and goats across Mesopotamia.
Studies have shown the mozzarella cheese has the highest rate of consumption of any other cheese on the planet. Moreover, there are over 2,000 different cheeses that are produced, circulated and consumed around the world.
Who are the largest consumers of cheese? Nope, not Italy or France, but Greece. On average, a person from Greece consumes about 60 lbs of cheese, annually, much of it coming in the form of Feta.
Cheese is the largest produced staple around the world. Its production is more than the production of coffee, tea, tobacco and cocoa beans, combined!
The very first cheese-making plan was born in Switzerland in 1815. The first mass production didn’t begin until 36 years later in the United States.
Cheese is an excellent source of protein, calcium and phosphorus, when eaten in moderation of course. Cheese gets a bad name mainly from its higher content of saturated fats.
Yes, the United States acknowledges the greatness of cheese. How so? They have dedicated the month of June to National Dairy Month while the last week of June is National Cheese Week.
Twenty million metric tons of cheese is produce on a global level annually and production will continue to increase every year.
On average, about 10 lbs of milk is needed to make just one pound of cheese. That’s a 10:1 ratio and seems like a ton of work for only one pound of cheese, but if it were not for cheese-making, a tremendous amount of milk would be wasted every year.
Cheese has a very long shelf life, and in some cases, cheese is exposed to mold which allows them to age properly. These cheeses include: Bleu Cheese, Gorgonzola and Brie, among others.
During the time of the Roman Empire, many larger homes belonging to Roman residents had separate kitchens that were designated for cheese-making. These kitchens were called “careale”.
Lastly, there are a number of cheeses that promote dental health as they prevent tooth decay. Cheese like mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss and American increases the amount of saliva flow which leads to elimination of sugar and acids from the mouth that would aid in decay.
Eating Cheese Can Lead To Weight Loss And A Healthier Lifestyle!
Ever wonder why Europeans have a lower heart rate and are more physically fit than their cross-ocean neighbors, Americans? Even though it seems as though European diets consist of intake that is seemingly through the roof in saturated fats, they still yield some of the most physically fit populations on the planet. Researches formerly attributed this to lifestyle practices and their penchant to indulge in wines. However, recent studies have shown that, you guessed it, cheese may also contribute a vital roll in the everyday healthy lifestyles of most Europeans. How can this be when many cheeses are high in fat content? Well, to counteract the high fat content, the healthy benefit stems from the potentially high metabolic rejuvenation within the cheese.
Source: http://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/600x600p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/142/87/86523919_XS.jpg
For the purpose of the study, scientists compared bodily fluid samples from a group of people whose diets consisted of higher intakes of milk or cheese as well as a controlled diet of butter but no other dairy was a part of their diet. Findings showed that those whose diet consisted of cheese had higher levels of butyrate in their bodily fluids as compared to other groups of people. Butyrate is a short chain of fatty acids that are produced by bacteria in your stomach. In a similar light, the increase in butyrate levels resulted in lower cholesterol. This makes the very valid argument that cheese could be a included in a diet geared toward to healthier lifestyle.
While science has not truly revealed exactly how butyrates contribute to a healthier lifestyle, other studies have shown butyrates improves insulin sensitivity, energy levels, all while reducing stress levels. A study conducted in 2009 that was presented in the journal of Diabetes, linked butyrates to a markedly reduced risk of obesity.
As much as some cheese has its health benefits, other cheese do not exemplify or promote as much of a healthy lifestyle as others. Aged cheeses will be your best shot at improving your healthy lifestyle and tackle the weight loss mission. Such cheese include aged cheddar, Parmesan and Greyere… among others. Butyrate can originate from two sources, mainly. I can be produced from cheese itself or from bacteria produced in the stomach after the consumption of certain foods. An expert in this study noted that in both instances, aged cheeses tend to result in an increased amount of butyrate than fresh cheeses.
As studies have shown, it’s something we should be aware of as it meshes well with earlier research showing that cheese can have the benefits of reducing cholesterol compared to other dairy products with similar fat content. With that in mind, consider adding aged cheese to your diet as it may prove to be a healthy move!
