Tag: cheddar
The Scotch Collection – How to Pair Whisky with Cheese
Want to really wow your guests?
We know that you love to pair wine with our cheeses, and we’ve explored how you might try them with beer, but have you ever thought to pair cheese with scotch?
Read on to find out all about our Scotch Collection and why we think this should be the centerpiece of your next party!
You might not have thought to pair scotch with cheese, but rest assured that it’s a great choice. You’re going to be looking for bolder cheeses with a lot of flavors because these will stand up to the strong flavor of the whisky.
Danish Blue Cheese
Our Danish Blue Cheese has a moderate sharpness and a creamy flavor. Blue cheeses have penicillium cultures added, which create the blue veins that you will see running through the cheese. It is then aged in a temperature and moisture controlled environment like a cave. The unique flavors are best enjoyed at room temperature with fruit and crackers, alongside your scotch.
Gruyere
Gruyere is one of our favorite imported cheeses, originating in the Alpine region between Switzerland and France. It has a sweet, nutty flavor with a slight saltiness. It ages into an earthy, complex cheese. It’s great for baking and melting, as well as served with crackers. If you’re looking to serve something more substantial with your scotch, consider serving a quiche using gruyere, a fondue, or even a French onion soup topped with gruyere croutons.
Cheddar
Cheddar was first produced in England as early as 1170 and originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset. It would be aged in the nearby caves of Cheddar Gorge. It has a sharp, pungent flavor with a firm, slightly crumbly texture. It’s versatile enough to be enjoyed with a huge variety of drinks, including Scotch.
Parmesan
Parmesan is an Italian cheese with a complex, sharp, and nutty flavor. It has a slightly grainy texture and works well with pasta, risotto, or soup when grated. You may not have included it in your cheese boards before, but you can be confident that it’s a great choice. Because of its strong flavor, it pairs extremely well with the strength and smokiness of a good whisky.
Choosing your whisky
To pair with this cheese collection, you are looking to get a scotch whisky, rather than a bourbon. If you have a favorite, then select that or one from the same region as you’re likely to find a similar flavor. If your friends are whisky connoisseurs too, why not ask them to bring a bottle and then you can compare flavors?
If you’re entertaining, this collection should serve up to 20 guests. If you have guests who do not drink whisky, grab some craft beers. The barley flavors of both drinks will work well with the cheeses from the Scotch Collection so no-one will be disappointed. You could also pick up some salty snacks such as nuts, hot mix or chips, and some dark chocolate as a sweet treat. These will pair well with the scotch and give you even more flavors to explore.
Now that you know all about the cheeses, don’t delay. Order our Scotch Collection today.
Create A Cheese Board Perfect For Fall
Let’s be honest… it isn’t a party until there’s a cheese board included. This season is one of the best for warm cozy nights followed by a bottle of wine with a delicious cheese board amongst friends.
The most important part of a Fall cheese board is white cheese, but let’s begin with all of the other festive components of our board that is needed before assembling.
The first component is honey. At Shisler’s Cheese House we stock Pure Clover Honey Comb which is perfect for this board. It pairs well with many different kinds of cheese, especially goat cheese.
Fresh fruit definitely gives a fall vibe and flavor. Using a fresh mix of figs and grapes give that whole harvest feel and they go well with cheese.
Nuts is another important component of our board. There are no specific nuts advised, it is all based on your personal preference. Personally, we like to add some Marcona almonds and candied walnuts to our cheese board. The almonds give off a savory flavor whereas the walnuts have notes of sweetness to them from the candying process. This makes them a match made in cheese board heaven.
We always need something a little brim on our board, Olives add that perfect effect. Castelvetrano Olives, in particular, tend to be a good pick.
Finally, crackers and breadsticks. Can’t go wrong with cheese and crackers. Going back to childhood, cheese and crackers were always a delicious snack- nothing changes! Pick out a few different types of crackers in all shapes, flavors, and sizes to give the board some personality.
Now to get into the cheese! Each board needs a variety of cheese.
Firstly, aged cheese. An aged White Cheddar from our website is a delicious addition to our Fall cheese board. The little crystals that develop within the cheese during the aging process give the cheese an extra crunch, which complements the next cheese in particular, really well.
Next, we need a soft cheese. Goat cheese is ideal for this. You need to absolutely try this cheese with the honey, it will change your life!
What is a cheese board without a Blue Cheese? Exactly. Any blue will work for this addition, but at Shisler’s we recommend our Danish Blue. The flavor isn’t completely overwhelming and makes a perfect contrast to go with the other cheeses.
The last cheese needed for a cheese board is, of course, a firm one. A particular favorite to use is our Smoked Cheddar. The flavor is sharp and pungent with a firm texture. Not only that, it adds some Fall color to the board, which is perfect as it is a Fall board after all!
