Thursday, January 31, 2013

Cheese.

"How can one conceive of a one-party system in a country that has over two hundred varieties of cheese?" Charles de Gaulle

This is the beginning of a new segment about cheese. I figured I better get going, as our first cheese has long since been consumed, and Katie is on her way to Ireland as we speak (and there is a block of Irish cheese waiting in my refrigerator).
Our goal (Charlie and me) is to learn a little more about cheese, and to work on our tastebuds (mostly mine, he has already ate some wonky cheese and was fine with it, I however wanted to throw up, and actually, Truman almost did). Charlie will really miss his Tata, so I thought it would be fun to start by sampling cheeses from where she will be (which he probably won't understand, so it will be super fun for him to see the bug in a box travelling along with her). This will be an ongoing segment, a few times a month perhaps. There is a lot of cheese out there in the world (I'll be sticking with pasteurized cheeses for now, as I am with child).



Due to my past history with fancy cheeses possibly being an acquired taste, I was drawn to a Roth Kase Mini cheese block from Landhaus called Butterkase. The label described it as, "Mild and creamy. Kids love it!" And I liked that it was distributed from Monroe, WI. Also, I went to Hyvee mainly to get rice krispies on sale, and discovered that I had left most of my money at home. I had $16.77 down to the penny, and a few other items to pick up- so I went with small and cheap. My total seriously cost $16.77! I felt like in Uno when you deal the cards out perfectly and your score goes back to zero; I should have gotten my money back again.
We ate some plain, on toast (homemade hearth bread), and in our tomato soup. It was lovely, mild and buttery (though it does not actually have butter in it). Trav also approved. So this is highly reccommended- like American cheese, only it tastes better for you. Apparently the "great cheeses of Germany" served as inspiration. http://www.rothkase.com/landhaus.html

A fun website to visit about other local type cheese is http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/. They offer a cheesecyclopedia to help with descriptions, pairings, and useless bits of knowledge. Such as the butterkase is also called a damencase or "ladies cheese" because it is delicately flavored, odorless and quite complementary to most foods. http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/cheese/article.aspx?cid=10

We're open to suggestions- what is your favorite cheese?

Join us next time on Cheese with a treat imported from Ireland.

~Becky

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I had some 18 month old cheddar with me during my trip over. It got warm and soft so I was able to spread it on the very fibrous crackers I had also brought with. I very much felt like a gourmet-on-the-go. Believe me, I looked nowhere near as pretentious as that may have sounded. I'm pretty sure I look as tired as one can look.

Lizzie said...

Is this going to be a bit like the time you over-did it in the olefactory department when preggers with Charlie? :) Since you're spreading it out, I bet not, but it does remind me of that trip to your Coop's soap or was it essential oils isle?
Bet KT looked as calm and collected as usual spreading her cheese.

The Wistes said...

I was trying aromatherapy for morning sickness; I just smelt too many smells. Cheese is less appealing scent wise, and more about taste. Protein=energy (I hope). So yeah, sort of the same, however cheese is expensive! ~Becky