Now is the Time to Order Your Shisler’s Cheese House Holiday Gift Boxes
While Christmas is meant to be a joyous, happy and exciting time of the year, it can just as easily be a very hectic time of the year, especially if you really haven’t a clue what to get someone as a Christmas gift. Do you ever find yourself in a holiday version of a “writer’s block”? Never know what to get a friend, a family member or a colleague? Yes, these can be tough and stressful times, not sure what to get someone while racing against the clock, with time not on your side, as you try to make a dash for a last-minute gift at the department store or specialty store.
What if we told you, we have a solution for you? What if we, at Shisler’s Cheese House, can help alleviate your Christmas shopping worries and stresses by letting us create a magical Christmas experience for your loved ones, your friends and even your coworkers? Have we got your attention now? Shisler’s Cheese House offers a wide selection of Christmas gift boxes with assorted cheeses, meats and other goodies. With a number of different options and gift box assortments that you can choose from, you cannot go wrong.
GIFT BOX OPTIONS
Gift Box 1: Baby Swiss Cheese
Contents
– 4 lb. wheel of Baby Swiss
Gift Box 2: Troyer’s Trail Bologna & Cheese
Contents
– 1 Lb. Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Colby
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Farmers
– Assorted Chocolates
Gift Box 3: Cheese Lover’s
Contents
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Cheddar
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Cojack (Marble)
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Farmer’s Cheese
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Pepper Jack
– Assorted Chocolates
Gift Box 4: Amish Cheese & Goodies
Contents
– 1 Lb. Baby Swiss Wheel
– 1 Summer Sausage Link
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Colby
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Pepper Jack
– Shisler’s Private Label Mustard
– Home Style Amish Jam
– Carr’s Crackers
– Assorted Chocolates
– 6 oz. REACH Coffee
Gift Box 5: Baby Swiss Cheese & Troyer’s Trail Bologna: A Classic Amish Country Combination
Contents
– 4 Lb. Baby Swiss Wheel
– Large Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring
– Shisler’s Private Label Mustard
– Carr’s Crackers
– Assorted Chocolates
– 6 oz. REACH Coffee
Gift Box 6: Amish Country Sampler Gift Box
Contents
*The best that Amish Country has to offer! Our Amish Country Sampler Gift Box includes*
– Large Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring
– 1 Lb. Box of Heggy’s Chocolates
– Home Style Amish Jam
– Shisler’s Private Label Hot Jalapeno Mustard
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Cheddar
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Cojack (Marble)
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Farmer’s Cheese
– 3/4 Lb. Wheel of Pepper Jack Cheese
– Baby Swiss Cheese Wedge
– Summer Sausage Link
– Townhouse Crackers
– 6 oz. REACH Coffee
Best Cheeses To Eat As The Weather Turns Colder
Source: http://www.dairyinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cheese2.jpg
Cheese is great anytime of the year, but as with many foods out there, cheeses can be different in taste, texture, and quality with the changing of the seasons. For example, a number of cheeses will exhibit their peak flavor and texture during the cooler/colder months of the year. These types of cheese are classified into two groups, that is (1) cheeses made from the milk of animals that is produced during peak spring and summer months, usually falling between May and October and (2) cheeses made from the milk of animals produced during peak fall and winter months, usually falling between November and March).
Not only do cheeses themselves vary fundamentally from season to season, but they can also exhibit distinct seasonal variability from region to region. This revolves around when the temperatures turn too cold for animals to remain outside. During peak spring and summer months, animals producing dairy products consume fresh grass, wild flowers, herbs and any other plants, shrubs or grasses that nature may sprout up. On the contrary, as the weather turns colder, these animals remain in sheltered environments and their diets consist mainly of dried hay or silage (grasses which are harvested and gathered at their peak state and preserved for the winter by fermentation processes). With this change in seasonal diets, particularly during the winter months, the animal still produces milk, albeit, the volume and flavors are not at their peak as they would be in spring and summer dairy production; during the spring and summer months, the milk has a distinct sweet, herbal flavor from the grasses and wild flowers the animals consume from the mountain side.
While a number of cheeses are best when aged, this is not the case for all cheeses. Non-aged cheeses are at their peak during the spring and summer months. This would include cheeses such as mozzarella, feta and chevre. Cheeses which are aged, however, can take a longer time to reach their peak flavor and texture. This means that cheeses made from animals’ milk during the spring and summer months may have to wait until the following year to be able to enjoy the full value of the cheese.
