Cheeses and Jesus, a Serendipitous Conjugation

Nativity sets captivate me (I have a growing collection of them). And frankly, so does cheese. Strange how 2 very disparate entities can be entwined so seamlessly, but watch this video and you'll see...



... Sustenance, nourishment, simplicity, universality, stillness, meekness, grace, a gift to mankind. Both the nativity and cheese have an inherit immutability about them. I've wondered what it is that draws folks like John Putnam to leave a successful career in law or Petra Cooper who left her job as a publishing exec, to embrace a labored life of cheesemaking. Could it be a spiritual pilgrimage or a foray into the creative realm of inspired art?

For me, the essence of cheese (yes, you read that correctly) reminds me that we are more than what we make with the toil of our hands, and the beautiful result pressed and aged in a wheel tells of something greater at work-- an Omnipresence orchestrating the rains to grow the grasses for the cows to enjoy, to the milk extracted from the hands of faithful hands--tells of a premeditated power at work in the universe.

And nativity scenes engender a similar thought pattern in me... They make you stop for a moment to think of the story being told in it, and if you're really open to it, you might see the connection that Christmas is more than a very expensive holiday, and cheese is more than a favorite pizza topping. Angelo Frosio, the Italian cheesemaker in this news clip, seems to be thinking of something more.

Maybe that's the reason why I love cheese and nativity scenes so much-- they remind me I am part of a much bigger picture, I'd like to think of it as work of the biggest masterpiece known to mankind. I don't know about you, but to me the very thought gives me peace in a troubled world, and beckons my heart towards goodwill to those around me near and far.

Smoked Salmon Recipe for the Raclette Grill

If you love raclette like I do, you've already pulled your raclette grill out and it's sitting comfortably smack-dab in the middle of your dining table, just cuz it's November. It's amazing how versatile a cooking apparatus it is. I'm discovering all kinds of interesting ways to make yummy little morsels.

I recently came across an recipe using Smoked Salmon with a raclette grill instead of the typical charcuterie like my favorites: salami, prosciutto and Serrano ham.

Ingredients:
Smoked salmon, thinly sliced
Neuchatel or cream cheese
dill
fresh Spinach leaves
French baguette

Essentially, all you do is slice your baguette which you can toast on the top of your raclette grill. Feeling extravagant?-- Brush the grill first with garlic infused olive oil. Then, put about an ounce of cream cheese, a bit of smoked salmon, spinach and fresh dill in the coupelle to melt in the lower half of the grill . When melted, scrape the cheese mixture onto your grilled bread which now, has been transplanted to your plate. Dust with some ground nutmeg if it's convenient, and there you have it, yummy tapas for Friday night! Serve with a lovely white wine or rose.

Let's see... I might try scallops and scampi with pasta next.

Starbucks Establishing Yet Another Trend with Cheese

From its inception, Starbucks has given more thought to the concept and the idea of their brand rather than their product itself, the coffee. This has certainly worked for them with their empire extending now to 49 countries. And in a new twist, the Seattle-based coffee trader is thinking up a new concept for their worldwide brand: adding wine, cheese and charcuterie to their evening offerings.



Really, how could you go wrong combining a coffee lounge with a soft-core bar atmosphere? Customers are always looking for a casual place to relax, read a book or meet up with friends. Some even do serious business in the plush cushioned couches of the quiet hum of espresso machines a-whirl. The company will start with a few stores in Seattle.

This is appealing for someone like myself who shies away from the bar scene, but occasionally would enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese plate for an evening meet-up with a girlfriend. Add to the luxuries of cheese, wine and coffee with music and art with a moderate pricing scheme, and you have a very chic and attractive environment indeed.

Just like the Americans to join the bandwagon late, but always with a loud bang. (Source: The Puget Sound Business Journal)

What do The Beatles and Cheeses Have in Common?

No denying it, English cheeses have proudly soared to the popularity of The Fab Four, The Beatles.



