Mold Can Be Beautiful When It Comes to Cheese

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As I write this, yesterday (October 9th), was National Moldy Cheese Day.  I'd wanted to post this sooner, but my body had other plans.  Anyway, (channeling Ed Sulivan) on with the blog.

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I have lots of friends who aren't into cheese.  When I bring up moldy cheese to one of my non-cheese-head friends (it's easier to introduce into conversation than one might think) I get the same, "Eeeeeewwwwww...," and puckered face.  That is, until I explain that moldy cheeses come in 2 types, soft-ripened and bleu AKA blue and hundreds, if not thousands, of cheeses fall into one of these 2 categories.  Many of my favorite cheeses belong to these categories, including; 

• Brie and Camembert these soft ripened cheeses, are made by allowing white mold to grow on the outside of a soft cheese for a few days or weeks.   The process gives these cheeses their creamy textures and gives Brie its buttery flavor and Camembert its deep earthy flavor.  
• Gorgonzola is named for the province of France, where it originated.  Gorgonzola's origin story is shrouded in mystery, likely never to be known. What is known is that Gorgonzola offers distinct flavor profiles, depending on its age.
• Young Gorgonzola AKA Dolce (Sweet) Gorgonzola is aged between 3 months and 1 year. It offers a creamier texture than its counterpart is sweet on the tongue with notes of spice and an acidic finish.
• Matured Gorgonzola Picante (Mountain Cheese) Gorgonzola is aged for a year, or longer, giving it its crumbly texture and its strong salty flavors.

Cambozola
Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.

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Huntsman
Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.
• Cambozola is my all-time favorite cheese, bar none. Milk added to a mixture of Picante Gorgonzola and Camembert Cheeses to produce a flavor balanced triple crème.
• Stilton, known in England as the king of cheeses, must be made in one of the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, or Nottinghamshire. Stilton's creamy with a subtle, yeasty sweetness and a salty nutty finish.
• Huntsman Cheese features layers of Stilton sandwiched between layers of Glucester (an orange colored, Cheddar-like cheese), making for a sharp, salty, and spreadible cheese. I like it on toast along with spicy scrambled egg and sweet fruit for breakfast.
• Roquefort is made in the south of France. EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name Roquefort is tangy, crumbly and slightly moist, with distinctive veins of blue mold. It has a characteristic fragrance and flavor with a notable taste of butyric acid on the finish.

Like I said, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of such cheeses.  The cheeses listed are simply the cheeses which I'm most familiar with.  What about you?  Which moldy cheeses are among your favorites?  Leave your list in the comments below.  

Man Vs. Fries

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I'm one unlucky foodie.  OK, we all suffered the closure of bars and restaurants together.  As soon as the epicurean world reopened though, my wheelchair went kaput.  Yes ladies and gentlemen, I'm still stuck.  Yet, let it be known that I'm also a determined foodie.  With a long to explore, and no particular cuisine in mind, I logged onto Grubhub for the purpose of ordering from somewhere I've never ordered from before. 

I surfed until I came across a place called Man vs Fries, which physically exists at 12975 SW Canyon Rd. in Beaverton, Oregon.  I think it first caught my eye because it's an obvious tip of the hat to Adam Richman's old show, Man vs. Food.  

| Subject: The NorCal Burrito | | Date: 09/07/2021 | Photographers: Bonnie Kiester & James Kiester | | Permissions: Photo taken for this blog |

Once I got beyond the name, I took a good look at the menu.  As the name implies, Man vs. Fries is the purveyor of over-the-top French-fry-centric dishes.  Their offerings include; 

• CBR Fries (chicken, bacon, ranch, cheese, and guacamole loaded onto seasoned shoestring fries for $17.95),
• SoCal Burrito (hella meat, flamin' hot cheetos, straight-cut fries, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, secret sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla with a side of queso for $16.95),
  and
• NorCal Asada Fries (French fries, drizzled with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and secret sauce for $16.95).

Not wanting flaming hot anything in my food (maybe 30 years ago, but not today), I settled on the NorCal Burrito, which consists of chopped carne asada (beef) or pollo asado (chicken), straight-cut fries, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and a spicy secret sauce wrapped in a huge flour tortilla, supposedly, with a side of queso for $15.95.

First things first, this isn't some snack burrito from a dollar value menu.  This is the price of a meal, but for that price one receives a burrito the size of a Nerf football containing enough food for two people, or one person with a hefty appetite.  Of course, I have a sneaky suspicion this dish has been designed to be consumed after someone has smoked a bowl, in which case the eater/toker could probably finish it by themselves. 

 went with the beef option,  This bad mamma jamma was loaded with seasoned fries, carna asada, and melted cheese.  Carna asada is steak which has been marinated in lime juice and seasonings, grilled, and then cut into thin strips.  The strips of seasoned steak had been cooked until they were crisp with a bit of char.  The slight bitterness of the char worked well with the savory fries, tangy sour cream & guacamole, chewy cheese, and spicy secret sauce to deliver a series of balanced delicious bites of food.  I was really in Heaven when I got the occasional bite of nothing but chewy gooey cheese (you know how much I like my cheese 🧀😀🧀).

I will say, I was a bit irked that I didn't get my side of queso, which would have added a layer of salty heat to each bite.  All things considered though, the NorCal Burrito deserves 8 out of 10 stars.