Cheeses made from animals’ milk in the spring and summer months which are at their peak flavor and texture by the following winter are:
- Appenzeller
- Comte
- Gruyere
- Colston Basset Stilton
- Cabrales
- Morbier
- Raclette
- Rogue River Blue
- Uplands Cheese Pleasant Ridge Reserve
With the colder months of winter, come cheeses that are produced from the milk of animals whose diet consists mainly of dried hay. These cheeses will be void of many of the distinct, vibrant flavors of cheeses produced from milk produced in spring and summer. However, cheese produced from milk during winter months have a higher fat content which yields very rich cheeses. One of the most highly touted cheeses on the planet comes from winter milk from the same breed of cows that produce summer milk that makes Gruyere called, Vacherin Mont d’Or.
Because of the overall decrease in the overall production of milk during the winter months, winter milk cheeses are generally on the smaller end of the size spectrum while the aging process is over a much shorter time period.
Shisler’s Fine Line of Products can help you bring in Fall and Winter
As we delve further into the heart of Fall, with Winter to follow, moods get dull and that spice of life seems to dissipate over the course of time through the year’s last few months and the through the handful of months to start a new year. This is what we sometimes call the Fall and Winter Blues. But, it does not have to be this way. We can always enjoy the finer things Fall and Winter has to offer. For example, waking up on a Fall morning to a nice cup of coffee or tea, throwing on a hoodie and hiking the open trails painted with Fall colors, or, waking up on a winter morning with nowhere to go and wrapping that extra blanket around you for just another hour of sleep. While Fall and Winter can bring out the blues in many a number, I prefer to think the spice of life can still be found over these two seasons, if we just try to look hard enough.
Speaking of the spice of life, Shisler’s can help you bring out the best of Fall and Winter with our line of products that can add that extra zest to any blues-infested mood.
Who doesn’t love a good piece of cheese, complimented with a glass of fine wine. To see our line of fine, aged (or not aged) imported and domestic cheeses, please visit HERE.
Source: https://douglasgreen.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/wine-and-cheese.jpg
Chocolates are amazing anytime of the year. However, they become increasingly desirable and irresistible as the seasons change, especially as colder weather becomes the trend. Shisler’s is well-known for the chocolates we carry, and we are proud to carry signature chocolates from Heggy’s and Stefanelli’s. Our selection of Heggy’s Chocolates is a vast one featuring everything from assorted milk chocolates to maple walnut creams. With such a vast selection to choose from, there is an option for almost everyone. Our selection of Stefanelli’s includes their signature “Sponge Candy” which a combination of sea-foam toffee covered in chocolate. From experience, let me tell you this… once you have one, it is essentially game over as you’ve fallen victim to the domino effect. Once you have one, that turns to two, two turns to three… and so on. Trust me when I tell you this, the effect is real. To see our selection of chocolates, please visit HERE.
Source: http://www.laurascandy.com/images/chocolate.jpg
Finally, if all this were not enough to cure the Fall and Winter blues, let our selection of gourmet foods help rejuvenate, not only your mood, but your taste buds. Wake up on a cold Winter morning to a buttered roll, and instead of using “Land O’ Lakes” butter, try some of our locally, homemade Rolled Amish Butter. If you’re in an undeniable mood for pancakes or waffles, choose from our selection of locally, homemade maple syrups and try them in our wide selection of flavors including: Blackberry Pecan, Blueberry, Cinnamon Sticky Bun, Lavender, Red Raspberry and Shagbark Hickory. With such a selection of incredible flavors, you really cannot go wrong. And, if you are up for a delicious, hot cup of tea, we some fantastic honey that will compliment any cup of tea. To see our selection of specialty foods, please visit HERE.
Photo Credit: Stephen Hamilton
The Best Ways to Eat Cheese: Part 2
This will continue part two of our “The Best Ways to Eat Cheese” miniseries. Who doesn’t like cheese? Who doesn’t like a good miniseries? If you didn’t raise your hand for either of these critical questions, you’re again, in the right place. In the first part of this miniseries, we discussed some of the tantalizing ways that we can infuse cheese in a number of dishes, and even desserts. From cheese-stuffed meatballs to cheese-infused pie crust to a ham and cheese bread bowl, there was something from just about everyone’s taste buds. And, the best part, there were all relatively easy to make and didn’t really break the bank, which is always a great thing!
