Italian Truffle Cheese

So I went into Trader Joe's on the hunt for some Italian truffle cheese. I've tried it before and I really liked it. I had a hankering for a grilled cheese, and knew that this would be melty and delicious. It's almost like a mozzarella with a ton of truffle flavor. I'm impressed with the taste, especially for the price. Trader Joe's rocks!

Anyway, back to the grilled cheese. I decided that with the truffle cheese, caramelized onions and freshly sliced tomatoes would be extra yummy. Let me tell you, it was! If you've never caramelized onions before, you can find some easy to follow instructions here. I would definitely recommend making more then you need because they take so long to cook!

I layered on the cheese, tomatoes, and caramelized onions between buttered sourdough bread. Perfection!

LOOK AT THAT MELTY PERFECTION!

Midnight Blue

In an effort to expand my horizons and steer away from crystal packed aged cheeses (ermagahd) I decided to look for a blue cheese today. I saw something at the counter that really intrigued me; a goat milk blue called Midnight Blue from Colorado! It looked almost grey in color and was a lot firmer than other blues I've tried. I had to buy it!

My idea of blue cheese has always been soft, crumbly, bright white and tangy from the blue veins. This was unlike anything I've tasted before. The texture was dense and crumbly, and the veins of mold were almost like layers of leaves. It was extremely earthy tasting. It was good, but not something I could see myself buying regularly. If you're into blues though, definitely give this a try!

Cottonwood River Cheddar

OK, I know I am on a crystal kick right now, but I found another crystal packed cheese that I am absolutely loving! I promise I'll try and branch out in my next post. Until then, I'll be snacking on this delicious cheddar called Cottonwood River Cheddar.

This cheddar is more creamy and definitely softer than the previous I posted about (Lincolnshire Poacher). It's pale yellow and slightly tangy in flavor (without being too acidic like some aged cheddar) and it has crystals, but they don't seem as dense in this style. I'm in love.

This would be a great everyday cheese. Perfect for snacks, in grilled cheese or fondue, on burgers, or as an addition to your fancy cheese board. Gotta love versatility!

Crystals are a Girl's Best Friend

 Who doesn't love crystals?

And Unicorns?

Okay, so I wasn't actually talking about those kinds of crystals. Sometimes I get a little carried away. I actually meant these crystals!

I know I keep raving about how much I love those little crystals in my cheese, but seriously... They are the best thing ever! But what are they exactly? Well, I did some research online and I found that they are actually Tyrosine clusters. They form during the aging process of the cheese when proteins begin to break down.

Now, washed rind cheeses are a different story. Those are often residual pieces of salt from the brine on the outside of the cheese. If the rind and inside is eaten in one bite, they can be mistaken for Tyrosine clusters.

How can I use this?

In my last post, I talked all about my (dare I say it?) new favorite cheese, Ewephoria sheep's milk Gouda. I ate nearly half of the wedge I purchased by itself and then I thought, "Hey, maybe I should actually try and make something with this". Just in time too, I would have polished it off today. It's just so delicious, I don't even mind not pairing it with anything!

So I spent some time Googling (as usual) and I found some delicious recipes. Although I must say, most recipes I was able to find online called for smoke Gouda. Anyway, check out some of my favorite recipes I found below.





Ewephoria® Pear Salad 

Pears, pomegranate, and pecans oh my! And of course, a delicious sprinkling of Ewephoria cheese. Yum!

Beer and Cheese Mac

This mac and cheese recipe features shells instead of elbow macaroni with sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda, aged Gouda, and cream cheese. Wowza!

Peach, bacon, and Gouda Grilled Cheese Sliders on Pretzel Bread
Need I say anything else?

Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes
Creamy, cheesy goodness!

Ewephoria

I was browsing Safeway trying to find their specialty cheese section, and at first I was disappointed because  I didn't find much. But it turns out, I was just looking in the wrong spot! They actually have a nice selection of imported cheeses. I spent way to long trying to figure out what to buy. People kept looking at me funny, and I don't blame them... I kept pacing back and forth from one end of the case to the other; picking up cheese, putting it back; picking up cheese, Googling it, putting it back. And that's when I saw it. Ewephoria sheep's milk aged Gouda in all of it's glory.

Now, I've tasted this once before so it's not entirely new to me, but after I tried it I couldn't stop thinking about how good it was! I searched for it at the stores in my neighborhood and it was nowhere to be found. I was so ecstatic to have found it; I just had to buy it!

My experience with Gouda in the past was pretty anticlimactic. I've really only tried smoked Gouda which is good, but not necessarily my cup of tea. But this, this has me head over heels in LOVE with Gouda cheese!

Ewephoria is aged for about a year and tastes sweet and nutty, with a sharp tangy flavor at the finish. Plus, it is packed with those crystals that I just can't get enough of. Perfection. It is perfect for a snack alone, or would make a great dessert cheese since it is so sweet. Give it a try! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Port Salut

This morning I went to New Season's to browse for my next cheese, hoping to find something rich and creamy. I was pleased that they had so many varieties available! I spent some time browsing through the display and of course, (let's be real) Googling the kinds that seemed appealing to me. I found some good information on Port Salut and decided to give it a try!

Port Salut comes from the Loire Valley, France. It is semi-soft and creamy with a bright orange rind. The rind can be eaten. but it's made of wax, so I'm not sure why you would want to. I didn't eat any of it. It is described as having a strong odor, but a mild, pleasant taste.

 I expected to really like it, since Brie is my favorite. Well maybe that's why I was disappointed; I shouldn't have expected it to be like brie just because it was creamy. Rookie mistake! It did have a mild flavor, but I didn't really like the texture. It was almost rubbery. I looked online and many reviews said that it paired really well with fruit. I sliced up an apple and tasted the combo, I definitely preferred it with the apple.

It was lunch time (yay!) so I decided to make a grilled cheese with my Port Salut. I made it with rustic sourdough bread, apples, and black pepper and it was divine! The only thing that was missing was some salt. I since made a second one with prosciutto and it was, in all of it's ooey-gooey, sweet and savory glory, absolutely PERFECT!

So, the only thing I'm wondering now is: What cheese should I buy next?