This is something I never envisioned doing until I became a professional cheese monger. It is exciting, a bit daunting and definitely exhausting…mostly it is fun.
Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is strictly regulated in Italy and can be made in only a handful of specific regions. As a result, it is more expensive than cheaper Parmesan versions made within the United States. Each Italian wheel, made from just milk, salt and rennet, is inspected and certified.
The taste difference between authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and cheaper Parmesan alternatives is staggering. Authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano is made from unpasteurized milk whereas most American Parmesan is made from pasteurized milk. The Italian cheese tastes sharper with a nutty flavor. The U.S. versions are milder and smoother in texture. BelGioioso Cheese is one of the few American exceptions that uses unpasteurized milk for its Parmesan. BelGioioso is based in Wisconsin as an FYI.
For me, the entire process of cutting into the wheel, splitting the wheel into two and then dividing the two halves into four pieces is a multi-hour process. I then take one of the wheel quarters and divide that into two pieces which I then cut into smaller pieces. I should add that by the time I am finished, my entire workspace is covered in a blanket of cheese snow.
At my store, I enjoy sharing samples of a freshly cut wheel with my customers. For those who are somewhat familiar with authentic Italian Parmesan, it is a happy reunion with an old friend. For those new to authentic Parmesan from Italy, the look of discovery is a joy for me to witness.
I like to remind my friends and customers that a little Parmesan goes a long way. I love using it in my salads, egg dishes, soups and sauces. It goes without saying what it does to pasta. A high-quality Parmesan is especially critical if you’re making an Alfredo sauce. I learned to make this pasta dish from two Italian ladies visiting a friend. I cringe if I see someone adding milk or cream to Alfredo – that’s a big no-no. If you make the dish the authentic way with just pasta, butter, pasta water, Parmesan, salt and black pepper you will really appreciate the difference a high-quality Parmesan makes.
Finally, stores like mine that sell authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cut from wheels will also sell Parmesan rinds. The rinds are great for both flavoring and thickening soups, sauces and stews.
Mangia, mangia!
I am standing next to an uncut 85-pound wheel of imported Parmesan My set of Parmesan cutting knives The knife I use to score the wheelFirst cut to score the rindScoring the top, sides and bottom of the wheel Next, wedging the line open Continuing to wedge the gap open Success! The wheel is now in two pieces.Some tasty pieces from splitting the wheel into two halves.Using my cheese wire-cutter to cut smaller pieces A pile of smaller pieces cut from the wheel I ran some pieces through my commercial-grade food processor for shredded Parmesan
I recently attended Gourmet Foods International’s San Diego Food Expo. I enjoyed every aspect of the experience…except, perhaps, that feeling of being so full by the end of the day.
The day started early in the morning with a series of classes:
French and American Hams for Charcuterie Boards
I loved learning about the history behind the Jambon-Beurre. It is the classic Parisian sandwich made with just three ingredients: baguette, ham and butter. What makes this simple sandwich so special is the quality of all three ingredients. French butter, in particular, is a lot more rich and creamy than the American version. The ham, Jambon de Paris, is a wet-cured and boiled ham that is not smoked. It is very tender and not salty. I must confess that while I was in Paris, I focused on two other classic French dishes – soupe a l’ oignon and croque-monsieur. That said, I can’t wait to go back to Paris for a Jambon-Beurre.
Next up, the president/owner of The Spotted Trotter out of Atlanta Georgia spoke about his background as a chef at French Laundry in Napa Valley and his desire for a greater purpose – to create fine American-made charcuterie meats. We sampled his Tasso Ham (a heavily spiced and pecan-smoked meat) and Culatello Prosciutto (made from the center of the pig leg and known as the king of prosciuttos). Both were immensely delicious and impressive.
California Cheeses
Highlights included meeting one of the three sisters who own Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese – a company that started out only making blue cheese. The company has expanded with other products and now makes several versions of Toma which the president described as an Italian cheese with a Dutch twist. I loved her suggestion of using the company’s TomaRashi (Toma flavored with Japanese chili flakes, ginger, orange peel, nori and nigella seeds) in tacos.
Cypress Grove Cheese brought its spectacular Humboldt fog cheese – a yummy goat cheese with a gooey layer under the rind and a layer of vegetable-based ash in the center. You really have to try it to appreciate it. This cheese looks like a work of art. In addition, the Cypress Grove representative brought their Dutch-made goat Gouda called Midnight Moon. This cheese is so smooth and sweet. I sell a lot of it in my store. I almost think it has a cult-like following. It is an expensive cheese but so worth it.