Interesting Side Note:

It wasn't until I began writing this review that I realized Man Vs. Fries is a national chain, rather than a solo mom & pop.  What's really interesting though, is that the location I ordered from appears nowhere on the list of restaurants on the chain's website. 

Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar - A Long Overdo Cheese Review

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As you've probably noticed, I haven't been posting many food blogs as I used to.  I'll be honest, I haven't been able to hit my epicurean stride since the pandemic began.  The more I think about it though, the more that excuse seems like bull-pucky.  If we learn anything from this health crisis, other than "science is real," it's that we need to do what we do for as long as we can do it.  With this in mind, I thought I'd dive back in by going back to my roots by writing a cheese review.   

| Subject: Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar |
| Date: 08/29/2021 | Photographers: Shelby Hester & James Kiester |
| Permissions: Photo taken for this blog |

Typically, when I  think of Tillamook Cheese I think grade school kids touring the factory of  Oregon's largest cheesemaker.  In my neck of the woods, the brand is best known for mass producing a solid quality everyday Cheddar, much like Kraft and Sargento.   It's relatively inexpensive, so it's always in the fridge waiting to be part of a bologna sandwich. 

I was shopping at Whole Foods, via Amazon.com, when Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar caught my eye.  I was intrigued by the thought of Tillamook Cheese entering the gourmet cheese arena, so I purchased a 7 ounce block for $7.49 ($1.07 per ounce - $17.02 per pound).

To clarify this isn't smoked Cheddar.  Peppercorns have been hickory smoked and added to mild white Cheddar.  I will says, they nailed the balance of flavors.  The use of mild Cheddar allowed the smoky spice of the peppercorns to take center stage.  I tasted the flavor of the pepper first, then was treated to smoky hickory finish.  A very mellow, but pleasant, Cheddar taste served as a omnipresent background flavor.

While I enjoyed the flavor, the cheese's moist spongy texture was a disappointment.  Such a mouth-feel is fine for Junior's sandwich, but a good serious Cheddar should have a much dryer texture, leaning toward, but not quite reaching, crumbly.

Did I like Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar?  Yes, it was tasty.  Did I love Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar?  No, it's moisture content prevents from being added to my list of favorites.  I'd give Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar 7 out of 10 stars.

August Is National Goat Cheese Month

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In order to give a boost of support to a particular segment of food producers, the American Legislature will honor food with its own day, week, or month. August is National Goat Cheese Month.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.

"Goat Cheese" is a term which  carries a degree of confusion along with it. When many people use the term, they're referring to Chevre, such as the one from La Bonne Vie (as pictured on the left) in France.  

Chevre is made from bacterial cultures and rennet being added to raw or pasteurized goats' milk.  The mixture coagulates over time, forming ad dense curd.  The curd is then separated from the whey and put into molds to age and develop complexity of flavor.  

The end result is  a roll of soft crumbly cheese with a salty flavor and mildly tart finish.   Such cheeses can be purchased plain, or with various ingredients (Italian herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, etc...) mixed in.

However, "Goat Cheese" can also refer to any cheese made with goat milk, including, but not limited to:

•  Anari cheese
• Añejo cheese 
• Anthotyros
• Ardagh Castle Cheese
• Ardsallagh Goat Farm
• Banon cheese
• Bastardo del Grappa
• Blue Rathgore
• Bluebell Falls
• Bokmakiri cheese
• Bonne Bouche
• Bouq Émissaire
• Brunost
• Bucheron
• Cabécou
• Cabrales cheese
• Caciotta
• Capricious
• Caprino cheese
• Caprino dell'Aspromonte
• Castelo Branco cheese
• Cathare
• Chabichou
• Chabis
• Chaubier
• Chavroux
• Chèvre noir
• Chevrotin
• Circassian cheese
• Circassian smoked cheese
• Clochette
• Clonmore Cheese
• Cooleeney Farmhouse Cheese
• Corleggy Cheese
• Couronne lochoise
• Crottin de Chavignol
• Dolaz cheese
• Faisselle 
• Feta (Great on salads, tacos, and pizzas)
• Formaela
• Garrotxa cheese
• Geitost
• Gevrik
• Dunlop cheese
• Gleann Gabhra
• Glyde Farm Produce
• Graviera
• Halloumi
Photo of Humboldt Fog Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.
• Harbourne Blue
• Humboldt Fog 
• Jibneh Arabieh
• Kars gravyer cheese
• Kasseri
• Kefalotyri
• Kunik cheese
• Leipäjuusto
• Majorero
• Manouri
• Mató
• Mizithra
• Nabulsi cheese
• Pantysgawn
• Payoyo cheese
• Pélardon
• Picodon
• Picón Bejes-Tresviso
• Pouligny-Saint-Pierre cheese
• Queso Palmita
• Rigotte de Condrieu
• Robiola
• Rocamadour cheese
• Rubing
• Sainte-Maure de Touraine
Photo of Ash covered Selles-sur-Cher Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.
• Santarém cheese
• Selles-sur-Cher cheese
• Snøfrisk
• St Helen's
• St Tola
• Testouri
• Tesyn
• Tulum cheese
• Valençay cheese
• Van herbed cheese
• Xynomizithra
• Xynotyro

Interestingly, when lawmakers declared August to be National Goat Cheese Month they didn't define their terms.  Were they referring to the rolls of soft tangy cheese only, or were they intending to honor all cheeses made with goats' milk?  Because we want our lawmakers to be masters of ambiguity.  HA!  

