The Cheese thread.......

[Emmmzyne]

Oh, I love me a good cheese. Indulged a lot over the Christmas holidays. Prefer softer French cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and Port Salut.

Do have some Stilton, Comte and Wensleydale to finish off over New Years.

This was my spread from last night, with Apricot/Apple/Cinnamon Swirls to go alongside. Bangin'.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I visited the cheesemonger's today, to stock up on some cheeses: Haven't been there since before Christmas:

Anyway, today's purchases - heavily leaning to France, the Basque region, and Italy, included: The wonderful washed rind (aromatic, but not at this time of year), Époisses, and also some ripe gloriously soft St Nectaire; a lovely cheese from Savoie, named Abondance; two Basque cheeses - the superb Ossau-Iraty, and the smoked Idiazabal; then, for breakfast decadence, some Delice de Bourgogne, followed by three blues, Gorgonzola Cremoso from Italy, along with two from France, the immortal Roquefort, and a slice of the classic Bleu d'Auvergne.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I recently picked up some Raclette in the discount bin...had it as part of a charcuterie plate I made and while good, it was pretty stinky! It's difficult to go through an entire block of cheese quickly during lockdown.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I recently picked up some Raclette in the discount bin...had it as part of a charcuterie plate I made and while good, it was pretty stinky! It's difficult to go through an entire block of cheese quickly during lockdown.

Actually, for some of us - that means, me - it is not at all difficult to go through vast quantities of cheese during lockdown (but, nevertheless, I will readily concede that a wel stocked cheese board is more welcome in spring and summer than in winter).

The trick is not to have a single block of cheese, unless you have invited a group to dinner (something denied us during these Covid times), but, instead, to have a selection of cheeses laid out, a small amount of several cheeses.

 

[mrsmith1]

I’ve never come across a cheese I don’t like. Hard or soft cheese. If I had to pick my favourite it would be Stilton, a lovely blue viened cheese from the center of England. Mmmm

 

[decafjava]

I love Stilton, a bit expensive here but a worthwhile luxury.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I’ve never come across a cheese I don’t like. Hard or soft cheese. If I had to pick my favourite it would be Stilton, a lovely blue viened cheese from the center of England. Mmmm View attachment 1732642

I love Stilton, a bit expensive here but a worthwhile luxury.

Really good Stilton is a genuine pleasure, an absolute treat, and it is a cheese that I am very partial towards.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Actually, for some of us - that means, me - it is not at all difficult to go through vast quantities of cheese during lockdown (but, nevertheless, I will readily concede that a wel stocked cheese board is more welcome in spring and summer than in winter).

The trick is not to have a single block of cheese, unless you have invited a group to dinner (something denied us during these Covid times), but, instead, to have a selection of cheeses laid out, a small amount of several cheeses.

I love cheese. Especially when combined with cured meats, nuts, dried fruits, pickles, and other tidbits in a nice charcuterie platter...unfortunately, I am the only one in Blackadder Manor who can eat cheese, so it's hard to keep a variety in stock without it going off.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I love cheese. Especially when combined with cured meats, nuts, dried fruits, pickles, and other tidbits in a nice charcuterie platter...unfortunately, I am the only one in Blackadder Manor who can eat cheese, so it's hard to keep a variety in stock without it going off.

Cheese that may run the risk of "going off" can be grated into a gratin, or used as a cheese sauce for a pasta or potato dish.

Agreed, a charcuterie platter is one of life's civilised pleasures.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Cheese that may run the risk of "going off" can be grated into a gratin, or used as a cheese sauce for a pasta or potato dish.

Agreed, a charcuterie platter is one of life's civilised pleasures.

I tossed the rest of the raclette into a vodka sauce and had it with tortellini. Pure comfort food.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I tossed the rest of the raclette into a vodka sauce and had it with tortellini. Pure comfort food.

Now, that sounds absolutely delicious.

And, agreed: Pure comfort food.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

On my most recent visit to the cheesemonger's, I made the acquaintance of a French cheese with the wonderful name of Dent du Chat.

 

[JamesMike]

On my most recent visit to the cheesemonger's, I made the acquaintance of a French cheese with the wonderful name of Dent du Chat.

Please give a report on it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Please give a report on it.

With pleasure.

It is named after a mountain in Savoie, in the Jura range (the cat's tooth), which is where it is produced, and so has some elements of a classic Savoie (and mountain) cheese..