Cheese Pairings
In this class, we were given an assortment of cheeses, including Point Reyes Bay Blue, Vermont Creamery’s Hooper (creamy cheese shaped like a donut) and Marin French’s Breakfast Brie (a soft and rich Brie without a rind). The Bay Blue has a fudge-like texture with a more mellow and sweeter taste than their original blue cheese. It really complimented the Jose Andres dark chocolate. Also, I enjoyed the Breakfast Brie with the pepper jelly. My other favorite pairing was the Marin French breakfast cheese with sweet peppers.
The Convention Hall Booths
Walking around the convention hall was a food-coma experience. As a professional cheese monger, I am responsible for ordering everything from specialty cheeses to a variety of foods someone would want to pair with his or her cheese. That means I interested in jams, crackers, halva, dried fruit, specialty meats and so on.
The Ube Gouda caught my eye because of its vibrant color. The cheese maker gets this color by adding in Japanese Ube potato to the mix. Surprisingly, the cheese has a mild and slightly sweet flavor.
For those who love Jose Andres potato chips (they are delicious and consist of only 3 ingredients: potatoes, olive oil and salt),you will be happy to know that the company has a new flavor – curry. I tried it and loved it; it is not overpowering.
Marin French Cheese Company has a new Brie with a garlic-free version of everything-but-the-bagel seasoning and it’s wonderful!
Firehook was there with their classic gourmet cracker flavors (sea salt, rosemary sea salt, garlic & thyme and so on). The company produces the best organic Mediterranean-style cracker that has just a handful of ingredients and nothing artificial. Firehook has a new dill-flavored cracker and it is fantastic. If you have not tried Firehook, you need to. These crackers are insanely good.
Eventually, all good things come to an end and so my husband, a friend and I all waddled out of the convention hall and into our car. I left feeling completely full and inspired by all the new products I tasted.
Ube GoudaTasting Ube GoudaCreamy Maytag Blue Really Fresh-Tasting JamsGoat Cheeses from Cypress Farm Including the Dutch Sheep Gouda Lamb ChopperEnglish Cheeses from SomerdaleEnglish Cheddar with Pumpkin Spice Plate from My Cheese Pairing ClassGreat Resource for Those Interested in Learning More Fun Display at the ExpoCalifornia Cheeses for ClassHam Tasting Class Red Pepper Jelly from My Cheese Pairing ClassHumboldt Fog CheeseMixture of Olives & Red Peppers from My Cheese Pairing ClassJose Andres Chocolate with a Hint of Cinnamon
Everyone has different opinions but here’s my cheat sheet for what to purchase at each location when going on the Grand European Tour with Viking. We traveled from Budapest to Amsterdam so my guide is in that order.
Prior to going, I formed a mental list by reading posts from others. I really picked up some great tips. For example, reading other posts is how I knew about the amazing roof tiles in Budapest as well as the to-die-for fruit-filled chocolate bars at the Melk Abbey gift shop.
I vowed to shop with some thought versus coming home with stuff to clutter up the house. I wanted items, with the exception of Christmas ornaments, that we would consume or use. The biggest surprise was probably how fantastic Hungarian chocolate is. I subsequently read that Hungary is really well-known for chocolate – go figure! We actually enjoyed the Hungarian chocolate more than the chocolate from Germany.
Budapest
Roof Tiles from Saint Matthias
Christmas ornaments from shops near Saint Matthias
Chimney Cake from the stand adjacent to Saint Matthias
Paprika, Lavender, wooden spoons, leather goods ,such as belts, and chocolate from the stands at the Central Market. My husband bought a terrific leather belt that the vendor customized to his waist for $20 Euros.
Vienna
Mozart Chocolates from shops near the cathedral
Christmas ornaments from the Schonbrunn Palace Gift shop
Melk Abbey
The fruit-filled chocolate bars are an absolute must! They are just fantastic. We also bought a few prints. Others bought wine which they loved.
Passau
I bought nothing
Regensburg
Sausage sandwiches from the Sausage Kitchen, pretzels, mustard and Christmas ornaments. Our tour guide recommended a shop for ornaments and he was spot on with his advice. We bought an adorable German smoker and incense for about 1/3 price Amazon charges for German-made ones.