Now that you have all you need, you can get started assembling your board! Get yourself a big board and start arranging it how you like. It’s important to keep the presentation simple and bountiful. Tuck the cheeses into each other and then add your fresh fruit when you need to add some color. Your board is then ready for all of your Fall entertainment!
Christmas At Shisler’s Cheese House
It’s amazing how fast the year passes by. It feels like just yesterday that we were picking up our Easter chocolate and gift boxes from Shisler’s Cheese House.
With Christmas just around the corner, it is time to start thinking about what gifts would be ideal for our family and friends.
A lot of the time, it can be extremely difficult to think of gift ideas year after year, but here at our store, we feel that we have something for everyone with our wide selection of gift boxes.
Check out our high quality, affordable gift boxes here:
Gift Box #1: Baby Swiss Cheese: $25
This gift box includes a 4 lb. wheel of our signature Baby Swiss Cheese. Our Baby Swiss is one of our local selections that is made in Charm, Ohio by the original producer Guggisberg Cheese. It is a young, semi-soft whole milk cheese which is distinguishable by its myriad of small holes. Although Baby Swiss is closely related to Swiss Cheese, the holes are smaller and it has a milder flavor which is delightfully creamy and delicious.
This gift box makes a perfect gift for pretty much anyone who likes cheese as the flavor is not as acquired as some of our other complex cheeses. It also comes with assorted chocolates that you can find!
4 lb. Baby Swiss Wheel
Assorted Chocolates
Gift Box #2: Troyer’s Trail Bologna and Cheese: $25
This box contains a mixture of meat, cheese, and chocolates- what an amazing combination!
For three generations we at Shisler’s Cheese House have prided ourselves on providing the best examples of local fare to tourists and locals alike. Troyer’s Trail Bologna is one of the best examples of local fare we can recommend. Our Trail Bologna comes from the fourth generation of the Troyer family. Don’t be fooled by imitators. There is only one Troyer’s Trail Bologna, made in Trail, OH and sold exclusively by Ohio retailers so this gift box will be a one of a kind gift for your family or friends!
Also in this box comes two of our delicious cheeses Farmers and Colby. Farmers Cheese is a mild unripened white cheese made by adding rennet to cow’s milk. When the milk coagulates it separates into solid curds and liquid whey, which is drained off. The result at this stage is sometimes referred to as pot cheese. Further pressing out of the moisture results in a more firm and crumbly Farmer’s Cheese. It is often enjoyed in a sandwich with delicious bologna from our store, which is why it why this gift box is an amazing combination.
Colby cheese is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese native to the United States. But today Colby cheese is made in other regions of the world as well. It is often compared to cheddar cheese since the two both typically appear orange or creamy yellow. But two kinds of cheese taste very different. The flavor of Colby cheese is much milder and creamy. Washing the curds reduces the acid content, making Colby cheese less tangy when it is finished. Colby also has a higher moisture content, and it tends to be much softer than cheddar. Colby often goes well with rye bread, pears and apples. It can also be used as a table cheese, the possibilities are endless.
Like gift box #1, the box also comes with assorted chocolates, because who doesn’t love chocolate at Christmas?
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: $23
This is the ultimate cheese lover’s collection. With a selection of some of our most amazing cheese, this gift will not be forgotten this Christmas!
It comes with 3/4 wheels of 4 kinds of cheese:
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
Orange Cheddar is traditional white cheddar with Annatto, an extract from the tropical achiote tree, and oleoresin paprika added. These added ingredients give the orange cheddar its orange color and a milder flavor. Many connoisseurs claim that White Cheddar is slightly sharper than orange cheddar, but that is more dependent on aging than color.
Marble Cheese is so named because of its two-toned color. It is made by taking the curds from Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses or white and orange Cheddar curds and pressing them together into a Longhorn. Because Marble Cheese is made from Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses, it is sometimes called “Cojack.”
Farmers Cheese is a mild unripened white cheese made by adding rennet to cow’s milk. When the milk coagulates it separates into solid curds and liquid whey, which is drained off. The result at this stage is sometimes referred to as pot cheese. Further pressing out of the moisture results in a more firm and crumbly Farmer’s Cheese.
Pepper Jack Cheese is just one of our selection of many spicy pepper kinds of cheese. Pepper Jack Cheese is a cow’s milk cheese which blends the creamy, buttery flavor of jack cheese with the intensity of spicy peppers, most notably jalapeños, but also includes some serrano peppers and habañeros. Pepper Jack Cheese is used in a wide variety of recipes, and it is particularly popular in the American West, where people have an acquired taste for spicy peppers.
This gift box also comes with assorted chocolates.