In part two of this miniseries, we will divulge a number of other foods that we can secretly infuse with cheese that will create a pronounced flavor to an already delicious culinary masterpiece.
Stuffed Peppers… with Cheese!
We’ve all had or even made stuffed peppers at some point in our lives, and if you haven’t, what on Earth are you waiting for? For as delicious as stuffed peppers can be if made with that added touch of TLC, a remarkable version of this dish can created by infusing the meat with your favorite cheese!
Apples and Oats… don’t forget about the Cheese!
When making apples and oats, alone, it is a pretty awesome and dynamic flavor of tart and sweet. Adding cheese to this will create a far more dynamic concoction that will leave your taste buds begging for more. This treat becomes a masterpiece when using Brie as your cheese of choice, infused within the apple and oats, and you actually get that cheese pulling effect every time when using Brie!
Cheese Soup
One of the simplest recipes on Earth is making soup. This recipe can be complex depending on what kind of soup you’re making. Easily heighten the flavor of the soup by either adding cheese to it or making the broth of the soup cheese-based. Here is a great recipe for Beer and Cheese soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups (450g) wheat beer or pale ale
- 3 tbs (30g) cornstarch
- 16 ounces (450g) sharp white cheddar, grated
- 1 cup (240g) broth (vegetable or chicken)
- ½ cup (120g) heavy cream
- 1 tsp (4g) red pepper sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- 2 cup (200g) tater tots, cooked according to package directions*
Instructions
- Add the beer, cornstarch, cheddar, broth, heavy cream, and red pepper sauce to a blender. Blend on high until very well combined, about 5 minutes.
- Add to a pot over medium high heat, simmer until warmed and slightly thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in chives.
- Ladle into serving bowls, top with tater tots, serve immediately.
Source: http://thebeeroness.com/2015/09/23/10-minute-tater-tot-beer-cheese-and-chives-soup/
Cheese with Salad… That Simple!
Take you favorite salad, and add cheese to it. It can be any kind of salad… vegetable salad, green salad, fruit salad, antipasto salad. Just add some of your favorite cheese as a topping or add the cheese another “main ingredient” to the salad. Here is a unique recipe for making Watermelon, Radish, Orange and Goat Cheese Salad
- 1 shallot or half of a small red onion
- 2 to 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt
- 2 to 3 watermelon radishes
- 2 to 3 oranges, clementines, grapefruit, etc.
- a handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped (see notes)
- goat cheese to taste
- chives, minced, optional, but they add some nice color
- olive oil to taste
- Mince shallot. Place in small bowl. Cover with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinegar depending on how big of a salad you are making. Add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Cut off one end of the radish. Leave the other intact so you have a handle when you run the radish down your mandoline. Peel the radishes if you wish, though it is by no means necessary. Thinly slice on a mandoline. (Note: I ate one slice unpeeled and thought it tasted fine but went ahead and peeled them anyway because I thought the salad might look prettier if they were peeled, but I don’t think it actually really matters.) Arrange radish slices on a platter. I try to fold some of them so they’re not all squished down in one flat layer, but arrange however you wish. Season all over with salt.
- Cut off each end of each orange. Squeeze each end over the radishes, then discard. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the orange. Cut in between membranes to remove each slice. Squeeze remaining membrane all over the radishes to extract any juice. Scatter oranges over the radishes.
- Scatter walnuts and goat cheese to taste over the radishes and oranges. Pour macerated shallots and vinegar over top. Drizzle olive oil to taste (one to two tablespoons) over top. Scatter chives over top if using.
- Let sit a few minutes (or longer — it benefits from a brief rest) before serving.
Source: http://www.alexandracooks.com/2014/12/24/watermelon-radish-orange-goat-cheese-salad/
Simply Fry It!
Cheese, in and of itself, is a delicious staple of food. It can come in various sizes, shapes, colors, textures, tastes, ages, among many other variations. Cheese takes on an entirely new level of taste when you decide to fry it. While it may not be the healthiest sound option, it sure is delicious. Sometimes its good to be a little bad, ha! Here is a recipe for Fried Goat Cheese with Honey. That sounds delicious just thinking about it!
