The Cheese thread

[Diamondback]

Only you, Tomasso, could post something so disturbing and yet at the same time so funny.lol

 

[John in Covina]

Fast forward around four or five days and, shall we say, I was a little backed up. I called my doc (who is a childhood friend) and after diagnosing the cause of the blockage he began laughing hysterically before saying that I was about to experience the male version of childbirth. Let's just say that I keep an eye on my cheese consumption these days......

******
This can happen! A busy schedule and lack of planning can send my "balanced" diet into the nether regions so a couple of times a year I can say I Know the feeling. The people that sell prunes also make prune juice and PLUM juice which both work well. (I think the brand name is Sunsweet.) Anyway if I drink about 16-18 oz of that when feeling backed up, it will work really well, but I can't have any plans for that day.

Now as to cheese, I have a hankering for Havarti with either dill or caraway seeds in it. Maybe on a little flatbread.

 

[Kishtu]

FAO Methusaleh

The Cornish cheese is called Yarg, and you can get a version wrapped in wild garlic leaves - try Googling the Cornish Smokehouse, he has a stall on our local farmer's market selling both.

(Failing that we're in Cornwall and you're in Manchester, so are my Aged Parents, next time we're headed that way I could bring you some through!)

As part of our Anglo-Saxon/Viking re-enactment display, we make cheese - just about to try raw milk cheese, but one of the big favourites so far is beer cheese.
Essential recipe, you warm some milk to blood heat, you add beer, you allow it to separate into curds, you drain and press.
Best eaten as a fresh cheese but it is ever so good.....

 

[Puzzicato]

That sounds very interesting! I've been making some cheeses, but using commercial rennet and starter culture. Does it matter what sort of beer?

 

[bunnyb.gal]

lol that was the best american cheese ever! I used to raid the fridge and cut fat slabs of it

Oh, Lord, I remember that stuff; my nan used to work in a school and she would bring loads of it home. I can't recall if I was mad for it or anything, but I know I'd be able to pick it out of a blind taste test! When did they stop that stuff, or is it still being made in some corner of the States?

 

[HepKitty]

Oh, Lord, I remember that stuff; my nan used to work in a school and she would bring loads of it home. I can't recall if I was mad for it or anything, but I know I'd be able to pick it out of a blind taste test! When did they stop that stuff, or is it still being made in some corner of the States?

I think it had to do with a big milk surplus and the govt bought it to help the dairy farmers and had to do something with it. I wish someone would find the recipe and start selling it lol

 

[rumblefish]

Cabot had a display and samples out of four flavored cheddars at a store I use for buying fine cheeses. Three were immediately forgettable- then I got to the horseradish cheddar!
Just how many little cheese cubes do you think I can get on two toothpicks?
still couldn't bring myself to buy any.

So I bought a wedge of Morbier.

 

[Gilboa]

Ohhh ... horseradish cheddar sounds interesting ...


My favourite would have to be goats cheese. In summer served with fresh lettuce, walnuts and a balsamic vinegar and honey dressing.


With regards to interior traffic jam mentioned earlier, I always have wine with cheese. Or I eat grapes along with the cheese. Raw garlic on bread with a bit of olive oil or butter helps too ... or the delicious after dinner cigarette ...


Now facing winter: my other favourite version of cheese(es) is of course Cheese fondue

 

[Pompidou]

Goat cheese is great. I was at a worker cooperative street festival/seminar a couple weeks ago, and one of the guests was a small cheese company. I had some of their peppered goat cheese with another company's spiced Italian bread, and another's rootbeer, and I was in heaven. Right now, I'm eating a block of pepperjack cheese. After coffee, beer and spaghetti/meatballs, cheese is next on my list of things to become a connoisseur of, followed by wine. I could eat cheese all day. I believe I've even tried limburger before, but to be sure I'd like to try some by name. Seems like the make or break cheese of an aspiring connoisseur. Lots of very intimidating, smelly, moldy cheeses out there.

 

[Gilboa]

Lots of very intimidating, smelly, moldy cheeses out there.

The smellier, usually the better!