On the other hand, such ambiguity gives us a good excuse to try a variety of these delicacies during the rest of this month.

Stay healthy, safe, and sane, my friends. 

Carl's Jr's BFC Angus Thickburger - A Review

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I should begin by confessing that I’m typically not a fan of Carl's Jr.. I find their meat to be over cooked and dry. That being said, when I heard their new “BFC Angus Thickburger” comes with a wheel of deep-fried cheese on top, I had to investigate.

| Subject: BFC Angus Thickburger |
| Date: 02/28/2020 | Photographers: Dani Cogswell & James Kiester |
| Permissions: Photo taken for this blog |

I went through Carl's Jr. drive-thru window at 6653 SE Tualatin Valley Highway in Hillsboro, OR and ordered the BFC, a medium fry, and a medium (30 ounce) Coke for $10.94. The burger came with a flame broiled Angus beef patty, a combination of Cheddar and Mozzarella cheese coated in a seasoned breading & fried crispy, lettuce, tomato, and Boom Boom sauce on a toasted bun.

I didn't get the cheese in my first bite, so all I tasted was the horseradish foreword “Boom Boom” sauce. I suppose if Carl's Jr. was one of my regular haunts, I’d have been prepared for the spiciness. As it was, I found the taste a bit overpowering. I took another bite, and this time I hit paydirt. I could hear the crunch as I bit through the cheese, exposing a molten golden center. The Mozzarella allowed the wheel to melt evenly while the Cheddar delivered a pleasantly sharp Cheddar taste.

As I made my way through the sandwich, the cool light flavors the lettuce and tomato played against richness of the cheese and the beef to produce a balanced bite of food. I like char-broiled hamburgers, but these patties were the same dry beef I’ve come to expect from Carl's. However, the moisture of the cheese compensated for the parched meat enough that I was able to enjoy polishing off the meal.

Although I liked the burger, for the most part, I’d have preferred a patty with a little less of a cook on it and some other sauce (maybe just mayonnaise). I’d give Carl's Jr.’s BFC Angus Thickburger 8 out of 10 stars.

European Cheeses May Be Unaffordable Soon

Culture Magazine is a periodical all about the wonderful world of cheese, making it one of my favorite magazines. In fact, I have a birthday coming up. If one of my readers wanted to give me a gift subscription, I wouldn't object.

Getting back on topic, according to their piece Tariffs 101: EU cheeses take a hike, the Trump administration has proposed EU tariff hike, In October of last year, the White House imposed a 25% tax on imports from the EU, including spirits, wine, and cheese. Cheese retailers have begun amassing supplies of Provolone, Roquefort, Edam, Comtè, Emmental, Parmigiano Reggiano, and literally hundreds of other affected cheeses. However, such supplies are expected to be exhausted before 2021.

When I first read about this travesty, I rolled my eyes and said to myself, “This is one more way Trump's f#@&ing things up.” I thought about it though, and realized there's a bit of a silver lining. With imports disappearing from the market, American cheese enthusiasts have a good excuse to really get to know American cheese.

Now, when I say, “American cheese,” I’m not referring to processed cheese made from a blend of milk, milk fats and solids, with other fats and whey protein concentrate. I’m talking about superbly crafted artisan creations which excite the senses and delight the pallet.

Today, hundreds of artisan cheese makers are turning out delicious labors of love. Eaters can find American cheeses in every conceivable flavor and texture, made from a variety of milks.

|Rogue Creamery's Smokey Blue|

|Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.|

My favorite of these is Rogue Creamery’s Smokey Blue. This cow’s milk cheese is cold smoked over hazelnut shells and cave aged, in Central Point, Oregon, to produce a creamy cheese with flavors of; sweet cream, salt, and smoke; reminiscent of bacon. This is just one of a myriad of quality blue cheeses made right here in the United States of America, not to mention the wide array of Cheddar, Swiss-esc, Gouda-esc, Italian inspired, and completely original cheeses produced on our shores.

|Cotija Cheese from the Michoacán and Jalisco regions of Mexico| |Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.|

I’m not suggesting there are obvious American, 1 to 1, replacements for each European cheese that's on the market. Many pasta lovers are going to miss affordable Parmigiano Reggiano. Yet, Cotija is a semi-hard salty Mexican cheese, which American fans of spaghetti may want to consider grating atop of their meal.

Like it, or not, the upcoming shortage will force serious cheese eaters to experiment with alternatives from this side of the pond. We can choose to see such experimentation as a burden or an adventure. I think you know which way I lean.
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Has Sonic Hit A Home Run In The Cheesesteak Game?

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I love a good Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, so when I heard Sonic Drive-Ins added one to their menu I went to my local Sonic (7380 NE Butler Street in Hillsboro, Oregon) to check it out.

| Subject: Sonic’s Cheesesteak |
| Date: 08/27/2019 |
| Photographers: James Kiester & Dani Cogswell |

Consisting of grilled steak, caramelized onions, cheese sauce, and mayonnaise all atop a soft warm hotdog bun, Sonic’s sandwich is reminiscent of a cheesesteak from Pat’s, “wit wiz,” rather than a Provolone topped sandwich from Geno’s.

One of Sonic’s, “Carhop Specials,” includes a six-inch cheesesteak & medium sized tots for $2.29. However, I ordered the foot-long bad boy for $4.49 and paid extra for my fries.

