Do You Need to Throw that Moldy Cheese Wedge Away?
All of Your Moldy Cheese Questions, Answered
Moldy cheese has been a sensitive topic for me since last summer, when I published a video that went viral for all the wrong reasons: it was a simple demo featuring my hands scraping and slicing the mold off of a block of cheddar that I’d neglected in my cheese drawer for a few weeks too long. It was mottled with soft white and green patches, which I carefully removed before shredding the cheese and nestling it onto a tuna melt. I had no idea the video would be controversial, and was more worried that people would be grossed out by my tuna salad recipe (some people seem to really hate mayo, and I used a lot of it).
The video soon amassed millions of views and thousands of comments, mostly accusing me of endangering people’s lives. A couple microbiologists even stitched my video into their own TikTok describing how dangerous my mold scraping process supposedly was. The whole situation caused me to second guess what I had learned in my cheese career about food safety. I thought my mold scraping was standard procedure and one that I had been taught when I first started working in cheese almost 10 years ago. I was scared that maybe I had put people in danger, and I worried about stoking the fires of fear that already plagued the cheese industry, especially after those same microbiologists started coming after raw milk (another topic for another day).
After gathering myself, I sat down with my friends at Jasper Hill Farm, one of the most famous creameries in America, to discuss the food safety concerns with scraping rogue mold off of old cheese. They are not only trailblazers in our industry, but they meticulously test every batch of cheese for pathogens to ensure that each product is safe, delicious, and ready for consumption. They also have a very knowledgeable team, including microbiologist Julie Pringle and cheese evaluator, educator, and my buddy from the monger days, Alex Armstrong, both of whom helped me craft this response.
Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm
Here’s what I learned about finding mold on your cheese and how to handle it, according to the cheese microbiologist at Jasper Hill Farm.
Cheese is mold, especially artisan cheeses. Cheese contains a mystical yet highly studied ecosystem that’s intentionally inoculated with molds and other microbes. All of this helps, and is often essential, to create a transcendently tasty cheese. For example, on a soft cheese, such as Jasper’s superstar Harbison (pictured above), the molds on the rind penetrate into the cheese and work to digest the inner paste, slowly transforming it into a mesmerizing silky, oozy texture. While you can only see the molds on the rind, they’ve already worked their magic on the inner paste too. Obviously, that’s the work of intentional mold, but those were once rogue molds until scientists isolated and commercialized them for cheesemaking. They went through all that trial and error so we don’t have to.
Cheesemaking microbes are friends, not foe. Scientists have studied cheese microbes for centuries, and through trial and error they have discovered how to adjust the moisture levels, acidity, and salt content to reduce the risk of harmful microbes in favor of those that are beneficial or neutral. If a rogue mold starts populating a firm cheese, it’s likely that it was present in the ripening space or making up the rind’s flora and is now growing onto the cut surface. If commonly found surface molds were a risk to public health, then cheese businesses would have to eliminate those risks. After all of that careful testing and procedures, rogue molds carry more risk of affecting the flavor and texture than making you sick.
The mold growth on firm cheese is not contaminating the whole cheese. Like all fungi, mold has mycellia, a root-like network made up of branching threads called hyphae. This interweaving system often lives within organic matter, such as soil, vegetative matter, or even cheese. The roots can easily penetrate porous, moisture-rich material like raspberries or fresh cheeses like mozzarella, but the hyphae can’t travel that deep in a dense product like cheddar cheese.
Firm cheeses are dense, so it would take months for the hypha to fully infiltrate the entire body of cheese. However, molds can easily penetrate porous, moisture-rich substances like fresh cheeses, such as fresh mozzarella, so you should throw those away if they get moldy. Those cheeses are high moisture and not meant to age, so mold indicates spoilage. Soft-ripened cheeses, such as brie-styles, are also higher moisture and have a shorter lifespan than firm cheeses, making them more susceptible to unintentional molds without the same defenses against pathogens. Finding unwanted molds on those guys are definitely an indication that the cheese has passed its prime and should be tossed.
Eating mold is not dangerous by nature. Some molds are toxic, but those strains are rather rare when you look at microbial diversity as a whole. This is going to be really creepy to some people, but mold is literally everywhere. In fact, we eat it everyday whether we know it or not because, I repeat, it’s everywhere! There’s mold on our skin, floating in the air, and working its way into all of our food, whether or not you can see it. It’s unavoidable, and most of it isn't going to hurt you. There's no way of knowing what kind of mold it is, but because of the precautions that cheesemakers undergo, it is unlikely to be harmful.
No, eating mold will not ruin your gut flora. We’re ingesting mold traces whenever we eat, drink, and breathe. Mold is a wonderful and healthy part of our daily lives that you can’t avoid mold or sanitize out of your life. In fact, your gut microbiome is filled with microorganisms, and the more the better! If there’s enough beneficial bacteria, it can even protect you against harmful intruders. Of course, there are harmful molds you don’t want, and you should be cautious when you see a rogue mold that’s not supposed to be there, but how cautious you are is up to you.
If you do get sick from a cheese, it’s more likely due to a well-known pathogen rather than some mystery mold. The main pathogens that affect cheese are very well documented. They are invisible to the naked eye, and include Listeria Monocytongenes, E. coli O157:H7, Staph Aureus, and Salmonella. Cheesemakers work very hard and undergo rigorous testing to prevent these pathogens, and are required to screen and monitor their cheeses for them, usually with the help of a third party lab. In the very rare event that you get sick from a cheese, it’s more likely due to one of these pathogens than a rogue mold.
