The Cheese thread.......

[Scepticalscribe]

When using cheese when cooking, such as in certain, specific, pasta recipes which call for the addition of grated cheese, in recent years, much - indeed, most - of my cooking has came to use Pecorino Romano, - in general, I find that I have come to prefer it - not just in the specific recipes that insist on it - such as Pasta Carbonara, and Pasta All'Amatriciana - but in others, where, in the past, I would have used Parmigiano Reggiano.

However, there are exceptions to that: This evening, I prepared a pasta and homemade mushroom sauce, (the recipe I used - basically, my own, but I did consult a few online recipes to ensure that I had not overlooked anything of importance - is to be found in the What Did You Have For Dinner? thread), and nothing, but nothing, would suffice other than a rather generous hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, grated by your humble scribe.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Some cheese was purchased today:

Blues comprised of Gorgonzola Dolce (from Italy), and Birbablu (an Italian beer-washed cheese);

Semi-soft, or washed rind cheeses comprised the legendary Époisses (gloriously liquid with evil intent) - a French classic - and a new cheese, one I hadn't encountered prior to today, but which came highly recommended (apparently, it won awards), Minirousse d'Argental.

Soft cheese - this time, singular - comprised a divine triangle (it was oozing, winking at me, for this was a slice from a cheese that had been already opened) of Brillat Savarin.

Hard (or hardish) cheeses included: Chällerhocker - a stunning Swiss cheese, and Raclette with truffle (an evil, addictive, and utterly delicious cheese).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Perusing recipes for tartiflette, seriously rib-sticking stuff - winter fare in parts of France.

The recipes call for Munster from Alsace, and/or Reblochon, or, perhaps, Raclette.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I find that - inexplicably - I seem to have run out of blue cheese.

That deficiency shall be remedied tomorrow.

 

[it wasnt me]

Appenzeller is next on the agenda.

Done. I made cheese noodles with Appenzeller and realised that it actually tastes too intense for that. Maybe I shouldn't have used the spicier one.

 

[bobesch]

Oh, what a wonderful and inspiring thread.

I can't believe that I've missed it for so many years here at MR!
Guess I'm gonna look up some of the special sorts mentioned here.

My first contribution to this thread is a link to a video about Blue Stichelton,
the raw-milk variation of Blue Stilton. (I did enjoy them very much: both the cheeses and the video.)

Some of my most favorites cheeses that come to my mind first are: Gorgonzola dolce, Camembert from raw milk/Pont l'Èvêque, hard cheese from the Alpine region (Appenzeller, Greyerzer, Sbrinz), Grana Padano/Parmigiano, soft cheese like Morbière etc. (the universe of French, Alpine and Italian cheese seems to be an infinite adventure, let alone all the other sorts of cheese from all the other parts of Europe and the world.)

My favorites for cooking: Peccorino, italian hard cheese, Raclette, mild sorts of blue-cheese.

I'd like to share a few of my favorite fast cooking recipies with grated Peccorino or hard cheese like Grana Padano:
- pan of roasted/caramelized grated carrots / plus one or two big grated onions / grounded fennel seeds / Schabziger Klee / salt&pepper; wrapped into a thin pancake (made from wheat-flour, water and egg) together with a layer of grated Peccorino or hard cheese like Grana Padano)
- Sphaghetti with a cold Pesto made from xtra-virgine Olive-Oil, grounded roasted Pine nuts, Basil, smashed Garlic, salt&pepper and grated Peccorino or Italian hard cheese like Grana Padano.
- galette (kind of crépe from buckwheat flour) to wrap dried tomatoes, arugula salad, salt&pepper (maybe a few small splashes of Crema Balsamico) and grated Grana Padano/Parmigiano)
- Käse-Spätzle: Spätzle-noodles, roasted grated onions, grated Emmenthaler cheese.

Cheers

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I find that - inexplicably - I seem to have run out of blue cheese.

This deficiency shall be remedied tomorrow.

This deficiency was indeed remedied this morning.

Today, I purchased some Gorgonzola Dolce, along with Forme d'Ambert, two blues, the former from Italy, the latter from France.

St Nectaire, Morbier, and Munster, plus Abondance, (all from France), completed my cheese purchases, the staff in the cheesemonger's remarking on the restrained nature of my shopping today.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Oh, what a wonderful and inspiring thread.

I can't believe that I've missed it for so many years here at MR!

Delighted to see that you have discovered it, - it is a lovely thread - and feel free to comment and contribute.

Guess I'm gonna look up some of the special sorts mentioned here.

My first contribution to this thread is a link to a video about Blue Stichelton,
the raw-milk variation of Blue Stilton. (I did enjoy them very much: both the cheeses and the video.)

Stichelton is an excellent cheese, - the original version of Stilton - but tends to be fairly hard to find, especially outside of specialist cheese shops.

In fact, even specialist cheese shops stock it far less frequently than one might expect.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Treated myself to some glorious, golden, deep amber coloured - the caramel taste is amazing - aged Gouda; and a little Emmethal.

There were two blues - Forme d'Ambert, and St Agur, both creamy and rich.

And some wonderfully ripe Taleggio.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Some cheeses were purchased today:

They included:

Two blues: Gorgonzola Cremosa (from Italy), and the timeless Stilton (from the UK).

Four hard cheeses: Gouda with fenugreek (from the Netherlands), Carre de Brebis (from Corsica, France), a local cheddar made from buffalo milk, and another local artisan cheese which is a fascinating blend of Cheddar and a Swiss Alpine cheese such as Gruyère.

Plus, Pecorino Romano (for when I need to grate cheese when preparing some pasta dishes that call specifically for Pecorino Romano).

And, finally, the soft, or washed rind cheeses: Taleggio (from Italy), Brillat Savarin (from France), and an evil slice of sheer sensual seduction, a seasonal Brie with truffle (also from France).

 

[Madhatter32]

Tête De Moine with Châteauneuf-du-Pape last night. The pinnacle of cultured enjoyment.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Tête De Moine with Châteauneuf-du-Pape last night. The pinnacle of cultured enjoyment.

Wonderful.

And I am in total agreement with you; that pairing is indeed the pinnacle of cultured enjoyment.

Today's purchases also included - as I had a car at my disposal - a visit to a wine merchant, where a number of wines - all from France, including two bottles of Viognier from the Pays d'Oc, two more from the Rhone valley, plus a few wines (a Pinot Blanc, a Pinot Gris, and a Gewürztraminer) from Alsace.

 

[decafjava]

...a local cheddar made from buffalo milk, ...

That is intriguing and I will have to try if I ever get the chance.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

That is intriguing and I will have to try if I ever get the chance.

Yes, it is intriguing.

It comes from a very small artisan producer, who has a small herd of buffalo cows, and the cheese is only available (and at that, not very often), at the market stall that sells olive oil; yesterday, they reminded me that they had it, and I thought to take advantage of that by buying some.

As you know, buffalo milk is the chief ingredient of Mozzarella, which is a gloriously mild and soothing cheese.

This particular cheddar cheese is creamy white in colour, (whereas, the well known version of cheddar is usually a deep, rich, buttery yellow), and very slightly crumbly in texture; while it has the characteristic tart flavour of a classic cheddar, that sharp tartness is tempered somewhat - in fact considerably - by the fact that it is made from the milk of buffalo cattle, which means that it retains some of that characteristic tartness, but it is tempered into something quite a bit milder.

Actually, I like it, and would strongly recommend that you try it if you ever come across it.