A recent study shows that British cheeses have outpaced their French counterparts at the rate of about two to one, as buying local has become the dominating ethos for the Brits and their longstanding love of cheese. The rise is also attributed to an evolved palate to make a larger place for Stilton, sheep's and goat's milk cheeses. (Source: The Telegraph.co.uk)

But they're not resting on their own laurels, the French think that English cheeses are worth importing with the latest export figures showing that the demand for English cheese, especially Cheddar and Stilton, has increased considerably. England still imports cheese, but more and more, the taste for their own wins over their love of Brie.

Cream Cheese History and Pumpkin Blatherings

Is cream cheese, "creamed cheese"? And, why do we call cream cheese "cheese" at all? Cream cheese, in fact, is essentially cream that has evaporated into a thicker substance that is no longer liquid. So it's not really "creamed" or whipped in any fashion, or, perhaps not even a cheese at all. Maybe a better name would be "cream spread" or "spreading cream".

Regardless, cream cheese has evolved to become an American staple ingredient in many treats especially around the holidays. Ah, the marketing genius of Kraft...

But is cream cheese really from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? In fact, not at all. Cream cheese history fact: Though fresh "cream cheese" has been around since the beginning of domesticated animals, it wasn't until really 1880 that Kraft started distributing the Philadelphia brand name in tin foil wrappers, as it is still done today. Labeling their product this way conveyed "Philadelphia quality" which was a higher standard in the day. Surprisingly, the Philadelphia brand is still superior in taste and texture compared to the generic brands over 130 years later (references: The WorldWideGourmet.com and The Food Timeline.org).

Cream cheese gets me thinking about pumpkins, October, the holidays, cheesecake and "The Great Pumpkin Waltz". How about you? This year I'm eyeing a recipe called Pumpkin Whoopie Pies on Rachel Ray's magazine, "Everyday With Rachel Ray". They're essentially a cream cheese icing sandwiched between 2 little round pumpkin cakes. Holy YUM.

Living in developing countries for the past several years has taught me to appreciate the conveniences of wild and imaginative recipes like this. I'm not sure Americans pause to recognize how good they have it sometimes, being able to walk down the aisle of their grocery store and pick up pureed pumpkin in a can and pumpkin spices (already pre-mixed) and a just a few steps away, go to a refrigerated case replete with a variety of mass-produced dairy products like cream cheese. Who knows, you can probably buy Pumpkin Whoopie Pies already pre-made these days!

As we strive in the recession, aren't we all... remember there are many many others out there without, and be thankful for cream cheese!

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe from Sweetie Pie and Soul Food Diva

Must Watch Video: Oh Mama! do I wish I had a soul food diner like this in my neighborhood! Soul food Diva, Robbie Montgomery, has been dishin' out "heaping tablespoons" ;) of her macaroni and cheese for 40 years. Her Southern style macaroni and cheese recipe is a customer favorite at Sweetie Pie's in St. Louis, Missouri. For the rest of us, we'll have to settle on attempting to replicate her recipe in our own kitchens at home (via Helium and The Food Network, with Guy Fieri).

The Cheesy Culture of Kid's Birthday Parties

What do children's birthday celebrations say about us as a people?

I can honestly say that I have never been to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, but it seems to be almost a rite of passage for Americans to celebrate another year of life with second rate pizza, turn-in-your-token arcade, and corny Animatronics that beckon you to join them for a number on stage.

For the price of admission, and it's a pretty steep price for the average American, you get an overload of pinball and video arcade machines, the pleasure of singing with oversized mechanical stuffed animals (that are quite scary), and 3 slices of the most forgettable pizza you'll ever taste.

A birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese is loud, artificial, bright or should we say colorful, corny, overdone, sensationalized and excessive.

... And then, we have birthday party in let's say, Western Europe with raclette. Austere and ever-practical... the focus of the party is on the people, the relationships, the conversation.

Who's having the better time? Hard to say, but I think it's a tie. Amusement and entertainment seem to be important factors to a culture that gave birth to Hollywood. Food is only secondary. Doing more than one thing at once, running around wasting money on pinball, going to the table for a sip of a your never-ending soda is perfectly acceptable.

But when it comes to the food, the Swiss children are faring much better. They dine on a few high quality ingredients. The food is as memorable as is the conversation. The food and people sharing the food is prized above other excesses.

One thing though they both got right: Cheese seems to elevate a meal to a celebration.