By now you’ve had time to tweak your inventory of eggs, dairy and fats. If you missed this post, check it out here. How did you do? Did you discover something unexpected? Are you over-buying in one area and always run out somewhere else? Does having the right ingredients on hand make dinner a less painful endeavor?
Well today, we continue our discussion with cheese. Hard cheese, soft cheese and everything in-between. Growing up in the Midwest and just south of the Wisconsin cheese heads I had my share of cheese. American made cheese, Cheddar, Swiss, Velveeta, and the all important individually wrapped slices of American cheese. I never considered Parmesan anything but what came in a container that you shook on top of spaghetti. Imagine my surprise when I found out it also came fresh in a brick.
Today we enjoy feta and blue cheese, along with cheeses from around the world. I get to samples local flavors, with the downsize being if I really like a new cheese, I have to wait to visit the region on my return trip, no way can I store so much wonderful cheese without it spoiling before we can consume it. I’m still on the look-out for Patricia Sands’s Asiago cheese.
I do however keep a standard supply of cheese on the boat. I try to find a good hard cheese in my travels. A sharp cheddar is my stand-by if I can’t find anything local. Swiss is another stand-by. When salad greens are available I’ll stock up on Blue cheese and Feta, though they both go well with pasta and my homemade pizza.
You’ll always find cream cheese in my fridge. It’s versatile and keeps a really long while. My go to cheese spread started out as a roasted garlic thing. If you have the time and space, this is the cat’s meow. I’ve given up roasting the whole garlic, but the results are just as spectacular and with enough preparation you can make it a day ahead and the flavors really meld together.
Start with 8 oz of cream cheese. Add 1-2 garlic cloves, minced. The spices sometimes very, but my standards are Cayenne pepper, basil and thyme. Start with small amounts 1/4 teaspoon (pepper) and 1/2 teaspoon respectively. You can adjust from there.
By itself, this makes a great spread for crackers, bread and fajita pinwheels. Your imagination is the limit.
So, tell me what cheese you keep in the refrigerator. Do you have a variety? Do you try new cheeses? Or are you a standard American Cheese kind of person?
Velveeta is my fave! I buy it maybe once a year, nowadays the 2% kind. One of my other favorite cheeses is a salami/cheddar mix. Sooooooo goooooood. =)
Carrie, I can see you using Velveeta a lot. It makes a great quick meal.
I LOVE cheese. But having developed a lactose intolerance & have had to scale back on what I consume 🙁 I will try anything in cheese. We always have chedder and co-jack in the fridge along with the american for Bob’s sandwiches. I try to keep some swiss cheese and pepper jack around,too. Although I am the only one eating it I have to be careful not to over stock. And yes, we always have cream cheese in there. Mmmm Cheese!!!!
Carol, I find the harder the cheese the better for lactose intolerance. But, that’s just me, I still have to be careful. And, my favorite versatile cheese, cream cheese, not on the list of better for me, but still versatile.
I also dicovered if it has been cooked/baked I have much less problem. 🙂
Mmmm – that garlic/cream cheese spread sounds like a yummy base for a sandwich on a wrap. Come to think of it, it’s almost lunch time ….
Patricia, hope you enjoyed that wrap, the spread is so quick to whip up.
Provolone, hands down for me. My husband prefers Swiss.
I hadn’t thought about making my own flavored cream cheese before. I usually just buy the flavored variety at the store, but I image it’s the same as with everything where homemade is better. I’ll have to make up a batch some weekend and give it a try.
Marcy, Welcome aboard Fawkes, I think you’ll find homemade a treat and oh, so simple. Let me know how it turns out.
Now you’ve made me hungry. We are working our way south in the Exuma Island chain hoping to get to George Town and a grocery store before the big blow hits on Monday or Tuesday. I’m down to my last small chunk of cheddar cheese and would love any other kind right now. I mean, really, any other kind.
Kristina, Welcome aboard Fawkes and I feel your pain. I hope you make it safe to Georgetown, but watch the North wind. Shop sooner than later as by Monday the Exuma Market mignt not have anything left.
So we made it to the market but it was Monday . . . You know how that goes. We did get some regular cheddar, which is better than now cheese at all. We’re expecting 40 knots today and tomorrow so we have to hide until Friday. Then, maybe, we can re-provision.
Kristina, we’re in the same boat, Friday the winds may dissipate, but the squalls take their place. Maybe Sat. we’ll reprovision. For you, Friday is a good time to shop.