Gift Box #4: Amish Cheese and Goodies: $50
With Amish country being a big part of our store production and community, we had to include a gift box packed full of amazing goodies:
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
6oz. REACH Coffee
Baby Swiss is a young, semi-soft whole milk cheese distinguishable by its myriad of small holes. Baby Swiss is closely related to Swiss cheese, made by substituting water for the milk’s whey to slow bacterial action, Baby Swiss has smaller holes and a milder flavor. Baby Swiss is often made from whole milk. Baby Swiss has a delightfully creamy and mild taste, a delicious favorite!
Summer sausage is a type of sausage that can be kept without the use of refrigeration. It earned its name from its ability to be kept during the summer without electricity.
Colby cheese is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese native to the United States. But today Colby cheese is made in other regions of the world as well. It is often compared to cheddar cheese since the two both typically appear orange or creamy yellow. But two kinds of cheese taste very different. The flavor of Colby cheese is much milder and creamy. Washing the curds reduces the acid content, making Colby cheese less tangy when it is finished. Colby also has a higher moisture content, and it tends to be much softer than cheddar. Colby often goes well with rye bread, pears and apples. It can also be used as a table cheese, the possibilities are endless.
Pepper Jack Cheese is just one of our selection of many spicy pepper kinds of cheese. Pepper Jack Cheese is a cow’s milk cheese which blends the creamy, buttery flavor of jack cheese with the intensity of spicy peppers, most notably jalapeños, but also includes some serrano peppers and habañeros. Pepper Jack Cheese is used in a wide variety of recipes, and it is particularly popular in the American West, where people have an acquired taste for spicy peppers.
Gift Box #5 – Baby Swiss Cheese and Troyer’s Trail Bologna: A Classic Amish Country Combination: $50
This box gives a classic combination of Amish county, with a well-rounded selection of each of our special delicacies. This can be a perfect give for a family, neighbors or to bring along to a Christmas gathering. There’s plenty of delicious food to go around and enjoy while supporting not only Shisler’s Cheese House but our very own Amish Country.
The box includes:
4 Lb. Baby Swiss Wheel
Large Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring
Shisler’s Private Label Mustard
Carr’s Crackers
Assorted Chocolates
6oz. REACH Coffee
Gift Box #6: Amish Country Sampler Gift Box: $75
This gift box is the biggest gift packed full of a huge selection of all Shisler’s Cheese House has to offer. This is the ultimate gift for people who are passionate about fine foods and complex tastes.
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
6oz. REACH Coffee
Other Gifts
If you would rather leave the choice to your family member or friend, you can always purchase them their very own gift certificate to be used at Shisler’s Cheese House so that you can be sure they get exactly what they desire.
These gift certificates are valid for one year and can be used all at once or for multiple transactions. We’ll just subtract the amount spent!
You will be provided with a Gift Certificate code immediately after checkout. Gift certificates can be mailed via US postal service on the following business day if selected.
Select from these set amounts:
$25
$50 (+ $25.00)
$100 (+ $75.00)
$200 (+ $175.00)
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.
What is the Perfect Cheese For Pizza?
September 5th marked a day of celebration for America, and perhaps, even much of the world… because who doesn’t like pizza and cheese or both? Unknown to many is that September 5th is National Cheese Pizza Day. You know with the birth of smartphones and mobile apps came the phrase “…there’s an app for that”, well in similar light, if you love a food or, in this case, a combination of foods, a new axiom may take shape here, “…there might just be ‘National’ day for that”. A day that puts the focus of pizza and cheese, two delicious foods in and of themselves, but when together, spark a whole new revelation of culinary marvel… who would not love a day just to celebrate such a marvel? The answer should be simple… no one.
There has been an age-old question that continues to make the mind wonder and wander, that is… “Is there a perfect cheese to put on pizza?” Dr. Bryony James, a scientist whose research centers on food microstructure and food material science in New Zealand at the University of Auckland dove right in to find an answer the this question. Dr. James’ team of scientists study the building blocks of food and even experiment with structural composition of various foods that can influence its functionality. Ideally, their line of scientific research would allow them to develop a potential hypothesis for such an experiment. As the team began initial studies of the “best cheese for pizza”, they already knew that, historically, Mozzarella was highly favored and the most commonly used cheese for pizza topping.
Among countless scientific trials and experiments, the team researched cheese based on browning and blistering. These variable were designated as focuses of research as they were found to be the most looked upon features by consumers. Examining the properties, features and characteristics of cheese could potentially lead to further discoveries of the ideal cheese or in some cases, the ideal combination of cheeses to use on pizza. Other cheeses the group extended their research to was Cheddar, Colby, Emmental, Gruyere and Provolone. The actual experimentation itself was conducted by state-of-the-art technology, as opposed to human hands. As human judgment would have been idea over the work of a machine, it would have been far more time-consuming and brought the idea of a “bias” trial or opinions when bringing human emotion and interaction into the picture.
