Cheese appreciation

[Barbas]

Gruy?re, Edam, Mozzarella, Emmental, Manchego, Roquefort, Roncal, Gorgonzola, Leonora, Calcagno, Camembert, Taleggio, Feta, Piave, Charolais, Ricotta...it's a wonderful world.

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So, Escapists, what's your favourite cheese and why? My most recent love is Manchego, but I'll probably consume almost any mild cheese. Especially if it's next to a pile of crackers.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Parmesan. If I'm having some kind of Italian pasta, I'd be miffed if I don't have any parmesan to go with it. Odd, since I used to hate it. Tastes change I guess.

And as a big lover of mexican food, I'm also a big fan of Queso Fresco and Oaxaca. Both are pretty hard to find around here though, so I often have to replace them with cheeses of a somewhat similar taste and/or texture like Feta, Cheddar or Monterey Jack.

 

[Saelune]

American Cheese sliced super thin...no thiner than that. THIN. OMG DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THIN IS!?

And don't give me any of that "Its not really cheese" stuff.

...Ive never had actual Cheddar cheese, but I love cheddar flavored stuff...I should try it. Well, on its own. For some reason that shredded 3 cheese stuff I like. Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Pepper Jack (I think). One of those things I like together but not on its own.

I also love Pizza, so again mozzarella, but again, together yay, apart no. Plus I like the sauce the most, and prefer saucy to cheesy. I don't even like when people order it as a "cheese pizza" cause I fear they will make it cheesier.

 

[Barbas]

(Snip).

What is the smoothest American cheese you have tasted? My own experience of it is limited to supermarket stuff, but aren't there supposed to be renowned creameries in Vermont?

Sadly, in a lot of cafes here, cheese is just that shredded yellow confetti from a freezer bag. You order anything with cheese and bewm, you get a handful of that stuff. It is fun to roll it into a ball and throw it to the seagulls later, though.

 

[Saelune]

(Snip).

What is the smoothest American cheese you have tasted? My own experience of it is limited to supermarket stuff, but aren't there supposed to be renowned creameries in Vermont?

Sadly, in a lot of cafes here, cheese is just that shredded yellow confetti from a freezer bag. You order anything with cheese and bewm, you get a handful of that stuff. It is fun to roll it into a ball and throw it to the seagulls later, though.

That's a question above my pay grade. I just get Land O Lakes. Well, I haven't had any in awhile though, cause the thickness really does, atleast for me, make or break the cheese and no one knows what thin is (or well-done meat, but that topic has long been buried). Not to say there isn't more to it than that, but it hasn't been something I have tested further.

Though I have had a growing interest in food preparation, so one day I may be more adept at cheese knowledge.

I really want cheese now though...

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

American Cheese sliced super thin...no thiner than that. THIN. OMG DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THIN IS!?

Exactly! Deli slicers make that shit so thick when I ask for "As thin as possible" That I think they'd just give me the whole block of cheese if I ever lose my marbles and ask for "thick" slices. I don't want obese cheese, I want anorexic cheese!

OT: My favorite is probably Provolone, extra sharp. It's just so versatile! I can eat it plain, put it on any kind of burger or sandwich, melt it over eggs, put it on pizza, and it goes great if you put a little dollop of cream cheese in the middle of a slice too. Mozzarella is similar, but doesn't have much flavor of its own like Provolone does.


Honorable mention to the deliciousness that is pepper jack.

 

[09philj]

Eldar in Warhammer 40,000 7th edition are the best cheese in the world.

 

[Sceadu]

I really love a properly aged cheddar, parmasean and gruyere are wonderful, provolone and emmenthaler as well. I couldn't pick a favorite from the lot, but I'd melt them in a pot.

 

[Sonmi]

I buy myself a small wheel of classic Oka every two weeks.