- 4 oz goat cheese, cut into eights
- 1 egg
- ½ cup rice flour
- ½ cup club soda
- 1½ cup panko
- Honey, for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cast iron pan to 1″ depth over medium heat to a temperature of 375.
- Take each piece of goat cheese and roll in a ball.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the rice flour, egg and club soda. Place the panko in another bowl.
- Roll each ball in the egg mixture, then coat with the panko. Repeat the process and then place the coated ball on a piece of wax paper. Repeat with the remaining seven balls. Place in freezer for 10 minutes until firm.
- Drop each ball in the oil, turning until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain, then place on serving plate and drizzle with honey
- Serve immediately.
Source: http://www.gogogogourmet.com/fried-goat-cheese-balls-with-drizzled-honey/
The Best Ways To Each Cheese: Part 1
Who doesn’t like eating cheese? As a culture with a strong, burning passion for food, at or near the top of this list, we often find cheese. Cheese is an overlooked, and often underappreciated food. In can be integrated into countless dishes, or it can be used as a topper for so many more dishes, salads and even desserts. We, as a civilization, never seem to run out of ideas for our uses of cheese. Every day, it seems that culinary experts and chefs around the world are experimenting with different cheeses and dishes in their efforts to create new dishes whose main attraction is cheese, in some way, shape or form.
Let’s taker a gander at some of the more ingenious creations in which cheese is used, or hidden, for that matter. Now, keep in mind, some of these dishes or cheese concealments require a “think outside of the box” approach…
Cheese-stuffed Meatballs
When making meatballs, add some “umpf” to it by integrated some of your favorite cheese when rolling the meat to form meatballs. As the cheese meets the heat when cooking, the cheese will expand and will add an extraordinary flavor to an already delicious meatball.
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Ham, Egg and Cheese Crepe
- Make your pancake, as you normally would… the thinner, the better in the case of this recipe.
- When the underside is nearly cooked, place a slice of ham on top, topped off with some of your favorite cheese.
- Fold the sides into to make a square, or as close as you can get to one.
- Break your egg into the space left… leave sunny-side up.
- Squish the sides down with your spatula to seal as the cheese melts.
- Cook for 3 or 4 minutes until the egg is turning white.
- Pop under the grill for a further 2 or 3 minutes until the yolk is just starting to cook, or however you like it. (Although, if you like it any way other than runny you’re way crazy.)
Source: http://www.tamingtwins.com/ham-egg-and-cheese-crepes/
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A Cheesy Pie Crust… literally
Making a pie crust with cheddar cheese baked directly into the crust gives it an entirely new dimension of flavor. Try baking an Apple Pie with a cheddar cheese infused crust. Goodness, that sounds absolutely amazing just thinking about it.
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For the Gluten-Free
For those who are in search of gluten-free foods, try using cheese as bread crumbs over zucchini. If this peaks your interest, try this recipe for starters… Parmesan Baked Zucchini.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Basil
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh Parsley leaves
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a cooling rack with a nonstick spray such as Crisco and place on a baking sheet.
- In a bowl, combine the following: Parmesan, Thyme, Oregano, Basil, Garlic Powder, salt and pepper. Taste to determine if this meets desired taste.
- Place the quartered zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil and as well as Parmesan mixture.
- Place into oven and bake until tender. This usually takes ~ 15 minutes. Then broil for around 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
- Serve immediately. Garnished if that is your thing…
Source: http://damndelicious.net/2014/06/21/baked-parmesan-zucchini/
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Cheese-Infused Loaf of Bread
This is quite the old-fashioned move, but as they say, “an oldie but goodie” and this no doubt falls in this league. When baking a loaf of bread, step up your culinary game and inject a concoction into the center of the bread; a concoction of your favorite cheese, spices, herbs, etc. Bake and enjoy!
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More Cheese… More Bread
With the Cheese-Infused Bread in the back of your mind, try this cheese creation on for size. The Bread Bowl of Cheese is another cheese creation, or should I say, masterpiece, that is in yet another league of its own. Try this recipe…
INGREDIENTS
- 4 bread rolls (soft or crusty)
- 4 small slices of ham, or 2 big ones cut in half
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut tops off the bread rolls.
