What's your favorite cheese?

I've given up for the most part finding really tasty cheese in the US, I'm sorry to say.

In Israel, white salty goat cheese, and spicy yellow Emmental.
In Europe, yellow Gruyere, any number of blue cheeses.

These named cheeses are available in the US, but they are bland.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AuntBee @ Dec 4 2006, 01:53 AM) [snapback]357238[/snapback]</div>

I remember the 1st time that i went to a REAL dairy. WOW. Giant 5lb blocks of cheese. The gal asked, "can I help you?". I asked if they carried american cheese, to which she replied, "that's not cheese". Yes, my trailer roots were glaring. I have such a low shame threshold. Little did I know ~according to the dairy owner, I was eatisng fish bait ...

All kidding aside, if no one is watching, I will STILL schpritz the american cheez in a can ... with fake garlic / onion flavoring ... onto a cracker, if no one is watching, of course .

Anyway, now that I too, am a cheezy snob, my favorite is BRI, baked with pastry crust on top ... then you shmear a little apricot preserve on top of a serving, while it's hot. YUM YUM. Wash that down with a nice red wine and watch out !!! just like heaven

Other than that, fetta (also afectionetly known as stinky feet) cheese is VERY good on a spinich salid.

 

Brie en Croute (by Rand Reed)

Brie en Croute can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. It's VERY easy to make but looks and tastes like you did a lot of work. We like the two variations given below - sweet and savory, but you can do this with a wide range of ingredients.

Main Ingredients:
• 1 tube of refrigerated store-bought crescent dinner rolls
• 1 round or wedge of Brie cheese
• Inside Ingredients (see below)
• Topping ingredients (see below)

Sweet Variation Ingredients:
• Inside - Apricot preserves or Raspberry Jam
• Topping – Maple Syrup and Brown sugar

Savory Variation Ingredients:
• Inside - Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Inside - Roasted Peppers
• Inside - Roasted Garlic (optional)
• Topping - 1 Egg white mixed with a splash of water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On a non-stick cookie sheet roll out the crescent rolls. Spread inside ingredients in the center to the size of the brie and put brie round or wedge on top of that. Fold pastry over the brie and then flip over with the fold on the bottom. Brush pastry with Topping. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve the sweet one with crackers, grapes, and apple slices. Serve the savory one with crusty French bread and a mixed green salad.

Try using Gouda instead of brie, or add cranberries for Thanksgiving (as if we all need more stuff to eat that day).

 

Feta cheese is my favourite. It's especially good baked on pizza, crumbled into a salad, or on a hamburger. Boursin is pretty tasty, too, and goes wonderfully well with shrimp. Yum. I think I have to go eat dinner now.

 

I love Asiago, especially grated on pasta with garlic and oil(aglio olio) It isn't as salty as Parmesean IMO. But it is hard to find it from Italy. Most is made in the US, although still pretty good.

 

Now I'm starving. I love ALL cheese; it is by far my favorite thing to eat.

It's better for me to list the only two cheeses I dislike:

1--American Cheese (in the wrapper, disgusting plastic in a cheese guise)
2--Swiss (to this day, smells disgusting and tastes even worse)

My favorites include: Seriously Sharp Cheddar, Camembert, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Romano, Monterey Jack (the kind with a bite), Mozzarella Buffalo, Smoked Gouda...geez, the list goes on and on.

For a cheese spread, try Boursin Garlic and Herb. Amazing on garlic crackers paired with a nice Riesling or Gewurztraminer (sic).

 

I'm with Livelychick here. The only ones I don't like are brie (yuck just rotten milk) and that "pasturised processed cheese food" stuff, and oh yea anything that comes in an arisol can. My fav.'s, most anything from Wisconsin, Vermont white cheddar (extra sharp of course), and Jarlsburg (sp?) swiss.

If you're ever in MSP, visit the Mall of America, they have a cheese shop there (West end, 3rd level), that has a huge sample table, most everthing in cheese you can imagine (no brie though ), it's worth the trip for any cheese lover.

 

They say the French make approx. 365 cheeses, so you can eat a different one every day for a year. That's impressive.

 

Favorite cheese?

Cheesecake.

 

Emmenthaler, served heated so that it has a rubbery texture and the flavor comes out.

 

Aged, imported Provolone with fresh, crisp loaf of italian bread (Solunto's bakery preferred). You haven't had stinky cheese until you've eatten imported, aged Provolone. It's so sharp it will literally cut the roof of your mouth.

But to each cheese it's purpose.

I like American cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches. That's American CHEESE. Not processed cheese food. Processed cheese food is neither cheese nor is it food. I am convinced it is orange dyed plastic made to resemble food.

I like Brie with Carr's water crackers for nibbling.

I must have Romano, NOT Parmesan on my spaghetti.

Mozarella for pizza.

Romano and mozarella for lasagne.

I use Parmesan on anything Alfredo.

Emmenthaler for Käsespaetzle.

Feta is great for salads and I have a killer spinach quiche recipe that includes feta.

I haven't even begun on the Mexican food.

Then there are the cheeses for deserts. Boy, what I can do with cream cheese! I just had the most fabulous Flan de Queso at Lake Atitlan, Panajachal, Guatemala. If you ever eat at the Posada Don Rodrigo, be sure to order it.