Right off the bat, I was impressed with the bun. It was soft, but sturdy enough to support the weight of the filling without falling apart. As for the filling, the sandwich contained a generous helping of thin strips of beef. I’d have preferred a medium rare cook on the meat, but being a chain restaurant, they served the meat well done to ensure safety. As a result though, the meat was savory but a bit tough.

The onions were cooked until translucent, and delivered a sweet flavor with a nice kicking of onion heat on the finish. The majority of the flavor came from the wonderfully salty robust chemicals sauce. The sauce also brought enough moisture to the party that the mayonnaise was redundant.

All things considered; Sonic Drive-in is serving a decent Philly Cheesesteak sandwich for a fast food restaurant. I’d give it a solid 8 out of 10 stars.

Marilyn's Gluten Free Gourmet Cheese Straws

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Before I  begin, I have to disclose a personal bias. I am friends with the daughter of the owner of the baked goods company that makes these snacks. Since the snacks were given to me as a gift, I won't be giving them a star rating.

Marilyn's Gluten Free Gourmet Cheese Straws come in three varieties. I was given  Original and Jalepeno (their spelling) flavors, but they also come in White Cheddar & Chives.

Made from; sharp cheddar cheese, rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, sea salt, spices, and a few other ingredients; none of which are, hard to pronounce chemicals or food dyes; each straw is about 3 inches long and it looks like a crinkle cut French fry.

I am typically not a person who seeks out gluten free snacks.  However, I do like snacks that taste good. These straws taste a bit like Goldfish crackers, only more dense. They have a good crunch to them, but are a little dryer than most crackers. I did not mind it though, as I ate them along with a Sam Adams Summer Ale while watching The Four (Go Sharaya!).

The Original flavor had a good sharp cheddar bite to them, and are a little bit spicy in their own right. The Jalepeno adds another level of spice, but they're not so hot that you have to take a drink right away. They have just enough heat to let you know they're there without being overwhelming.

For more info about the straws, and how to order them, you can visit Marilyn's Gluten Free Gourmet Baked Goods.

Happy eating!

Jack In The Box's Prime Rib Cheesesteak - A Review

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Jack In The Box's newest promotion touts three sandwiches inspired by gourmet food trucks.

• Asian Fried Chicken Sandwich - Crispy fried chicken strips, fresh cucumbers, Asian-style slaw, and gochujang mayo on a toasted rice flour baguette. It's meant to be somewhat of a take on a Vietnamese banh mi  sandwich.
• Pork Belly BLT - Two strips of seared pork belly, green leaf lettuce, tomato, and tangy honey aioli on a toasted rice flour baguette.
• Prime Rib Cheesesteak - Strips of prime rib steak, peppers, onions, white cheese sauce, provolone cheese, and a little garlic herb butter on a toasted rice flour baguette.

| Subject: Jack's Philly Cheesesteak | Date: 01/08/2018 |

| Photographers: James Kiester & Dani Cogswell |

| This picture was taken by the author of this blog. |

I was intrigued when I saw the commercial for this new line of sandwiches. I knew I wanted to blog about it. However, I had a problem. I've never had a banh mi sandwich. I know, I know, I have to give my foodie ID card back. But in my defense, while I like a variety of Asian dishes, Indian Samosas being among my favorites, I lean more towards European and American cuisine.

Likewise, I'm not familiar enough with pork belly to do justice to a review. I've had pork belly before, but the ones I've had have always been fatty and chewy. I don't think I've ever had ideal pork belly. So, I didn't feel I had a good baseline which would allow me to compare Jack's version to what pork belly is supposed to be.

All that being said, I have had my share of cheesesteaks. I've had the good, the bad, and the ugly. At this point, I must disclose that I like my cheesesteaks Geno's style, which features Cheez Whiz. Jack's version is based on Pat's, utilizing provolone cheese. Nevertheless, I thought I'd give Jack's a try.  (Pat's has added Cheez Whiz, American cheese, and mozzarella cheese options to its menu, but is best known for its original provolone version.)

For $4.99 I got a five-inch long sandwich featuring the aforementioned ingredients on a soft roll. I opened up the sandwich to find it loaded with filling. As I ate I found a nice grilled char on the onions and peppers, gave depth to the flavor of the veggies.

The strips of steak were cooked to well-done giving them a slight chew.  A nice garlic flavor pleasantly permeated the beef, but it could have been seasoned with a little more salt.  For fast food steak, it was pretty good though.

What made this sandwich worth the price though was the fact that they did not skimp on the cheese. Ooey-gooey provolone held the filling together and it was present in every single bite.

Yes, you can get a foot-long sandwich over at Subway for the same price, but it won't be the quality that this was. I had my doubts going in, but I have to admit Jack In The Box nailed the cheesesteak. I give Jack's Cheesesteak 8 out of 10 stars.

Side Note:
I find it odd that Jack In The Box is using Martha Stewart to promote this line of "street food." When I think of street food, I think of Adam Richman, Guy Fieri, and Anthony Bourdain waaaaaay before I think of a domestic goddess like Martha Stewart.

Cotswold Potatoes - A Welcome Side

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Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.

Originating in Gloucestershire County, England, Cotswold is Double Gloucester cheese with chopped onions and chives mixed into it for added flavor.  It's a dense semi-hard whole milk cheese which can vary in color from golden yellow to orange.

