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| maese 636th Post
  
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|  "Re(3):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Sat 11 Jun 19:09  
quote:
I have some Istara cheese in my refrigerator right now, and a quick geography search says that's it originates from a similar geographical neighbourhood (Northern Basque). Would you happen to know if it's related much at all?
Yep, they are very much related. Both are sheep milk cheeses from Basque Country (Istara is more common on the Navarre region) and the flavor, sutile variations notwithsanding, is kind of similar. The tricky thing about basque cheeses is that they can be labeled both as Spansih and French cheeses, because basque ethnicity is scattered around the Pyrenees, between the North of Spain and the South of France. But such little inconveniencies only make the search more interesting!
Also, if you are into blue cheeses, in certain regions of Northern Spain there are *very* strong flavored variations that you totally should try, the infamous Cabrales being the most rutilant of them all. Puny Gorgonzolas or sissy Roqueforts can't even compare!
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| Iggy 9269th Post
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| "Re(3):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Sat 11 Jun 23:27
I'm not a fan of roquefort by itself (I mean, on bread without anything else). But in an endive salad with nuts and apple during winter, it's heaven on earth.
I'm eating Comté at this very moment, and it is a good, solid and tasty version of all the crap they sell as emmental or gruyère. Roblechon or tomme are of course fantastic, époisses, ossau iraty, mmmh, and on the other side of the Pyrenees manchego of course, and I always love a good tetilla.
Let's not forget the perverts on the other side of the Alps, with their scamorza (even better smoked). Speaking which, it took me years to discover that mozzarella is not supposed to be a tasteless chunk of plastic, but can have very rich and deep flavours, if you buy good ones. I could almost say the same of feta, as well.
Cheese. Cheese cheese cheese cheese.
I'm still surprised that it's easier to find all that good stuff in London than it is in most of France. Waitrose, my life would be a nightmare without you.
Contrary to what a famous philosopher once said, you can build a loving relationship solely upon the common love of diary products.
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| Spoon 2172th Post
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| "Re(4):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Sun 12 Jun 06:45
Wegman's has probably the most impressive selection of cheeses I've ever seen at a consumer supermarket. They don't just have the usual cheddar/mozarella/powder parmesan, they have multiple big fridges with fresh/soft/semi-soft/firm/ripened/whatever else cheeses, they have wedges of DOCG Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano sitting on top of the wheels they were cut from.... it's really great! I'm constantly tempted to just buy cheese and bread when I'm there!
Of course, if I were in Vancouver and wanted to waste money, I'd go and hit up the shop "les amis du FROMAGE". It's located near the artistic quarter of Granville Island, and while the immediate area at a glance looks quiet and unremarkable, you will soon discover it is one block from a Vespa dealership, right beside a Belgian liege waffle shop, and facing a Lambhorgini/Lotus dealership.
Among big factory commercial cheeses, I have a soft spot for Saputo/Dairyland Armstrong cheddar cheese. It was originally made in creamery in British Columbia, but they no longer make it there, though the name remains.
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| exodus 4241th Post
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| "Re(7):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Wed 15 Jun 06:59
I can eat a cheese
I live in an america
the cheese is maybe not affordable for Normal Humans, but thankfully I am not one of those, and am blessed with the gift of Suffering For Flavor.
I enjoy barely buzzed
http://www.beehivecheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=54
clothbound cheddar from various places
humboldt fog
http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/cheeses/ripened-cheeses/humboldt-fog.html
and hella other stuff I can't remember the names of. I have a local cheese shop called the sacred wheel, which is run by persons covered in tattoos. I'm pretty sure the guy who has to walk with a cane has killed several persons, as he has multiple teardrops tattooed under his eye.
anyway, when I am not feeling spendy, I just get a log of tilamook sharp cheddar, which is frankly delicious at any time.
note: california is different from america because we have great cheeses, wines, and beer. and we have sourdough bread, so I guess we might be the best of all people.
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| HAYATO 1037th Post
Red Carpet Premium Member
| "Re(9):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Thu 16 Jun 06:33
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alocal cheese shop called the sacred wheel
!! It, it literally never occurred to me that I might need to go on a field expedition to Oakland to find a good cheese shop! That said, the American prices...alas, I've never felt the same level of pain getting Japanese items in the States or American items in Europe/Japan as keenly as I feel the low blow to my soul when I see cheese prices in the US.
Then, you should try to make your own cheese at home, as I usually do. There are plenty of tutorials all around the Web, but one ought to know beforehand that, albeit unexpensive and safe, it can be a time-consuming procedure. It may take you some time to find the right combination of ingredients and taste, but once you get it right, the process will gradually become easier for you (you know, practice makes perfect). Cheese making is a rewarding experience and a great alternative for those following low-fat diets (you can make some cheeses even with skimmed milk), because those are very hard to find out there (here in Spain, there's no commercial cheese below the 14%-fat mark).