A hard cheese, - and a seasonal cheese - it has the sort of wonderful depth of complex flavour that you get with an aged Comte, but, also has the richness of flavour of the "Tomme" cheeses from mountainous regions, like a really well balanced Gruyere, or, better still, almost approaching an Etivaz, for it has a rich depth of flavour (yet mellow texture) that is really appealing.

 

[decafjava]

Ok @Scepticalscribe you have convinced me to try to find it. Maybe not so easy in Geneva itself but as we are permitted to cross the border into the frontier region with France (exactly the Haute Savoie region) maybe I'll get lucky at a shop say in Annemasse or Ferney-Voltaire (the two main French towns next to Geneva). Easy name to remember anyway.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Treated myself to a few cheeses today:

Two different types of Gorgonzola Cremosa, Bleu d'Auvergne, St Nectaire, Camembert Rustique, some young Durrus, a young Comte, and Dent du Chat.

 

[bradl]

For the first 23 years of my life, nearly every Sunday my parents took me to eat at their favorite restaurant (which became my favorite restaurant), Mr. C's Steakhouse, in Omaha, Nebraska. It started out originally as a drive-in restaurant in the late 1940s, but became a huge steakhouse and Italian restaurant in the city, owned by a family who owned at least 3 other Italian restaurants in the city as well (the Caniglia family, from Sicily). While my parents ordered their usual steaks and filets, I ordered something that came quite by accident, so the disputed story goes: Toasted Ravioli. As with all main courses, it came with a salad (Mr. C. has their own Italian dressing, which they make from scratch; subsequently, they now sell it separately), Italian bread, and minestrone soup. I ordered that every day until they closed in the late 2000s (sadly, both Mr. and Mrs. C died 3 days apart from each other, 1 year after they closed).

Ever since then, I have been looking for something similar, in which funnily enough I finally found at Trader Joe's: Parmesan Crusted Toasted Ravioli.

Breaded Fried Ravioli

Like many regional delicacies, the exact origins of toasted ravioli are hotly disputed. According to local legend, this sensational starter was created when a chef accidentally plopped a...

www.traderjoes.com

Why do I bring this up? Simple: Five different cheeses: ricotta, Monterrey Jack, Romano, Mozzarella, and Asiago, all in a ravioli shell breaded and crusted with parmesan. That, mixed with a garlic marinara sauce for dipping... Takes me back.

BL.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Cheeses included Gorgonzola Cremosa, St Agur, Camembert Rustique, St Nectaire, Taleggio, Dent du Chat, Morbier, and young goat's Gouda all of which were purchased in the cheesemonger's.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Bought some Gorgonzola Cremosa, St Nectaire, Camembert Rustique and Schnebelhorn yesterday.

 

[JamesMike]

Bought some Gorgonzola Cremosa, St Nectaire, Camembert Rustique and Schnebelhorn yesterday.

Is a nice wine in the works also?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Is a nice wine in the works also?

Actually, somewhat surprisingly, since I received the vaccine last Sunday, wine has not featured at my table (and neither has beer), but that deficiency must be remedied.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I paid a visit to the cheesemonger's and bought some cheese today.

They included: Camembert, mature Cashel Blue, Gorgonzola Cremosa, sheep's Gouda, aged Gruyère, Reblocon, Délice de Bourgogne, and Mothais sur Feuille - Fromage de Chèvre, a specific goat's cheese that was recommended.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Purchased some cheese today: Roquefort, Bleu d'Auvergne, St Nectaire, mature Gruyère, aged, mature Comte, Torta del Casar, Delice de Bourgogne, and Camembert Rustique.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Paid a visit to the cheesemonger's today, as part of my trip to the farmers' market.

And, while there, I treated myself to Gorgonzola Dolcelatte, Bleu d'Auvergne, Valdeon Blue, Delice de Bourgogne, Camembert Rustique, La Serena, Torta del Casar, Garrotxa, Cashel Blue Mature, Gruyere Reserve, and aged Goat's cheese (Gouda).

 

[LizKat]

Hah well here in the boondocks and after a series of rainstorms that have all the creeks ready to wash out roads, I'm sticking to what's leftover in the fridge, and it probably amounts to some Vermont cheddar, plain goat cheese from a local maker, maybe some supermarket-imported havarti and that's about it. I could go for some bleu to break that up.