Wednesday Medley

Terri's weekly questions.

NATIONAL CHEESE DAY – June 4th

NATIONAL CHEESE DAY

Moooove over whiners! June 4 is National Cheese Day!

An encyclopedia of cheese will cover the alphabet and broaden your vocabulary. It will undoubtedly contain more varieties of cheese than what’s found at the local grocer. Cheese is produced from the pressed curds of milk. The milk can come from cows, buffalo, goats or sheep. Temperature and aging affect the flavor and texture of the cheese as well as spices and other seasonings added during the process.

The opportunity to go to a cheese tasting or visit a cheesemonger who is knowledgeable about pairings will improve your enjoyment of the cheese you choose.  Does Stilton melt? Can you serve Chévre with a salad? Be sure to ask questions and provide your preferences. Your favorite wine might find a new sidekick. You might discover a smokey spread to go with bruschetta or a tangy cheddar to pack with lunch.

In the United States, a road trip to Wisconsin isn’t out of the question for quality and variety. But, they aren’t the only place to find outstanding flavor and choice. Local delis have selections of domestic and imported cheeses, and independent shops offer a rotating inventory beckoning us to keep visiting to see what’s new.

Excellent as a snack on its own, cheese is also a perfect ingredient in pasta, soups, souffle, and many other recipes. We slap it on a sandwich cold but why stop there when it can be grilled and melted like this amazing Swiss and Tomato Grilled Cheese recipe.  When company comes to visit, nothing is better than a cheeseball, especially when bacon is added.

Cheese is multinational, too! Every nation in the world has its own variety of cheese. Italy seems to have harnessed the market. They did add it to pizza, and that’s pretty amazing.  Savor the opportunity if you ever have the chance to taste cheeses from around the world. For example, hop on over to Greece.  They have this dessert called cheesecake. Delicious!

HOW TO OBSERVE

There are many ways to celebrate National Cheese Day.  Try a new recipe or take a risk and try a type of cheese you’ve never heard of before. Ask for recommendations from friends or share your favorites.  Make sure you post to social media using #NationalCheeseDay

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Everything above this line is from the National Day Calendar website.

1.  National Cheese Day is Tuesday, rather than Wednesday, but I think we should celebrate cheese this week!!  Let's start by sharing your favorite cheese with us.  Which one is always in your fridge?

mmm....cheese....

I think my favorite is brie, plain or sometimes baked.  But what you're most likely to find in my fridge would be the Babybel line.  Perfectly portioned for snacking.  

2.  What is your preference? Mild, Sharp, or Extra Sharp?  How do you use cheese most often?

Depends on the mood.  I like mild and I like sharp.  I'm not fond of bleu cheese or Gorgonzola, though.

3.  Cheesecake?  New York style or what other flavors would you rather have?

This New Yorker loves NY style cheesecake...Let's all go over to Junior's and I'll show you why it's the best.

4.  When you do grilled cheese sandwiches, which cheese do you prefer to use and what condiments do you use, if any?

A very basic recipe:  white bread, American cheese and butter.  

5.  Number 5 on June 5th... Say happy birthday to my sister, Tammy!!

6.  Share something with us about your week. If it includes using cheese in a recipe, please also share that with us too!!

Summer barbecues mean it's time for my caprese salad.

Caprese salad is really easy. I can't write my recipe in cookbook format, but here's what I do:

I use two pints of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. I cut the tomatoes in half.

I use a pound of fresh mozzarella. I prefer to use the kind that comes shaped in balls, because I like the pieces of  cheese to be about the same size as the tomato halves.

I used about an ounce of fresh basil. I mix the tomatoes, cheese and basil in a bowl.

I make a dressing from balsamic vinegar and olive oil -- in equal amounts -- with a dash of salt and pepper. I use about half a cup to 3/4 cup dressing. I let it marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.

So simple.  So good.