- Scoop out the center of each bread roll and reserve. Although this can be quite an intricate step in the overall recipe, try to keep your cuts and scoops nice and neat.
- Line the bread bowl with a layer of ham, using a single slice or multiple slices as needed.
- Crack in an egg. This is the part of the recipe where Humpty Dumpty came to mind with me.
- Top each with 2 tablespoons of Mozzarella and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
- Put the tops back on each roll. Wrap with foil and place in oven to bake for ~10 to 15 minutes, making certain to check periodically, ideally, in 10 minute intervals.
- 10 minutes = very runny yolks. 15 minutes = firm just cooked yolks. 15 minutes + = very cooked yolks.
- Remove from oven, unwrap, serve immediately and enjoy heaven in a bowl.
Shelf Life: A Key Component to Cheese
You walk into your kitchen and notice that piece of cheese on the far end of your counter that you purchased weeks ago. Being entirely weary, you go over to this hunk of cheese and pick it up to examine it. You turn it over, analyzing every corner and then you take the great leap of faith to sniff it, and as you do, you’re nostrils take in this distinct and pronounced smell. Is the cheese still good and this smell is due to aging or is this just a smell of plain ol’ spoiled cheese?
A rule of thumb when purchasing cheese is to, essentially, not bite off more than you can chew, literally. When making a purchase, buy enough for a day or a week’s worth of consumption that will put you in a comfortable position. Worried about purchasing cheese from a store in fear that it might be spoiled or not entirely as fresh as possible? Not to worry. Buying cheese from a specialty foods store, such as Shisler’s Cheese House, will ensure the best cheese buying experience as their storage facilities are better conditions that what can be replicated in your own home. Where a cheese is kept weighs heavily on its quality.
Here are a few “best practices” for cheese storage and shelf life:
When smelling a cheese and it turns out carry a pungent aroma with it, that does not mean this will always be a case of it being spoiled (i.e., Limburger). Smell the cheese you want to purchase and decide if the aroma is bearable and simply aged or if it is not your “cup of tea”, or in this case not your “slice of cheese”.
Taste the cheese. If, by now, you haven’t decided whether the smell is desirable or off-putting, try a piece and see if the taste if what you’re looking for.
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Fresh, soft cheeses as you would find in a grocery store, have a shorter shelf life than aged, harder textured cheeses. Fresh, younger types of cheese such as Ricotta, Mozzarella and Goat cheese generally have a shelf life lasting up to a week or week and a half, from the date of purchase. If you taste the cheese and its taste has hints of spoiled milk, well, I don’t think much more must be said.
Brie and Camembert tend to have a longer shelf life than fresh, young cheese as well, and other similar cheeses with a bloomy rind, yet still have an ample content of moisture to where it could still spoil. Overall, these types of cheese can last for weeks to perhaps a month and half, depending on the date of purchase. If the cheese rind on these types of cheeses appears to have a pink mold with a slimier coating, best to toss it. If an ammonia-type smell develops, this is not bad thing, as this is a byproduct of the aging process.
Cheese such as Taleggio, Limburger and Epoisses are best eaten straight after purchase. These cheeses carry an especially pungent aroma, so you could imagine the work they could do stored in the far ends of your refrigerator. The rinds on these cheese will dry out and crack over time which becomes a paradise for bacteria to live and thrive, a potential death sentence if consumed under these conditions. Best to eat these cheese as soon as they are purchased, but try not to let these cheese spend more than a week in your fridge if even that long before consumption.
Lightly aged goat cheeses such as Crottin, Chevrot and Chabichou du Poitou and other French-origin goat cheeses are virtually indestructible. Enough said…
Aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmigiano Reggiano and Fontina have gone through a lengthy aging process that ensures their durability over the test of time. With such minimal moisture within these cheeses, there is nothing too much to be worried about with these cheeses. In many cases, the more aged these cheeses are, the better they taste.
As Blue Cheeses age, they become more intolerable to those not accustomed to this type of cheese. The moment you try a blue cheese, you will know whether or not the taste has become to overwhelming for your liking. While it will never put your health at stake, the age of a blue cheese may take a toll on your taste buds. The higher the moisture content in a blue cheese, the quicker it develops a more pungent taste. Wrapping these cheeses in foil will maintain their moisture content.
Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-cheesemongers-top-ten-rule-47335