It started to rain heavily towards the end of our afternoon. We were waiting to meet our cruise director for the return walk to the ship. To stay warm, we stumbled upon a book store. Another lady from the ship (we still stay in contact) and I made a beeline for the Christmas ornaments. We found some very unusual ones.
Nuremberg
We went on a Sunday when most stores are closed but the bakeries were open and wow! The Lebkuchen are an absolute must-buy item. We bought ones to eat on the ship as well as a package to take home. I can see why these spicy soft cookies are so popular.
Bamberg
We bought Christmas tree ornaments from two adjacent Christmas tree ornament shops. Bamberg is famous for its smoked beer and one of the shops sold smoked beer ornaments as well as glass sausage and mustard ornaments. Both shops beautifully wrapped my ornaments in tissue paper and boxes. I did not have a single ornament break during our travels.
Wurzburg
Here we did one of our favorite things. We went to a local grocery store – close to where the tour guide left the group. We bought German coffee and cookies. The prices were very reasonable and we loved the coffee. I wish we had purchased more coffee. In addition, we enjoyed a lunch at a cute cafe along the bridge – next to the wine bar.
Wertheim
Here we had fun buying a few pretzels and amazing Linzer cookies at a local bakery. We only bought two of each. The pretzels in Germany have no preservatives so they get hard within two days. They were so delicious. In addition, I bought a few items a local gourmet shop – including the best jarred pesto sauce I have ever tasted.
Koblenz
We found a great shop on the corner of the main shopping street. Yes, I bought a few ornaments but the store had so much more to offer. I bought a few delightful heat-resistant pads to protect my table from damage by hot casserole dishes. Also, I found some cute appetizer forks and a cool wooden wine bottle coaster as a souvenir for my brother-in-law.
Cologne
Our morning tour guide pointed out a great souvenir shop near the cathedral where I bought German-made Christmas ornaments (as opposed to imported ones made in China) and a gift box of mini bottles of 40711 cologne. In addition, we bought a fantastic assortment of chocolates from the gift shop at the Lindt Chocolate Museum. Our Viking ship was docked within blocks of the museum. We participated in the evening dinner and pub crawl. Peter’s, our first stop, sells the beer glasses used. They are smaller and unique. I regret not buying one or two glasses.
Kinderdijk
The gift shop at the Windmill stop is great. I bought several Christmas ornaments including a Delft one as well as a cute cheese board. I am a professional cheese monger so I can’t resist anything related to cheese. My husband actually bought socks with a windmill theme – out of necessity. He still wears them now that we are back home.
We loved our cheese farm tour and stocked up on Gouda which was sold vacuumed-pack. I picked up multiple packages of three different types. My favorite was a new flavor- it included ginger.
Amsterdam
We found a fun souvenir shop near Rembrandt’s house where I picked up wooden tulips, Christmas tree ornaments and colorful socks for John. At the Rijksmuseum gift shop, I bought a few more Christmas ornaments – ones that replicated artifacts we saw at the museum as well as some fun refrigerator magnets.
The Ship Gift Shop
I can’t say enough positive things about the Viking cookbook sold on board the ship for $20 Euros. We really enjoyed the goulash and soups served onboard. The book includes some of the recipes for what we enjoyed during our cruise. I especially enjoy the goulash recipe as well the recipes for Swedish meatballs and gravlax. I recommend getting the cookbook early – our ship sold out. I got mine from another Viking ship that adjacent to ours.
Duty-Free Shopping
We loved the shopping at the airport in Munich – way more impressive than what was available in Amsterdam.!The liquor and wine selection was impressive. I bought more Dutch cheese as well as some wonderful German sausages.
My final suggestion is to pack an extra suitcase for your souvenirs. We packed a Goldie-style bag that really came in handy on the return flights home.