On that note: a friend of mine from France once came all the way to England by car because he wanted to bring me some cheese ... approx. 5kgs of cheese. Now, it was autumn at the time as well and therefore not too hot. Still, the car had, after severals hours of exposure to cheesy smellyness, developed its very own odour, even though the cheese was in the boot.

My dear friend spent a week here ... and while touring around England in HIS car we aggreed that we would find other means of transporting cheese in future.

 

[Cricket]

I]Cheese is an important source of protein and calcium for pregnant women but certain kinds do need to be avoided. This is because some cheeses are more inclined to allow growth of bacteria, such as listeria, which can harm your unborn child.

Pregnant women are advised not to eat:

• soft, mould-ripened cheeses, such as Brie or Camembert
• blue-veined cheeses, such as Danish Blue and Stilton[/I]

I was given this information since my husband and I are about nine weeks pregnant. I am not sure what to do because this was my weakness.:eusa_doh:

In all seriousness, I can manage but I was totally unaware of this. Glad I didn't chow down one evening. For now, I am happy with cookies and hard cheddar. I know, odd combo...but hey...it happens during this time.

 

[Puzzicato]

The US is so paranoid about cheese - I wonder if there has ever been a case of listeriosis from cheese since it all had to be pasteurised? As opposed to confirmed deaths from celery. I can understand your concern though. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

 

[LordBest]

I do know there have only been a handful of deaths linked to unpasteurised cheese in France since 1996 or so, how this affects pregnant women I wouldn't venture to say. If you speak French you could always see if the French government/medical establishment offer similar advice, that would give some indication whether it is paranoia or not.

The US is so paranoid about cheese - I wonder if there has ever been a case of listeriosis from cheese since it all had to be pasteurised? As opposed to confirmed deaths from celery. I can understand your concern though. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

 

[HepKitty]

The US is so paranoid about cheese - I wonder if there has ever been a case of listeriosis from cheese since it all had to be pasteurised? As opposed to confirmed deaths from celery. I can understand your concern though. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Milk too. It's illegal to buy fresh unpasteurized milk here. Especially silly for a state like Idaho, with all the farms around here. We used to get fresh milk from a neighbor, and since they drank the same milk, we knew it was clean and the animals were treated well.

 

[Puzzicato]

I do know there have only been a handful of deaths linked to unpasteurised cheese in France since 1996 or so, how this affects pregnant women I wouldn't venture to say. If you speak French you could always see if the French government/medical establishment offer similar advice, that would give some indication whether it is paranoia or not.

Alas, I do not speak French!

Milk too. It's illegal to buy fresh unpasteurized milk here. Especially silly for a state like Idaho, with all the farms around here. We used to get fresh milk from a neighbor, and since they drank the same milk, we knew it was clean and the animals were treated well.

This blogger is in a raw milk cooperative - I am not sure how they get around that, but it certainly seems to be tricky.

 

[HepKitty]

Alas, I do not speak French!



This blogger is in a raw milk cooperative - I am not sure how they get around that, but it certainly seems to be tricky.

I don't know either. Maybe it depends on the state. Earlier this year we were guests of one of the dancer's family and they kindly shared their fresh milk, under the promise that we wouldn't turn them in. That was in Utah. Utards, go figure

 

[Puzzicato]

In Australia they sell raw milk in health food stores under the label "Cleopatra's Bath", and say it is not for consumption, but they know people are drinking it!

 

[Foofoogal]

One of my comfort dishes is angel hair pasta mixed with butter and mozzarella cheese. I will nearly kill myself eating this stuff if I am in a funk.

This and hot tea are my comfort foods. I try not to be in a funk often though.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.realmilk.com/where5.html

I am amazed by this thread. In Texas dairies can get a special permit.

 

[Chasseur]

When I lived in France about a decade ago there was a similar warning about those types of cheese and pregnant women.
However, in US given thats its all pasturized I'm not sure its that big of deal. After having worked in restaurants for many years I would imagine you are more likley to get samonella from salad than get sick eating cheese, but I think we should also be able to buy raw milk and cheese here as well...