tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42303554327644971432024-03-18T21:58:55.184-06:00Our Cheese-tasting TableLauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-13601876709734758302012-07-13T14:53:00.000-06:002012-07-13T14:56:33.596-06:00Brie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TGgPvANEMcHmk8Sb2v24QLnoaa3M_L4pOzdjlFwf3kTbSZp4R-KLNQdvDQqdkSDNOtulMcQe1zWQ3dPIyYYQmcN3tuzg366a0fXJPQ3OFS_-Rs2IeuQNaondf-mLuWyBVDvICe_u8A/s1600/brie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $ca="true" border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TGgPvANEMcHmk8Sb2v24QLnoaa3M_L4pOzdjlFwf3kTbSZp4R-KLNQdvDQqdkSDNOtulMcQe1zWQ3dPIyYYQmcN3tuzg366a0fXJPQ3OFS_-Rs2IeuQNaondf-mLuWyBVDvICe_u8A/s200/brie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<em>Country of Origin: France</em><br />
Wow, I think this is definitely my new favorite cheese! It is soft, mild and oh so good. The rind is edible, but has a lot of flavor, so cut it off if you don't like it. We love it spread on crackers or fruit (or just licked straight from the knife!) For a special occasion you can bake it wrapped in puff pastry with fruit on top, here is a link to a recipe for <a href="http://laurenscooking.blogspot.com/2011/01/baked-brie-with-apple-compote.html">Baked Brie en Croute w/ Apple Compote</a>. Delicious! Great choice for adults and kids alike.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>Photo Credit: </em><a href="http://breakingbreadtogether.blogspot.com/"><em>breakingbreadtogether.blogspot.com/</em></a></span>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-92177728968961376372010-01-10T22:21:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:12:54.814-07:00Parmigiano Reggiano<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthNugO1qigiQAhqDoHqnWhY0szpQcUAkWvmw6tDi7j4JwtrcgsZ1ZIkBie877g2g2DCiHQL30T0TJIbrKwOVc5jw71hhcEwwoNddSDLwBmzwavoJ6Afmx9yZkM9KE2q1IsrTcnLmybMQ/s1600-h/Parmagiano-Reggiano.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434254790182074370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthNugO1qigiQAhqDoHqnWhY0szpQcUAkWvmw6tDi7j4JwtrcgsZ1ZIkBie877g2g2DCiHQL30T0TJIbrKwOVc5jw71hhcEwwoNddSDLwBmzwavoJ6Afmx9yZkM9KE2q1IsrTcnLmybMQ/s200/Parmagiano-Reggiano.gif" /></a> <em>Country of Origin: Italy</em><br />Make no mistake, this is <strong>not</strong> Kraft parmesan cheese. Like mozzarella, the real thing is nothing like that bottled powder you find on the shelf. Parmigiano Reggiano is the original parmesan cheese made in the Parma and surrounding regions of Italy. Only cheese made in this region is allowed to bear this name. If it says parmesan, be assured it did not come from Parma! This cheese is classified as a hard cheese. It is dry and crumbly in texture, and it's flavor is full, rich, nutty, and earthy all at once. It is very complex, perhaps due to it's long aging time- at least 15-18 months. It is made in huge wheels. If you are lucky enough to find the real thing in your store (I actually found it in the deli section at Wal-mart), it will probably be a small wedge with the name stamped on the outer rind. It is fabulous!<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: blogs.govexec.com</span></em>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-76757129315262534512010-01-10T22:15:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:21:17.403-07:00Jarlsberg<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkxMRCop4hUXXRlwJ23yuOq7IiIFcyOLSCoXUupd0Cs76f3ByqyHvN8aTeGaRAiOv9HDgdJISpE6KiYNoudnWPV9P2KStzs1j-n2bMtt9hR_p0MBvkd33JsraCyat_GT6gpThJ28aHik/s1600-h/jarlsberg.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434253211667467042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkxMRCop4hUXXRlwJ23yuOq7IiIFcyOLSCoXUupd0Cs76f3ByqyHvN8aTeGaRAiOv9HDgdJISpE6KiYNoudnWPV9P2KStzs1j-n2bMtt9hR_p0MBvkd33JsraCyat_GT6gpThJ28aHik/s200/jarlsberg.jpg" /></a> <em>Country of Origin: Norway</em><br />This is a sharp and flavorful cheese. It is quite similar to Swiss cheese, but it has some sweet, wild notes to it that make it a little different. It would be excellent in any recipe using Swiss cheese, and is also very tasty on it's own. Dustin's other favorite, the kids liked it.<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: mensxp.com</span></em>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-20802840681636335342010-01-07T22:03:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:21:49.979-07:00Havarti<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA643RRvUp8Ui7Cpt514lguyk-UMAFVBCzysdxOgeFdwXZSr4tK6-dlrBH7x9HHwGQgecO3Hhgkevbn_0MpoRyjWj2pHVG1L56b0zX2hAEWcYK6D3i5REDav4VeBw5pYPFB25-Z_vxHo/s1600-h/havarti.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434251185826225826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA643RRvUp8Ui7Cpt514lguyk-UMAFVBCzysdxOgeFdwXZSr4tK6-dlrBH7x9HHwGQgecO3Hhgkevbn_0MpoRyjWj2pHVG1L56b0zX2hAEWcYK6D3i5REDav4VeBw5pYPFB25-Z_vxHo/s200/havarti.jpg" /></a><em>Country of Origin: Denmark</em> <div>Havarti is a semi-soft cheese which is very creamy and rich in flavor.It is a great cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches- it pairs equally well with ham or turkey. It also works well on a cheese platter served with crackers and apples or pears. It is one of Dustin's favorites, we all liked it a lot.