The Chimney Cake StandThe Chimney Cake Chocolate Stand at the Central Market in Budapest A Lavender Stand at the Central Market in Budapest Paprika at a Stand in Budapest’s Central Market Mozart Chocolates in Vienna The Melk Abbey Gift Shop The Famous Sausage Kitchen in Regensburg The Saint Matthias Roof Tiles Sold in the Gift Shop – I bought a Blue One; a friend bought an Emerald Green OneChristmas Ornaments From a Book Store Across from the Cathedral in Regensburg Must-Buy from a Bakery Near the Castle in Nuremberg Nuremberg Treat – Much Better than What We Get in the U.S.Musicians Onboard Our Ship – Sorry I Didn’t Buy the CD.One of Two Great Christmas Shops in BamburgAmazing Christmas Ornament Shop in Bamberg – Sells Smoked Beer Ornaments Wurzburg CafeWurzburg Grocery Store Outside Wurzburg Grocery Store Glass-Blowing Demonstration Onboard Our Ship – I Bought Glass Angels for My TreeWertheim Bakery Goodies from Wertheim Store The Ship Sells the Viking River cookbook for $20 Euros. It’s a great cookbook – love the Goulash and Swedish Meatballs Recipes!Wertheim Linzer CookieInside the Lindt Chocolate Museum Gift Shop The Famous 4711 ShopThe Exterior of the Lindt Chocolate Museum in Cologne The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop Peter’s in Cologne Sells Its Beer Glasses – Sorry I Didn’t Get One Gouda Cheese in Kinderdijk Gouda Cheese in Kinderdijk Amazing Treat At Rembrandt’s Square in Amsterdam Oliebollen – Warm Dutch Donuts Avoid the Tourist Cheese Shops in Amsterdam Hungarian Christmas Ornament from Shop Near Saint Matthias in BudapestChristmas Ornament from Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna Bamberg Smoked Beer Ornament Christmas Ornament From Shop Near Saint Matthias in Budapest Bamberg Christmas Tree Ornament Bamberg Sausage & Mustard Christmas Tree Ornaments German-Made Smoker From Regensburg Table Coasters from Koblenz Table Coasters from Koblenz Cheese Board from Kinderdijk Windmill Gift ShopPaprika and Wooden Salad Tossing Set from Budapest’s Central Market Duty-Free Shopping At Munich Airport – Orange Jaegermeister is Hard to Find Near Me…Great in Coffee!Fun Print La from the Melk Abbey Got Accustomed to Mozart Coffees Onboard the Baldur Rijksmuseum Art Magnet Rijksmuseum Art Magnet Tulip Magnet from Amsterdam
My mother and I have a running joke/argument regarding macaroni and cheese.
She loves Kraft mac & cheese; she admits that her love for it goes back to her childhood. I should add that she was born in the 1930s. Kraft mac & cheese came out in 1937. At 19 cents a box, it was a great success. Between the depression and WW II food rationing, Americans were looking for cheap ways to feed their families.
I prefer homemade macaroni and cheese. Over the years, I have perfected my recipe. My key tip is to undercook the macaroni. Otherwise, after you combine the cooked macaroni with all the other ingredients and bake the dish – you can end up with overcooked mush. Also, I like to use a good quality macaroni. For my latest effort, I paid an extra dollar for Italian macaroni. The result was a delicious dish with great texture.
As far as the cheese mixture, I normally use a combination of a really sharp cheddar, parmesan and either smoked Gouda or smoked mozzarella. Other key ingredients include: Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sweet hot mustard, nutmeg, dry Sherry, butter, heavy cream and milk.
When I make the roux, I immediately add the Dijon mustard to the butter and flour – before I add the milk and cream. I then add in the cheese, spices and so on. I like texture in my macaroni and cheese. After combining the macaroni and cheese sauce, I fold in additional grated cheddar and cover the top with extra grated parmesan.
My mother considers herself a Kraft purist; she likes her Mac ‘n’ cheese exactly as the box directions state. My husband and I just seem incapable of following the directions. We usually add additional cheese and replace the milk with either cream or half & half. My mother will protest if we make too many additions.
I did notice that the other night, Mom ate her entire serving of my homemade macaroni and cheese. She grudgingly even admitted that the pasta texture was perfect. My husband and I just laughed as soon as she left the table.
I finally figured out how to make the perfect savory-style baked Brie.
Prior to assembling, be sure to leave a roll of refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust out for 30 minutes to warm up. I have tried cheaper versions and they are not as good. Slightly warming the pie dough will make it much easier to handle. Also, preheat the oven to 400.
As with a traditional jam version, the Brie needs to be cut in half. With this recipe, I first spread a coat of tomato pesto followed by a tablespoon of chopped sun-dried tomato pieces (drain any oil from the sun-dried tomato). Then put the Brie back together.
Next, pull out the pie crust and use a small rolling pin to make the dough thinner. Wrap the Brie in pie crust. Trim away the excess – roughly 25% of the crust. Cover the top of the pie-crust covered brie with jarred pesto sauce. Barilla sells a creamy style version that I like.