As for taste, this ten year favorite of mine has a creamy, buttery, sweet flavor roughly akin to cheddar, but not as sharp. The chives and onions give it a uniquely savory bite.

Because it pairs well with blonde & amber beers, Zinfandel, and Shiraz Cotswold is popular as a pub cheese in England.  I bought a wedge last week, and was simply going to top crackers with it, and eat it alongside a beer.  However, the cashier at New Seasons asked if I'd ever made mashed potatoes with Cotswold cheese before.   Not only had I not made it, I'd never thought of it.

Being the cyber nerd that I am, I surfed the web, as soon as I returned home, and found a recipe for Cotswold Potatoes on Tiny New York Kitchen's blog consisting of 2 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1 Cup Heavy Cream, 5 Tablespoons Butter (Room Temperature), 1 ½ Cups Shredded Cotswold Cheese, ¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, and ¼ Teaspoon Paprika.  Like I said, it's not my recipe, but you can visit the blog, "Tiny New York Kitchen," for the full recipe.

I can tell you the potatoes were cheesy and creamy, and the flavors of the chives and onions really came through.  Along with fried chicken livers, pea pods sauteed with lemon oil, and a Blue Moon Beer the potatoes were a delicious component to a wonderful meal.  I'll have these again.

Shoot Me If I EVER Care

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I was listening to the "Is it Time to Make Up with Merlot?" episode of America's Test Kitchen last weekend, during which Chris Kimball interviewed, wine expert, Stephen Meuse.  At one point, Meuse made the statement, "...once people come to think of a wine as kitsch (cheesy; tacky) they don’t want to be seen drinking it. I often encounter folks who simply refuse to drink chardonnay—even in its most authentic and delicious forms— because they feel the wine is kitsch."

The quote festered in my brain for the rest of the day, and well into the night.  The idea that people might not consume something, because it's "kitsch," bothered me.  Heck, forget the past tense, it still bothers me.

Do we really have to eat and drink the right things in order to sit at the cool kids' table?  Is admittance to the cool kids' table really that important?  If so, I'm in trouble.

• I love Brie, Gouda, Huntsman, and most other "serious cheeses," but I also enjoy cheap sliced American Cheese on a grilled cheese sandwich and orange molten cheese sauce on my nachos.
• Robert Parker would probably scoff at me, because I like sweeter wines, and beers for that matter.
• I truly enjoy dining on a foie gras appetizer followed by a filet mignon and a dirty martini at a nice restaurant.  Yet, I can also enjoy a Double Decker Taco from Taco Bell.

Does my enjoyment of common mundane foods exclude me from membership in the serious eaters' club?  Maybe it does. *shrug*  The point is, I don't give a flying *&*^.  I'll never turn away a Whopper because the beef isn't grass fed, nor will I select a lip puckering brute simply because the sommelier thinks it goes with fish.

The day that I become so wrapped up in what people think, and so desperate to sit at the cool kids' table, that I change what I eat and drink, just shoot me pal.

Cascadia Creamery's Sleeping Beauty Cheese - Micro Blog

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Cascadia Creamery's Sleeping Beauty is a smooth buttery grassy tasting cow's milk cheese with a slightly sharp bite to it.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of this off white semi-hard cheese in its natural  rind, but Sleeping Beauty's color, taste, and texture remind me of a Gouda, only a bit earthier.

Just in time for fall, this cheese would pair nicely with crisp apples and/or pears.  Beverage wise, I'd suggest a hard cider, pilsner, or hefeweizen.  Plus,I found a tempting looking recipe, I admittedly haven't tried it yet, for Sleeping Beauty Mac n Cheese. Enjoy.

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Whole Foods Charges High Prices..... Well No Sheep Dip Batman!

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Subject: The interior of the largest Whole Foods in the United States, located on Houston Street in the East Village of New York City. | Date: 08/25/2008 | Photographer: David Shankbone |This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

According to a recent article in USA TODAY, a current investigation, by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs, has concluded that Whole Foods stores have been overcharging for pre-packaged foods.

Did they really need to investigate to figure this out?  Seriously?  Next they'll look into the allegation that the Santa at the mall MIGHT be an imposter.

There are some things that people, who are paying attention, just know.  When Whole Foods hocks $9.00 chocolate bars, which are roughly the size of a $2.00 Hershey's Chocolate Bar from Walmart, it's pretty obvious Whole Foods isn't a destination for bargain shoppers.

That being said, it's not supposed to be.  Chains such as Whole Food, and the northwest's local version, New Seasons, aren't designed to be places for average shoppers to buy everyday groceries.  Unless someone has a special dietary need (gluten free food, low nitrite food, etc...) buying commonplace groceries, such as boxed cereal & canned soup, at Whole Foods makes no sense.

Food lovers go to such stores for a special high end meats, cheeses, and/or other treats not typically found at an average supermarket.  I go there for specialty cheeses, such as Taleggio, Comte, Huntsman, and Woolwich Dairy's Triple Creme Goat Brie.  My brother goes there for the meat counter's jumbo sized hot dogs when he's hosting a BBQ.  Other people go there for their grass fed ground beef, which is free of pink slime.