</div><div><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: cheesesupply.com</span></em></div>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-57246528482999165272010-01-03T20:58:00.000-07:002010-02-03T22:56:22.628-07:00Applewood-smoked Provolone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQgdv2J-lC-GtU6LXv61Sl_vmifBTCaNTll31Q4lyLxuW_EvJgmFThC8YuaXlMTjJl4f2ZnycaqV9sza2QvZTMIYbCD6M79Rhg5C1BtqIrNabBY9SnLlqFc-3iua5OJbyE_8JlWbvRs0/s1600-h/smoked+provolone.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434233950914263634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQgdv2J-lC-GtU6LXv61Sl_vmifBTCaNTll31Q4lyLxuW_EvJgmFThC8YuaXlMTjJl4f2ZnycaqV9sza2QvZTMIYbCD6M79Rhg5C1BtqIrNabBY9SnLlqFc-3iua5OJbyE_8JlWbvRs0/s200/smoked+provolone.jpg" /></a> <em>Country of Origin: Italy (provolone itself, the smoked variety came from Wisconsin)</em> <div>Have you ever noticed what great cheese those Italians make? This was our favorite cheese thus far. It was very smoky with great depth of flavor. It's smell and flavor brought back memories of a campfire. We loved it- including the kids. Lauren and Matthew's favorite.</div><div><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: amazon.com</span></em></div>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-70056575526713206162010-01-03T20:05:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:22:55.332-07:00Mascarpone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FoUNfhyphenhyphenBCa7YZj-mJ5_fcEj-5dHOl1D-kMx2oRF6Kc_zHcz_sorCUo77Xqg4BoUOq3Tez5uXP7IZM4BWzPiaganrcBgM0TwNN-qrpKJ1UxxDxobwkF-b_N-kwck6wKRc4rVC-msLnwQ/s1600-h/mascarpone.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434221441974467186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FoUNfhyphenhyphenBCa7YZj-mJ5_fcEj-5dHOl1D-kMx2oRF6Kc_zHcz_sorCUo77Xqg4BoUOq3Tez5uXP7IZM4BWzPiaganrcBgM0TwNN-qrpKJ1UxxDxobwkF-b_N-kwck6wKRc4rVC-msLnwQ/s200/mascarpone.jpg" /></a> <em>Country of Origin: Italy</em><br />Mmmm...fresh, sweet, so creamy, delicious! A bit like cream cheese, except sweeter, creamier, and way better! Mascarpone is one of those cheeses that I've often seen in recipes and forever wanted to try. It is the cheese used in tiramisu, as well. It is a fabulous dessert cheese, with a taste like very thick cream. We mixed it with a little honey and ate it with pears, and it's also delicious spread on toast with a little jam. The adults and Matthew loved it, the little kids didn't.<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: cdn-write.demandstudios.com</span></em>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-42183248109076491682009-12-30T19:47:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:07:33.487-07:00Gouda<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSJm5fUcmpZLvrKFlZekadstJ2V32caXzEL_wKTsuQfhOAtcNOG1BzQdC3-Wnjr_1uO1nNtgJKDBIDPuejhlEBG2Yay-K-DUPHYED5-34xAzc4rzgfNU1IGeceGRo0i4hek_y_Auswk0/s1600-h/goudacheese.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434215306919441890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSJm5fUcmpZLvrKFlZekadstJ2V32caXzEL_wKTsuQfhOAtcNOG1BzQdC3-Wnjr_1uO1nNtgJKDBIDPuejhlEBG2Yay-K-DUPHYED5-34xAzc4rzgfNU1IGeceGRo0i4hek_y_Auswk0/s200/goudacheese.jpg" /></a><em>Country of Origin: Holland</em><br />This cheese is mild, creamy and smooth. It is somewhat similar to a mild Cheddar in taste and texture (but better). It was really delicious. The kids loved it! It is sold in a wheel and is coated in wax (usually red but sometimes yellow) which should be removed. The wax keeps it fresh, so slice a wedge and just remove the wax from that section, leaving the wax on the rest.<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: wischeese.com</span></em>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230355432764497143.post-42627385696304307752009-12-28T17:33:00.000-07:002010-02-04T11:10:15.380-07:00Mozzarella Fresca<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOxv1DqC3lPLn-7Dm5BPWqaLFBTJtT1uE4FaRBYdTzsh9aqz2Y9FWmUBi_NOhnXb4YzMghb0qaOuSWFngtOBJlTO1fhaM20BBZ_Fpube5vAeu1Yk6Rnn_RTtrOituJN9f8ndRRLgx468/s1600-h/mozzarella-with-tomatoes_s600x600.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434262173296124594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOxv1DqC3lPLn-7Dm5BPWqaLFBTJtT1uE4FaRBYdTzsh9aqz2Y9FWmUBi_NOhnXb4YzMghb0qaOuSWFngtOBJlTO1fhaM20BBZ_Fpube5vAeu1Yk6Rnn_RTtrOituJN9f8ndRRLgx468/s200/mozzarella-with-tomatoes_s600x600.jpg" /></a> <em>Country of Origin: Italy</em><br />The first cheese we decided to try was fresh mozzarella. It was originally made with water buffalo milk (and called Bufala Mozzarella) but is now typically made with cow's milk. In case you have never had it, this is a completely different cheese than the mozzarella balls or bricks you buy wrapped in cellophane at the grocery store. It is much softer in texture, sort of similar to cottage cheese (without the liquid). You will find it with the specialty cheeses in the service deli at your grocery store, packed in a tub with water. It is delicious in Caprese Salad- slice the cheese and garden-fresh tomatoes, layer them on a dish, sprinkle with salt, fresh sliced basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. The kids didn't like it much, probably due to the texture. Needs a sprinkle of salt.<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: life123.com</span></em>Lauren Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13821434660059370914noreply@blogger.com0