Cheese, Glorious Cheese!!

[big brown horse]

I am reading My Life in France by Julia Child at the moment. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. It is educational and funny. It is a best selling memoir of her years in France from about 1948 or so.

I just read a passage about a little cremerie she visited often in France. This is what she wrote (be prepared to drool):

We had an excellent cremerie, located on the place that let into the Rue de Bourgogne. It was a small narrow store, with room for just five or six customers to stand in single file. Madame la Proprietress was robust, with rosy cheeks and thick blond hair piled high, and she presided from behind the counter with cheerful efficiency. On the wide wooden shelf behind her stood a great mound of fresh churned, sweet, pale-yellow butter waiting for pieces to be carved as ordered. Next to the mound sat a big container of fresh milk, ready to be ladled out. On the side counters stood the cheese--boxes of Camembert, large hunks of Cantal, and wheels of Brie in various stages of ripeness--some brand-new and almost hard, others soft to the point of oozing.

The drill was to wait patiently in line until it was your turn, and then give your order clearly and succinctly. Madame was a whiz at judging the ripeness of cheese. If you asked for a Camembert, she would cock an eyebrow and ask at what time you wished to serve it: would you be eating it for lunch today, or at dinner tonight, or would you be enjoying it in a few days hence? Once you had answered, she'd open several boxes, press each cheese intently with her thumbs, take a big sniff, and--voila!--she'd hand you just the right one.

Doesn't that just sound wonderful?? Like I said, the book so far has been a peach to read. Sadly, I'm almost halfway through it. Just like good cheese I'm having trouble savoring it.

I have been on a "cheese a thon" lately devouring goat cheese, Parmesan and Gorgonzola lately. Mostly added to fresh, dark green salads and toasted walnuts.

Frankly, I love cheese trays the most!! Brie is one of my favorites on a cheese tray served with other cheeses, nuts, green grapes, sliced pears or tart green apples and water crackers. I'm also a sucker for sharp cheddar cheese cubed up and served with cubed ham toothpicked together or separate.

Anyhoo, what are your favorite cheeses, and how do you serve them? If you have any "cheese is the star" type recipes, please share.

 

[big brown horse]

Here is another one I posted in the fondue section:

I would dip crisp granny smilth apple slices, ham cubes or assorted steamed veggies in this one!


Farmer's Fondue:

2 cups of cubed Herkimer, Cornhusker, or other sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 oz butter (one stick)
6 eggs, well beaten
Paprika, cayenne, fresh-ground pepper and salt

Over low hear, melt cheese, add butter and cook together with eggs until mixture is thinck and smooth, stirring constantly. Add seasonings to taste and blend together. (Do not let it come to a boil.)

 

[Blackbird]

Stop Sally, yer killin' me!

 

[big brown horse]

You a cheese a holic too BB? Just wait till you see this one!!!


Has anyone ever tried a souffle?? I think I will try this tonight, I already have all the ingredients. ( Notice it only has 3 T of flour.)



Julia Child inspired Cheese Souffle (got it off of Recipe Zaar)

SERVES 4 -6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup milk, whole
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, unbleached
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
1 cup gruyere cheese, packed coarsely (about 4 ounces)


Directions
1 Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

2 Butter 6-cup (1-1/2 quart) souffle dish.

3 Add Parmesan cheese and tilt dish, coating bottom and sides.

4 Warm milk in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.

5 Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

6 Add flour and whisk until mixture begins to foam and loses raw taste, about 3 minutes; do not allow mixture to brown).

7 Remove saucepan from heat; let stand 1 minute.

8 Pour in warm milk, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes.

9 Remove from heat; whisk in paprika, salt, and nutmeg.

10 Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking to blend after each addition.

11 Scrape souffle base into large bowl.

12 Cool to lukewarm. DO AHEAD; can be made 2 hours ahead.

13 Cover and let stand at room temperature.

14 Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry.

15 Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm or room temperature souffle base to lighten.

16 Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions while gradually sprinkling in Gruyere cheese.

17 Transfer batter to prepared dish.

18 Place dish in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.

19 Bake until souffle is puffed and golden brown on top and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 minutes (do not open oven door during first 20 minutes).

20 Serve immediately. <---NO PROBLEM THERE!!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I love swiss cheese (Any european style ones) with westphalien ham on a nice real whole grain bread or italian/french bread.

this is also really yummy on egg.
top a partially fried egg with the swiss cheese and westphalien ham and continue to fry until the egg is done and the cheese melted. Serve on top bread of your choice. I prefer rye or whole grain (pumpernickel) bread.

I think I know what I am having for brunch

 

[big brown horse]

YUM!!

Now what exactly is "westphalien" ham? It sounds like something I need to know about ASAP!!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Wow, that was a great read! I wanna go to a french creamery!!! (look, I'm cheesin' again!)

Know the best thing about great books? You can read them again when you get finished!

3 cheese quesadillas

Normally, I make ques by layering 2 tortillas, cooking, then cutting pizza style. That does not work with these. The cheese dribbles out, so you have to fold a single tortilla in half & don't cut it in more than 2 pieces.

Serves 5
5 tortillas, your choice
1 medium wheel brie
1 cup sharp cheddar (grated)
1 cup swiss or provolone (grated)
1 small sweet onion, diced (sauted until transluscent or lightly browned)
1-2 roasted red peppers, chopped

First, layer cheeses on half of tortilla
Top with onion & red pepper
Top with cheese
Fold tortilla over (omlet style) & grill on each side until the cheeses are melted & the tortilla is browned to your liking.

Be careful making the first flip, if the cheeses aren't melted, the goodies will fall out.

These are awesome as breakfast or with tomato soup.

 

[big brown horse]

That sounds wonderful! I never thought to put brie in quesadillas!


Now that reminds me about baked brie...lemme go find my recipe!

Oh you must get the book!!! The food she mentions is to die for! And her stories are so stinkin cute. Her husband was a photographer, so the book is filled with wonderful photos of France and Julia etc. I will definitely re read it. (I knew she was tall, but I didn't know she was 6f 2in!! Her little sister was 6f 3in!!

My mother had an old copy of her cookbook that she sold on ebay for $88!

 

[big brown horse]

Bake it with honey drizzled on top, and you have a oozy-delicious appetizer in 10 minutes. Serve with French bread and sliced green apples.

Baked Brie with Honey
Place wheel of brie cheese on baking sheet, and drizzle honey on top.
Lightly season with salt and pepper
Bake at 300 degrees for 7 minutes (or until cheese is just starting to 'ooze').
Remove and place on large plate, with french bed and sliced green apples.

EASY!!!

 

[farmerlor]

Oh, that sounds just wonderful! Since my surgery, cheese is the only thing I crave and of course can't have yet for weeks. I adore a baked Brie. The double cream German Camembert is one of my favorite cheeses and it seems like I always have a Gouda or Muenster sitting in the fridge just for snacking. Mmmmm, wish I could have some cheese.