Yes, Whole Foods charges more for their groceries.  People know this going in though.  No ones being scammed or duped.
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Cheesy Tidbits - Saint Agur Double-Crème Blue + Deep Fried Xangos

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Occasionally, I encounter note worthy morsels I want to blog about, but there's not enough to say about them to justify an entire entry.  In such cases, I usually write 1 to 3 paragraphs about my find and post the entry as a "Micro Blog".  However, I recently came across two such delights within one week, so I'm going to combine both tidbits into this single full length blog entry.
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Subject: Saint Agur Cheese | Date: 08/30/2007 | Photographer: Micah Anderson | This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Micah Anderson at the En-wiki project. This applies worldwide.

I was looking for Cambozola, a  combination of a French soft-ripened Camembert and Italian Gorgonzola, at Tanasbourne's Whole Foods Market.  They didn't have it, but their cheese monger gave me a sample of Saint Agur Double-Crème Blue Cheese instead.

Saint Agur is a blue cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk.  Since 1988 Saint Agur has been crafted in the village of Beauzac of the Monts du Valley, which lies within the mountainous Auvergne region of central France. Containing 60% butterfat, the French blue qualifies as a double-crème cheese.

Saint Agur has the appetizingly pungent aroma of hearty blue mold.  As for the flavor, it's definitely saltier than Cambozola.  Yet, while I found it to be sharper than its Camembert bearing counterpart, a fellow eater thought it was milder the aforementioned cheese.  In any event, Saint Agur unarguably delivers the pleasing taste of blue cheese, but unlike typical blues the texture is smooth and creamy, rather than crumbly.

This easily spreadable variation of blue cheese would be great as part of a cheese plate, or on crackers alongside a garden salad and crisp white wine. At $7.50 for a quarter of a pound, I give Saint Agur Double-Crème Blue Cheese 9.5 out of 10 stars.

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Subject: Xangos | Source: Lupe's Escape'sLupes Escape's Desserts & Beverages Menu Page |

Stress can often increase one's appetite.  I'd just finished activating my new debit card, after having fraudulent charges appear on my old card, and I was HUNGRY.  Upon finishing an order of Chili Rellenos and refried beans, I wasn't quite full.  It was then that I discovered a dessert I hadn't heard of before.

A Xango is cheesecake wrapped in a tortilla, then deep fried until crispy, drizzled with the diner's choice of sauces (I had the chocolate sauce), alongside dollops of whipped cream. It's crunchy, sweet, slightly salty from the fry batter, and mildly tart from the rich cheesecake. Best of all, they were only $5.00 at Lupes Escape in Aloha, Oregon.

Even though I'm not big on desserts, I have to give Xangos 9 out of 10 stars for sheer yumminess and balance of flavor.

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Fuller Foods' Blue Cheese Jalapeño & Maple Bacon Cheesy Puffs

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Subject: Fuller Foods' Blue Cheese Jalapeño & Maple Bacon Cheesy Puffs |
Date: 01/02/2015 | Photographers: James Kiester & Dani Cogswell | This picture was taken by the author of this blog.

I don't typically review chips, crackers, and other snack foods. I leave critiques of such munchies to the good people of Taquitos Snack Food Reviews. However, while the site has reviewed, literally, thousands of sweet and/or salty munchables, from every conceivable national brand, they rarely review offerings from mom & pop companies. Thus, when the owner of an, Oregon based, craft snack company was promoting his fare at my local New Seasons Market, I ended up taking a few bags home to sample & review.

Fuller Foods, head quartered in Portland, Oregon, makes four varieties of "100% natural" Cheesy Puffs, including; Sriracha, Blue Cheese Jalapeño, India Pale Ale, and Maple Bacon.  As a beer drinker, I've never been able to choke down an IPA, and something in the owner's demeanor told me the Sriracha flavor would be way too hot for this 44 year old.  Being a fan of blue cheese and bacon, I left with the Blue Cheese Jalapeño and Maple Bacon flavors.

According to the brown paper packaging, the Blue Cheese Jalapeño Puffs contain; corn (non-GMO Bob's Red Mill corn grits from Oregon and California), blue and cheddar cheese blend, konjac, jalapeño, salt, and garlic; while the Maple Bacon Puffs are made of; corn (non-GMO Bob's Red Mill corn grits from Oregon and California), safflower oil, cheddar cheese, maple sugar, konjac, salt, and Olympic Provisions Bacon (pork, salt, brown sugar, nitrates, applewood smoke).  Additionally, both flavors boast:

• FEATURES KONJAC YAM (consumption of 6oz of water per serving is recommended)
• INCREASES SATIETY
• BLUNTS SUGAR ABSORPTION
• LOCALLY MADE
• NO “NATURAL FLAVORS”
• NOT MADE WITH GENETICALLY ENGINEERED INGREDIENTS

Being slightly confused by their second to last claim, I contacted them via their Facebook Page and asked, "Your bag says, "No 'Natural Flavors.'"  Don't I want natural flavors?"

An online representative, named Jack, wrote back with the following statement.

"James,

Many natural and organic foods are flavored with additives such as "natural flavors", which is a vaguely defined and loosely regulated term that includes lots of very unnatural constituents, ranging from chemicals from non-food origins to ingredients over-processed beyond recognition. Take bacon, for example. In all commercially made snacks, bacon flavor is derived from "natural flavors" (chemical compounds that yield similar aromatic/taste properties), yeast, and/or MSG. Our bacon flavor is made from actual bacon (non-GMO, nitrate free) that was meticulously prepared, dehydrated, and powderized. 

Significant amount of work went into making Serious Cheesy Puffs a snack made from wholesome ingredients only. It is an achievement that extremely few food companies, particularly in snacks, attain and something that I'm very proud of.

