Cheese, glorious cheese! alone, w crackers, bread, meals. Your favorites! 😄
Last edited Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:58 AM - Edit history (2)
Well, back in the late 50's, early '60s - ?'65...
For my family it was "American cheese", and 2 ethnic offerings. Feta, from my Greek-American mom's side. But it was packed in ?salted water, and only available in Greek delis (equivalent in Bulgaria, etc). So I didn't always eat it. I think my mom started to rinse it in plain water. Now it's pretty ubiquitous, and not in salted water. So much better!
The other from my dad's Ukrainian-American side, but only for Easter, the day after is farmer's cheese. Very, mild taste. Love it!
Mozzarella on pizza when I way 12. Munster later by my dad. Swiss, somewhere in there. Then my mom had a year of "Cheese of the Month" club. 😄 Fun! Cheddar. Havarti. Harvati w dill. Others.
My first f/t post College job; we were ?4+ blocks away from The International Cheese Club store, and it's 3rd floor restaurant on Chambers St semi close to City Hall. I probably bought cheddar w garlic first time from there. And maybe sharper, and sharper versions of plain cheddars.
Going up to the restaurant was a trip! I found out (the store first) about it through my job. A not quite shabby staircase; taking my friends up; "where are you taking me?!!". A note of concern raising their tone. 😄
The stairs, and door opens into this pretty, medium size brick walled restaurant! Quite filled up. I know I had their cheese board, and Welsh rarebit. I might have had my first brie, there, from the cheese board.
Somewhen in my 30's; provolone, a serious favorite! Though when when I did graphic design for my sister at a Bronx non-profit near the 2nd Italian neighborhood; I tried aged provolone, too strong back then. Decades later, yum!
In my early 40's (maybe very late 30's) I discovered these regular food stores w extra special sections. Well, my mom discovered Fairway. Then, I, Westside Market, Whole Foods (pre take-over), waaaay later Trader Joe's. As some to many of you know they all have extensive cheese sections!
At times Westside had tons of different gouda cheeses; luckily with little chunks, w toothpicks for samplers. Another one had all kinds of Greek cheeses; one's I see on Greek restaurant menus!
The last cheese I learned to love was blue cheese. My mom loved it, even gorgenzolla. Me, I wouldn't go near it. 😄 However, after decades of expanding my cheese palette I saw Marie's Blue Cheese Dressing. 🤔 Well, I finally bought some, and I loved it! Later on I'd get TJ's version.
For crackers, I love Ritz, and the long, yellow orange ones, whose name just disappeared on me. Others are pretty good. I can probably munch on cheddar, swiss, gouda alone, offhand. Then for health reasons less easy carbs, I'd get Wassa crackers, and Ack-Mak.
Bread, mostly has to be grilled cheese; cheddar, or swiss. Butter on the outside. Sometimes w tomato, some garlic powder.
My favoritenon-grilled would be French, or Italian bread with provolone; mayo, garlic powder, sliced tomatoes, sometimes romaine lettuce.
For meals. A Greek appetizer; kessari or other Greek cheese heated in a pan w flames, a touch melty, doused with lemon juice, then plated at your table. Eaten with pita bread. Also phyllo dough, and feta cheese inside. Sometimes w spinach.
Tostados, with melted cheese, ?tomatoes, guac on the side sometimes.
Meat, or vegetable lasagna. Parmasen, or Romano over pasta, w/wo tomato sauce, but definitely garlic either minced, or powder!
One of my best, and unexpected experiences was when I was invited to my aunt & uncle's house in a picturesque (I'm serious! 😄 ) little village, about 1,000 pop. nestled about 1 1/2 hours north of Geneva, Switzerland by the western Jura Mountains.
First my uncle would bring cheeses from nearby villages, even just over the French border. Many new to me, but I don't remember, except one with a thin line of ash down the center!
But the night before I'd head home (it's a hilly village) we got in their car went half a block west, then north one long block (like a NYC avenue) then two houses downward (south) to their long time friends.
There were appetizers. Possibly foie gras, but I wasn't going to turn it down. In other circumstances, I probably would have.
But then: and it was invented there; we had fondue with ?strawberries, veggies, crackers, and bread! Semi foodie me was sooo delighted. The National (and it's Chesse) Dish! 😄🥰
I'd never had it! Was soooo good!
If you'd made to the end, here, or partly through...
Please tell us your cheese history, and cheesy food adventures! 🍽 🧀🥖 😄👍
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Baaaahahahaaaaaaa!