I usually make kefir-based, Herbes de Provence-coated fresh cheese with skimmed milk and an astounding 1'3% of total fat content!! It takes about 4-6 days to make a 400gr wheel, but it covers my daily nedds for more than a week. I'm currently investigating about making my own blue cheese, but I don't know whether the yeast will be able to develop on a kefir-based medium...
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| Oh my
34th Post
Rare Customer
| "Re(10):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Fri 17 Jun 06:14
People, who go on cruise vacation to the Caribbean islands, always bought the Gouda cheese on the trip, its taste good, similar to potato cheese, I don’t know the prices.
Nobody mention the Swiss cheese, which alone taste bad but goes good in sandwiches. Pastrami ham sandwich with sauté onions and swiss cheese.
quote:
it can be a time-consuming procedure. It may take you some time to find the right combination of ingredients and taste, but once you get it right, the process will gradually become easier for you
Oh Yeah, because adding to the amounts of ingredients, like the right amount of salt. The cheese making depend on the stage of aging that is needed for the cheese you desire, the type of microorganism needed to be growing in each stage of the process, the PH levels, the place where the cheese is aging, all a work of art, the art of the fermenting process.
This is a long process to see if your product tastes good. Its needs LOVE or a big disire to make a business based on cheese to do it ; )
what?
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| Spoon 2179th Post
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| "Re(4):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Sun 19 Jun 12:47
quote:
Also, if you are into blue cheeses, in certain regions of Northern Spain there are *very* strong flavored variations that you totally should try, the infamous Cabrales being the most rutilant of them all. Puny Gorgonzolas or sissy Roqueforts can't even compare!
Question for anybody here who's really into blue cheeses: what makes a blue cheese good to you?
I've tried a bunch of the common ones like Stilton, Roquefort, Rosenborg, Gorgonzola, etc. and while there are some things that distinguish them as blue cheeses as opposed to not-blue cheeses, I don't think I really "get" them.
Then again, a few of those may all use the same fungal species (Penicillum roqueforti), and that might account for those ones being relatively similar.
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| Maou 2214th Post
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| "feeling bleu" , posted Sun 19 Jun 13:17:
quote:
Question for anybody here who's really into blue cheeses: what makes a blue cheese good to you?
I've tried a bunch of the common ones like Stilton, Roquefort, Rosenborg, Gorgonzola, etc. and while there are some things that distinguish them as blue cheeses as opposed to not-blue cheeses, I don't think I really "get" them.
Then again, a few of those may all use the same fungal species (Penicillum roqueforti), and that might account for those ones being relatively similar.
To me, it's that extra sharp, rich "bite" to it...the kind that would be literally unbearable if one at a large mouthful instead of smaller bit. It's refreshingly intense and balances the creaminess of cheese. It's almost sour, it almost stings, and I almost feel it in my nose. Bleu cheese is the wasabi of cheese.
And while I like it even just on a baguette, Iggy is right that this intense pang works even better when in a varied mix. There is no better salad on this earth than bleu cheese together with almonds and pear (or possibly apple). The sweet and the intense make a beautiful, viewtiful contrast.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Sun 19 Jun 13:30] |
| Spoon 2180th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(1):feeling bleu" , posted Sun 19 Jun 15:01
quote:
Question for anybody here who's really into blue cheeses: what makes a blue cheese good to you?
I've tried a bunch of the common ones like Stilton, Roquefort, Rosenborg, Gorgonzola, etc. and while there are some things that distinguish them as blue cheeses as opposed to not-blue cheeses, I don't think I really "get" them.
Then again, a few of those may all use the same fungal species (Penicillum roqueforti), and that might account for those ones being relatively similar.
To me, it's that extra sharp, rich "bite" to it...the kind that would be literally unbearable if one at a large mouthful instead of smaller bit. It's refreshingly intense and balances the creaminess of cheese. It's almost sour, it almost stings, and I almost feel it in my nose. Bleu cheese is the wasabi of cheese.
And while I like it even just on a baguette, Iggy is right that this intense pang works even better when in a varied mix. There is no better salad on this earth than bleu cheese together with almonds and pear (or possibly apple). The sweet and the intense make a beautiful, viewtiful contrast.
There's an expression in Cantonese that translates literally into "nose rush/rushing", to describe the pungent and hot, instantly nose-filling quality of things like hot mustard and horseradish.
I'm surprised to see blue cheese described as being refreshing, though! To most people I know who don't like them, the pungency and strength of blue cheeses are overpowering, and the exact opposite of refreshing. When I have had blue cheese with fruits, I find that it's the acidity and sweetness of the fruits that I need to act as the refresher.
What makes one blue cheese better than another blue cheese to you?
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"Let's talk about cheese" , posted Fri 10 Jun 14:33
"Re(1):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Fri 10 Jun 18:30
who follow the path of a warrior
"Re(5):Let's talk about cheese" , posted Mon 13 Jun 10:54