Having said that, I do thank you for bringing to my attention of how "No 'natural flavors'" may be confusing to some. Such verbiage will be updated in future packaging designs.

Thank you, Jack"

Natural ingredients are nice, for eaters who care about what the put into their bodies, but the real question is, do these puffs make a tasty snack?

Both varieties of puff looked identical; pale white in color, about 50% the width of a Cheetos Cheese Puff, and about 50% longer than a Cheetos Cheese Puff.  Trading width for length, these puffs give the snacker roughly the same volume of food as their popular counterpart.  Each puff also delivered a solid crunch.

Biting into the Blue Cheese Jalapeño Puffs gave me a spicy, but not overly hot, kick of jalapeño right off the bat.  Chewing increased the level of heat, and eventually revealed a faint under flavor of blue cheese.  Likewise, the Maple Bacon Puffs delivered a strong hit of maple sweetness with a whisper of bacon flavor in the background.

While I'd have preferred a stronger blue cheese taste, the spice of the pepper was tasty enough for me to give the Blue Cheese Jalapeño Puffs 8.5 out of 10 stars.  On the flip side, the Maple Bacon Puffs were really a maple snack with bacon as an after thought.  After eating a few puffs, the sweetness became overpowering, earning these puffs 6.9 out of 10 stars.
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Penzeys' Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle - Micro Blog

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Subject: Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle 2 oz. jar | Source: Penzeys.com |

All my friends know I'm a foodie and popcorn junkie.  With this in mind, one good friend gave me a 2 ounce jar of Penzeys' Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle (a $10.59 value) for Christmas this year.  Named for a popular Italian street in Milwaukee, WI, Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle is a blend of Romano cheese salt, garlic, green peppercorn, basil and parsley.

I sprinkled some on a batch of popcorn.  The blend gave the snack a cheesy salty kick, with a hint of pepper and an herbaceous undertone.  It was one delicious bowl of popcorn.

Whether on popcorn, or added to sour cream (1 TB. sprinkle to 1 cup sour cream) to make a dip, I can't help thinking Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle would liven up any New Year's Eve party.


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Have Yourself A Merry Little Cheese Ball

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Wiktionary defines a cheeseball, or cheese ball, as, "a spherical mass of cheese or cream cheese, often including nuts or other additions and served as an hors d'oeuvre or finger food, usually with bread or crackers."

Some claim the cheese ball originated with the 1,235 pound mammoth cheese structure Elisha Brown Jr. presented to Thomas Jefferson in 1801.  However, the spherical spread disappeared from cuisiniers' culinary repertoire until 1944 when the first known cheese ball recipe appeared within the pages of Virginia Safford's cookbook, "Food of My Friends."

Since the cheese ball's debut, the mixture of cheese, spices, and flavorful additives has become something of a holiday party tradition.  While I have no objective numbers to back up my belief, I'd bet good money the cheese ball is second only to the fruit cake when it comes to edible holiday gifts.

In any event, the holiday season makes me hungry for the dairy based cracker topping.  I could've picked up a fairly tasty one, for $5 to $10, from my local grocery store or Hickory Farms kiosk.  I wanted to make my own this year though, so I did what any good 21st century foodie does.  I surfed the web for recipes.

Today, a wide array of cheese ball flavors exist, including;
(Click on each flavor below to see its recipe.)

• Sharp Cheddar Cheese Ball,
• Green Onion & Swiss Cheese Ball,
• Port Wine Cheese Ball,
• Olive Cheese Ball,
• Southwestern Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball,
• Spinach Cheese Ball,
• Spicy Taco Cheese Ball,
• Pizza Cheese Ball,
• Cheddar Horseradish Cheese Ball,
• Herb Coated Goat Cheese...

After reading these, and many others, I came up with my own recipe.  I knew I wanted to feature a smoky bacon flavor, and since I already had Parmesan cheese in my fridge, I decided to use it rather than traditional Cheddar.  The result is the recipe below.

As I'd hoped, the end product was smoky and savory with a slight tang on the finish, furnished by the dry ranch dressing mix.  Even though I like this version, you should feel free to experiment, keeping a few simple rules in mind.

1. Use a soft cheese as a base.  You can add other cheeses if you like, but you need a pliable base (cream cheese, soft goat cheese, Mascarpone, etc...) which can be molded into a ball.
2. Flavor your ball with additives that are tasty but not over powering (green onion, herbs, mild spice, packaged seasoning, etc...).
3. Include a crunchy ingredient (nuts, bacon bits, green onion, etc...) for texture.

Once you have your cheese ball made and set, simply display it alongside your favorite crackers, bread, and/or crudités, and enjoy your holiday get together.

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Bacon Ranch Parmesan Cheese Ball Recipe

Subject: Bacon Ranch Parmesan Cheese Ball | Date: 12/17/2014 | Photographers:
James Kiester & Dani Cogswell |
This picture was taken by the author of this blog.

Makes 1 Cheese Ball
 
Ingredients:
8 ounces of cream cheese,
1 ounce of packaged dry ranch dressing mix,
3/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese,
1 (3 ounce) bottle of bacon bits

Directions:
Take 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened) and mix till slightly whipped. Add 1 ounce of ranch dressing and mix till incorporated. Fold in 3/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Pour 3 ounces of bacon bits in a pie tin. Form cream cheese mixture in to a ball with your hands. Roll ball in bacon bits till covered. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to let it become firm.  Remove from fridge and serve with crackers, bread, and/or *crudités.

