terrisus
Member
Following up on "terrisus presents: Broccoli is beautiful! |OT| Yours may be slaw or rabe," we have for you now:
maxcriden presents: Cheese is gouda! |OT| Cows and sheep and goats living together!
This isn't going to be as detailed an examination of cheese, nor of the many varied ways it can be used (since, as most of GAF knows, I'm horrible with cooking), but more just a general overview of the many cheeses that are out there, to give an idea of just how awesome cheese is. Thanks maxcriden!
Let's start with a favorite:
Mozzarella
Traditionally made from Italian buffalo milk, this cheese also shows up in other parts of the world from cow's milk as well. Your first experience with this cheese may have been like this:
But, really, it's so much more. Take a piece of this, and you can just bite right into it:
You may also find fresh mozzarella in your grocery store looking like this:
You may also be a fan of this:
There's much more to be said in favor of mozzarella. It could even have its own OT. Such a delicious and versatile cheese.
But, let's move on to another favorite of many:
Cheddar
This guy is originally from Cheddar, in the UK. I'm personally not as big a fan of cheddar, but it seems to have become quite popular somehow. Cheddar comes in both traditional and "sharp" varieties, and can also be found in white:
Another way to encounter cheddar is aged
Aging of cheddar can last from a few years to a few decades. Hey, who says that old cheese isn't good anymore?
Speaking of cheese that's been sitting around for a while, another fun thing to do with cheese is to let it get moldy. Which brings us to a sadly underappreciated cheese:
Gorgonzola
This cheese, made from cow's milk, gets bacteria added to it to produce a bluish mold through the cheese. Sound delicious? Well, it is!
This cheese is alright on its own, but really is best when added to other stuff. Garlic bread, pizza, pasta, or pretty much anything else where you have any other cheese - just toss some gorgonzola in for a bit of an extra kick!
For something a bit different, we also have:
Feta
This cheese is commonly found made from goat's milk, but can be made with sheep milk as well.
So, hey, if you find yourself in Greece, and you come across something milk-producing, go to town on it!
And, to wrap things up with another favorite of mine:
Provolone
Another good, solid Italian cheese (I'll admit, I have a bias for Italian cheeses)
This is another guy who comes in both sharp and mild.
Delicious on just about everything, and great on its own as well.
There are plenty more great cheeses beyond these, of course:
Swiss, Ricotta, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and countless others. This is just a starting point to get people talking.
I know this wasn't the most detailed OP, and certainly not fully deserving of the maxcriden seal of quality, but it's a good starting off point for a discussion of everyone's favorite food item: Cheese!
One final note:
If you're doing this:
You're doing it wrong.
Please forfeit your cheese card at the door and be on your way.
To celebrate our new thread, here are some extra pictures of cheese and cheese-related items to get your thoughts going. Feel free to add plenty of your own as well.
maxcriden presents: Cheese is gouda! |OT| Cows and sheep and goats living together!
This isn't going to be as detailed an examination of cheese, nor of the many varied ways it can be used (since, as most of GAF knows, I'm horrible with cooking), but more just a general overview of the many cheeses that are out there, to give an idea of just how awesome cheese is. Thanks maxcriden!
Let's start with a favorite:
Mozzarella
Traditionally made from Italian buffalo milk, this cheese also shows up in other parts of the world from cow's milk as well. Your first experience with this cheese may have been like this:
But, really, it's so much more. Take a piece of this, and you can just bite right into it:
You may also find fresh mozzarella in your grocery store looking like this:
You may also be a fan of this:
There's much more to be said in favor of mozzarella. It could even have its own OT. Such a delicious and versatile cheese.
But, let's move on to another favorite of many:
Cheddar
This guy is originally from Cheddar, in the UK. I'm personally not as big a fan of cheddar, but it seems to have become quite popular somehow. Cheddar comes in both traditional and "sharp" varieties, and can also be found in white:
Another way to encounter cheddar is aged
Aging of cheddar can last from a few years to a few decades. Hey, who says that old cheese isn't good anymore?
Speaking of cheese that's been sitting around for a while, another fun thing to do with cheese is to let it get moldy. Which brings us to a sadly underappreciated cheese:
Gorgonzola
This cheese, made from cow's milk, gets bacteria added to it to produce a bluish mold through the cheese. Sound delicious? Well, it is!
This cheese is alright on its own, but really is best when added to other stuff. Garlic bread, pizza, pasta, or pretty much anything else where you have any other cheese - just toss some gorgonzola in for a bit of an extra kick!
For something a bit different, we also have:
Feta
This cheese is commonly found made from goat's milk, but can be made with sheep milk as well.
So, hey, if you find yourself in Greece, and you come across something milk-producing, go to town on it!
And, to wrap things up with another favorite of mine:
Provolone
Another good, solid Italian cheese (I'll admit, I have a bias for Italian cheeses)
This is another guy who comes in both sharp and mild.
Delicious on just about everything, and great on its own as well.
There are plenty more great cheeses beyond these, of course:
Swiss, Ricotta, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and countless others. This is just a starting point to get people talking.
I know this wasn't the most detailed OP, and certainly not fully deserving of the maxcriden seal of quality, but it's a good starting off point for a discussion of everyone's favorite food item: Cheese!
One final note:
If you're doing this:
You're doing it wrong.
Please forfeit your cheese card at the door and be on your way.
To celebrate our new thread, here are some extra pictures of cheese and cheese-related items to get your thoughts going. Feel free to add plenty of your own as well.