It's a real treat, absolutely delicious, goes well with a trappist beer when I need to relax a bit.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

So so many. It would be quicker to write off the ones I don't like. Which are most varieties of Wensleydale, Brie, stilton and processed slices which aren't technically cheese I believe, but they do keep labeling themselves as cheese, so I'll play along with their identity crisis. Kinda really got into woodsmoked apple cheese and of course good old reliable mature cheddar to grace a tasty lasagna or tuna pasta bake. Mexicana cheese is a current obsession, even though spice isnt really my thing, that cheese's particular blend of flavour does something else to me, it is beautiful.
*Heavenly choir singing*

Edam and Gouda I have been less passionate about in later years as their perceived creaminess can often turn to perceived weakened flavour. I hear on the cheesevines that many parts of the states don't have access to good cheese, if true, this idea saddens me greatly. Can we send care packages along the lines of picnic hampers full of a colourful assortment of cheeses? Cheese-aid, it should be called. (Have said that word too many times it has lost all meaning and entered the weird zone. Oops, sorry!)

 

[Silvanus]

I fucking love cheese. Love cooking with halloumi or paneer, love eating soft & hard cheeses with chutneys and crackers. Stilton in small amounts on a burger.

Favourite might be brie. Good brie with red onion chutney on a firm cracker, yes please. Honourable mentions go to oak-smoked cheddar and comte, which is a delicious sweet, nutty hard cheese.

 

[Zenja]

I just finished eating 3 pieces of string cheese which I like to keep around the house for snacking. I probably eat it the most. Then cheddar or whatever kraft singles are. I am not sure if I have a favorite cheese as they all are so good and have their best dishes. I suppose if I had to pick, it would cheddar. Please don't make me specify what type of cheddar. It only wins because its so versatile.

 

[MiskWisk]

A good camembert is my jam. I've got a nice little camembert dish which makes a baked camembert nice and easy to make. I do also have an appreciation for cheeses like red leicester too.

 

[RaikuFA]

Same with the first poster, parm on Italian food.

Dunno why but I can't stand unmelted cheese.

 

[cikame]

I'd like to like mild cheddar cheese, but it changes every bloody block.
Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's mature... they just can't get it consistent.

 

[McMarbles]

Some nice fresh heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper... and some good fresh mozzarella. Best salad ever.

 

[jklinders]

I love Parmesean, Fontina, Havarti and of course Cheddar. But another recent favorite of mine is Halloumi. For those who have not tried it, it's a firm but not really hard cheese from Cyprus with a higher melting point and it's intended to be grilled. It can be grilled and eaten on it's own that way or in a sandwich and it's delicious.

American Cheese sliced super thin...no thiner than that. THIN. OMG DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THIN IS!?

And don't give me any of that "Its not really cheese" stuff.

...Ive never had actual Cheddar cheese, but I love cheddar flavored stuff...I should try it. Well, on its own. For some reason that shredded 3 cheese stuff I like. Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Pepper Jack (I think). One of those things I like together but not on its own.

I also love Pizza, so again mozzarella, but again, together yay, apart no. Plus I like the sauce the most, and prefer saucy to cheesy. I don't even like when people order it as a "cheese pizza" cause I fear they will make it cheesier.

There are a bunch of people who slag on American cheese as not being "real." While I went pretty snobby on it for a good long while I was reacquainted with it when work introduced 2 burgers that used it rather than the block stuff grated in house...and it's fantastic on a good burger, or hot dogs. I see bloggers use the whole "it's one molecule away from being plastic" all the time and it just makes my eye twitch. Firstly because it's not true and secondly even if it was...so what, salt is one atom removed from being one of 2 toxic substances and we can't live without it. I'm using it a bit more at home now as a convenience food, but I still use block cheddar more. Like anything else I'm treating it as a tool in my kitchen and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[FalloutJack]

Fromage

Ahem... The spokesman for Wensleydale is shocked at your not using him in your post.


That being said... For me, it's not so much a matter on favorites, so much as needing to try a few more to find out what I don't like, instead. So, there's a fair few cheeses I'll go with, but what I would not prefer is Swiss Cheese.

 

[Weresquirrel]

Cheddar is probably my go to cheese. Very tasty and versatile. That said, I also enjoy sandwiches that use Dutch cheeses like Edam and Massdam. I also really like a nice bit of Halloumi, but it's more of a special occasion cheese.

 

[KenAri]

Obligatory Monty Python;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KBuQHHKx0