Create a circle of crust, from the extra, that will fit over the Brie’s top. First, use a cookie cutter to cut a window in the center of the dough circle. I like to use a cutter in the shape of a tomato. Place the crust circle with window cut-out centered on top of the Brie. Smooth out the edges. With remaining pie crust, use very small cookie cutters to cut out a few shapes. Then, place these pieces around the Brie to make it look extra special.
Also, I like to sprinkle a handful of pine nuts on top of the exposed pesto as well as a few pieces of diced sun-dried tomato, too.
Finally, the Brie is ready to go into the preheated oven at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes. I use a glass Pyrex dish but a cookie sheet will work, too. Make sure that the Brie crust is a light brown before removing from the oven.
Share with family and friends – enjoy!
The Perfect Baked Brie with Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato and Pine NutsKey Ingredients and Steps to the baked Brie
Recently, my husband I tried the warm crab dip at The Prado restaurant in San Diego. Our waiter recommended it and he was spot on with his suggestion. The combination of flavors was fantastic.
Unlike other similar dips which combine sour cream or cream cheese with mayonnaise, this dip has a base of mascarpone cheese. Based on the menu, I knew the key ingredients but had to guess a few items as well. The crab dip I replicated at home is a masterpiece. My husband was in awe.
Ingredients are as follows:
Mascarpone cheese, small tub of crab claw meat, 2 cups fresh spinach, 1 poblano chili pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/3 cup sherry & 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
The key thing is to melt the mascarpone at a very low temperature on the stove. If you melt the mascarpone at too high of a temperature, you will cause the cheese to separate. This dip is great warm and does not to be scalding hot.
Step 1 – Roast the poblano chili. I cooked mine for 10 minutes ub the air fryer at 400.
Step 2 – Saute the fresh spinach in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
Step 3 – Start melting the mascarpone in a sauce pan. Add in the wilted spinach and roasted poblano chile (dice first). Add in Worcestershire sauce and sherry. Constantly stir the mixture as the Mascarpone softens. Add in the Parmesan and Dijon mustard. Keep stiring and add in the crab meat, too. Keep stirring. The dip will be warm but not scalding hot.
I served the dip in a bowl with a basket of toasted French bread that I cut up into smaller pieces. Prior to toasting the bread in the broiler, on low, I spread both sides of my halved bread with light coating of garlic and herb compound butter.
This dip can also be made in advance and reheated. I had leftover dip which I stored in a glass container and reheated two days later.
The Prado Crab Dip on the Left & Mine on the Right
A few years ago, my husband and I, along with a few other family members, were invited to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by a French family temporarily living in the United States. It was probably one of the best holiday meals I’ve enjoyed – even the roasted turkey was fantastic (coated in a mixture of beer and Dijon mustard)! The hosts invited another French couple who were professional cheesemakers. Naturally, this couple brought the cheeses for the traditional French cheese course. Our hosts baked beautiful homemade baguettes to go with the cheeses. The cheeses were served after dinner – before dessert. I do not remember what desserts we ate but I still think about those amazing cheeses.
Recently, I rediscovered the joy of specialty cheeses. Going back to that Thanksgiving with our French hosts, they served three cheeses and provided a suggested order in which to try them.
When serving an assortment of cheeses, it is a good idea to include a mixture of cow, sheep and goat ones. In addition, the proper order is to go from mildest to sharpest varieties. Our French hosts served their cheeses with a few grapes and an anise aperitif. Personally, I prefer to pair my cheeses with dried fruit and a ruby port. As of lately, I am really into golden prunes that I buy at a local Middle Eastern market.
Also, I think it is fun to introduce guests to less well-known cheeses. Recently, I was introduced to the French Mimolette made from cow’s milk and aged for 18 months. The exterior is rough and looks like a mini boulder. In fact, the hard exterior is covered in cheese mites. Consequently, the U.S. banned this cheese for a number years over unwarranted safety concerns. It is best to let this cheese sit out for a while to really enjoy its full flavor. It has a nutty and somewhat sweet taste.
Finally, I am a huge blue cheese fan. I enjoy it in salads and cheese plates or as its own appetizer with thinly sliced pears, dates or toasted walnuts. It is a strong cheese so it is best to enjoy it last – after eating milder cheeses. Saint Agur is a French blue cheese produced from cow milk in central France.
The Cheese Course at Our French Thanksgiving Day Dinner
NO time for boredom today 