Note:
You CAN fry and crumble your own bacon to make your own bacon bits. However, according to the Cookbook Equivalencies Page of Wikibooks it takes 1.5 pounds of raw bacon to produce 3 ounces of bacon bits. Plus, when making bacon bits, for this recipe, unless the cook makes sure to dab ALL the excess grease from the bacon bits they run the risk of the cheese ball turning rancid. Not only are packaged bacon bits more cost effective, they're safer.

*Crudités is a French term for pieces of raw vegetables (such as carrots and celery) served before a meal.

Recipe prints as a single pages for your recipe file or refrigerator.

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Little Caesars Pretzel Crust Pizza - A Review

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I don't generally buy ready made take out pizza, simply because I like to choose my toppings.  However, being hungrier than normal a few nights ago, I shelled out $6.00 for Little Caesars' Pretzel Crust Pizza.

Subject: Little Caesars' Pretzel Crust Pizza | Source: Little Caesars' Press Release |

Divided into eight large slices, the pizza consists of a soft salted pretzel crust topped with a Cheddar cheese sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, all sprinkled with an additional blend of Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, and White Cheddar cheeses.

With the understanding that ready made take out pizzas sit beneath heat lamps before they're ordered, I knew, going in, that the pie would be lukewarm, rather than piping hot and fresh.  Thus, it didn't bother me.

In fact, I enjoyed the first slice.  The Cheddar cheese sauce was creamy, the pepperoni was spicy & salty, the four cheese blend was flavorful, and the pretzel crust, which the pizza is named for, tasted like a soft, ball park pretzel.

Yet, after the first slice, the salty Cheddar cheese sauce, salty/spicy pepperoni, salty blend of; Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, and White Cheddar; and soft salted pretzel crust pummeled me with saltiness on top of saltiness on top of saltiness on top of saltiness.  The addition of mushrooms, bell peppers, and/or sun dried tomatoes would have added some badly needed balance to this one note pie.

A single slice of Little Caesars' Pretzel Crust Pizza would be a nice snack, alongside a beer, while watching sports with a large group of friends.  As a meal pizza though, I have to give Little Caesars' Pretzel Crust Pizza 5 out of 10 stars.
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Butlers Blacksticks Blue Cheese - Micro Blog

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Subject: Butlers Blacksticks Blue | Source: Picture kindly provided by courtesy of the Butlers Specialty Cheeses.

Having a sister-in-law who sells wholesale gourmet goodies to Portland's finer restaurants allows me to sample the occasional treat.  Most recently, she brought a wedge of Butlers Blacksticks Blue to a weekend get together, and I fell in love.

Located in the pasture lands of Lancashire, England, Butlers Farmhouse makes this soft, blue-veined cheese from the pasteurized milk of the family's own cows.  The cheese is matured for eight weeks, allowing it to develop a bright orange color, reminiscent of Huntsman & Cotswald.

Streaked with yummy blue mold, Butlers Blacksticks Blue delivers a salty tangy bold flavor.  Keeping in mind the punch of flavor this cheese brings to the table, I'd pair it with a nice dark stout beer such as Young's Double Chocolate Stout or McMenamins Terminator Stout, which can stand up against the cheese's strong taste.

With nothing bad to say about Butlers Blacksticks Blue, I give this cheese 10 out of 10 stars.

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The Versatile Sauce

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Recently, Men's Health Magazine published a list of 5 sauces that can liven up a meal.  Their list included Big Bold Sauce AKA Steak Sauce, Chimi-Churri Sauce, Brown-Butter Lime Fish Sauce, Mustard Dill Sauce, and Tejano Red Sauce.  You can read the full article, complete with recipes, here.

This is a great article.  I'd add a Béchamel Sauce though, which can be converted into other sauces including Mornay Sauce (cheese), Nantua Sauce (crayfish/shrimp, butter and cream), Crème Sauce (heavy cream), Mustard Sauce (prepared mustard), and Soubise Sauce (finely diced onions sweated in butter).

The trick to a successful conversion is to have a recipe for a base Béchamel Sauce which is as flavor neutral as possible without being completely bland.  The sauce should be creamy and savory without garlicky, spicy, or onion laden undertones which can compete with a particular conversion.  However, if you're adding a straight Béchamel Sauce to pasta, rice, veggies, etc...., I WOULD add some crushed garlic and/or some savory herbs to jazz it up.
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Béchamel Sauce

Title: Béchamel Sauce | Date: 10/02/2011 | Photographer: Saintfevrier | This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Ingredients
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons flour
    1 1/4 cups milk, heated
    Salt
    Freshly ground pepper

Preparation
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown — about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

My Cheddar Cheese Sauce Conversion
Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 Tablespoon of dry mustard, and 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.
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Béchamel Sauce is a recipe which should be in the repertoire of every home cook and chef.  Mastery of this basic sauce opens the culinary door to an array of sauces, making dishes such as Macaroni & Cheese, Scalloped Potatoes, Chile con Queso, Chicken Pot Pie, Lobster Mornay Pasta, and Fish Mousseline with Sauce Nantua possible and tasty. 

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(Click the name of each sauce in the second paragraph to see its conversion recipe.)
Recipe prints as a single page for your recipe file or refrigerator.
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