Of the properties of cheese that were measured for this experiment, smell, texture, melting properties and color were at the forefront. Researched revealed that some cheeses like Cheddar did not produce a favorable level of blistering while the likes of Gruyere did not properly brown after melting, which can be attributed to the oil content within the cheese. The results clearly indicated that although Mozzarella might be the traditional favorite cheese topper for pizzas, there might not be that “perfect” cheese or combination of cheeses, as each cheese’s characteristics and properties, when undergoing melting, might be desirable for one consumer, but desirable for another.
Source: http://www.cheeserank.com/post/the-science-of-pizza-cheese
Pip Pip Cheddar-io: England, the Birthplace of Cheddar.
Cheddar
The most widely eaten cheese on this planet, Cheddar originated in Somerset, England around the late 12th Century and took its name from the Gorge or caves in the town of Cheddar that were used to store the cheese. The constant temperature and humidity of the caves provided a perfect environment for maturing the cheese. The town also gave its name to a unique part of the cheese-making process – known as “Cheddaring” – which is the process of turning the slabs of curd and piling them on top of each other in a controlled way to help drain the whey.It also stretches the curd. The process helps to create a harder cheese with firm body and is unique to Cheddar making.
Some History
Cheddar making in Somerset goes back more than 800 years with records from the King of England’s accounts (the so-called “Great Roll of the Pipe”) noting that in 1170 the King purchased 10,240 lbs (4.6 tonnes) of Cheddar cheese at a cost of a farthing a pound. The king at the time- Henry II – declared Cheddar cheese to be the best in Britain and his son Prince John (who reigned between 1199 and 1216) clearly thought the same as there are records of him continuing to buy the cheese for the great Royal banquets. In the reign of Charles 1 (1625 to 1649) parliamentary records show that the cheese made in Cheddar was sold before it was even made and indeed was only available at the court.
In 1724 Daniel Defoe devoted a chapter to Cheddar and its cheese in his book “A tour of the Islands of Great Britain”.
Today
Today Cheddar cheese is still made in Somerset but also all over the world. It is made on farms in the West Country and 14 makers are licensed to use the EU Protected Designation of Origin “West Country Farmhouse Cheddar”. The cheese must be made on a farm in the four counties of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset from locally produced milk and using traditional Cheddar making techniques – including hand Cheddaring. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar is matured in the region and sold at a minimum age of 9 months and is subject to regular grading throughout its life.
Larger dairies throughout the UK also make Cheddar and this is sold at different ages. Mild Cheddar is typically sold at about 3 months of age; medium matured Cheddar at 5 to 6 months; mature Cheddar at around 9 months, Extra Mature at around 15 months and Vintage at 18 months or more.
As Cheddar matures so its taste develops from the young creamy taste of mild Cheddar to complex, lasting, slightly nutty flavours of mature Cheddar and beyond.
Major brands include Cathedral City, Pilgrims Choice, Colliers and Seriously Strong whilst many supermarkets will now include the creamery or the farm in which the cheese was made. For example, Davidstow, Taw Valley, Lake District, Caledonian Pembrokeshire, Lockerbie and Isle of Man in the case of major creameries and Alvis, Gould, Denhay, Parkham, Brue Farm, Quickes, Goodwood Estate or Keens, in the case of farm made cheeses. Cheddar is made in most areas of the country often as a balancing cheese when milk supply from a farm peaks.
Traditionally made Farmhouse varieties, which may be cloth bound, become significantly harder as they age; the texture becomes drier and the flavours generally more complex than their creamery counterparts. Some of the farm-made Cheddar uses unpasteurised (raw) milk which will tend to have rather more complex and stronger flavours, whilst others will use pasteurised milk. Cheese flavour will also vary depending on the time of year it was made and what the cows may have been eating at that time.
Creamery made Cheddar is increasingly being sold at a longer age in response to changing consumer tastes for tastier cheese. These more mature (extra mature or vintage) Cheddars often have a characteristic sweet, nutty flavour with a very long finish. Mild Cheddar remains popular as an every day cheese and is characterised by a gentle, creamy flavour and has the added advantage of slicing easily.
So whatever your preference there will be a Cheddar for you depending on its age, how it was made, where it was made and the time of year that it was made.
Tips when buying
If you can, try before you buy because every Cheddar will be slightly different. Find the one that you like and try to remember its name and its age (as defined by mild, medium mature etc). For a difference try one of the smoked or smoke flavoured Cheddars which many cheese shops now offer or the blended Cheddars where ingredients such as herbs, spices, Marmite© or fruits may have been blended with the matured cheese to produce a whole range of different taste sensations.