If you do cut off the mold, eat the remaining wedge ASAP. Cheese always tastes best when it’s freshly sliced from the wheel, and rogue molds mean that wedge has been sitting around for too long. The USDA recommends cutting off an inch on the affected surface. Personally, I just scrape it off, or slice off about ¼”. I’m aware that it doesn’t remove the mold entirely, but I’m OK with that. For me, the bigger issue is with the deteriorating flavors and textures in the wedge indicated by the mold growth. That cheese is probably past its prime, so it needs to be eaten ASAP while it’s still tasting good.
In conclusion, there’s no perfect answer to whether or not that moldy cheese is dangerous, but it might be helpful to know that the experts are more concerned about the sensory experience of that moldy cheese than they are about whether or not it will get you sick. “If there was a likelihood that our products turn to poison once removed from their packaging,” says Jasper Hill, “we'd probably be extremely anxious about hurting people and going bankrupt. Instead, we're snacking on moldy cheese right alongside you.”
The truth is that mold is everywhere, and there is always going to be some risk when there’s visible mold on a cheese. But, in the realm of food safety, there’s also a lot of risk when it comes to eating melons or berries or sprouts. Just look at the FDA reports. If you see unintentional mold on your cheese, cut it off. If you have underlying health conditions, are immunocompromised, or just risk averse, throw the cheese away. Trust your judgment, and do what’s best for you no matter what anyone on TikTok or Instagram tells you. And that includes me! Everyone has their own comfort level, so you have to do what’s right for you.
What to do if you find mold on your cheese:
Ask yourself when you bought the cheese and if the mold is a continuation of the rind or otherwise belongs.
If you bought the cheese weeks ago, and the mold seems foreign to the cheese, then consider cutting off up to an inch around the affected area.
If you’re really worried about it, just throw it away.
If it’s a soft cheese, then throw it away. That mold might not be dangerous, but the cheese is definitely past its prime.
How to avoid getting mold on your cheese:
Eat that cheese within a week of buying it: cheese stops ripening and begins to deteriorate as soon as it’s cut, so it’s best to buy only as much as you need for the week, eat it fast, and then buy more.
Use cheese paper to properly store your cheese: plastic wrap cuts off oxygen and traps moisture, which accelerates decomposition. Read more about proper cheese storage here.
Wash your hands and your knife before and after cutting cheese. I’d also recommend doing the same if you’re cutting multiple types of cheeses, to avoid cross-contaminating microbes.
Citations:
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to Julia Pringle and Alex Armstrong at Jasper Hill for your support and expertise on this article! Thank you also to Emilia d’Albero for being my right hand man during this debacle. Also shout out to my whole cheese fam for being very supportive during this. Love you all!
Cheese Sex Death Events
Come get your cheese slut on, raise a toast, and have your bible signed. Still need a copy? No worries, just add a copy of Cheese Sex Death to your ticket or buy one on site.
Can’t wait to worship Cheesus with you!
1/28 The Festival of Imbolc: An All Sheep’s Milk Tasting with Beautiful Rind in Chicago, IL
Sunday at 2PM and 6PM CT. Get tickets to the first seating here and the second sitting here.
We’re joining forces with Erika Kubick of Cheese Sex Death for a cozy all sheep’s milk cheese tasting inspired by the festival of Imbolc. This ancient Celtic celebration marked the beginning of lambing season and the sheep’s lactation cycle. Randall and I will guide you through a magical lineup of 5 sheep cheeses, each paired with a special seasonal accompaniment. Prepare for an enchanting night of deep winter revelry where you’ll learn all about cheesemaking history, pagan tradition, sheep breeds, and the many different kinds of cheeses made from ewe’s milk! After class, I will be signing copies of Cheese Sex Death: A Bible for the Cheese Obsessed. Your ticket to the cheese heathenry includes: a 101 sermon on the basics of cheese worship, a tasting of 5 cheeses inspired by the winter solstice, each paired with a curated accompaniment, and a book signing.
2/12 Hot Cheese: Galentine’s Day with All Together Now in Chicago, IL
Monday at 6–9PM ET. Get tickets here!
Teaming up with All Together Now for a hot and saucy cheese party featuring all-you-can-eat Raclette, cheese flowers, fondue, and more! Expect toe-curling accompaniments and titillating beverage pairings that will set your heart aflutter. Tickets are $65 for the feast and a beverage pairing of your choice (both boozy and N/A options available). Come hungry and ready to party! Get tickets here!
Get a Copy of My First Book!
Orders are live for Cheese Sex Death: A Bible for the Cheese Obsessed !
I’m so excited to announce that as of October 26th, my first book is officially available to purchase! You can order her through any of the retailers linked below:
I spent the past year working to create the perfect guidebook to help you cheese sluts worship our lord Cheesus. In true cheese preacher style, I designed her off of the real Holy Bible, separating all of that sacred intel into two glorious parts: The Old Testament and The New Testament. The first part tells the story of how Cheesus was discovered and also covers both cheesemaking and the different types of cheese. The new testament covers everything you need to know about worshipping Cheesus, from buying to storing, serving, tasting, pairing, plating, and cooking. I’m serving you cheese platter ideas, my favorite recipes, and page after page of cheese erotica and sensual photography.
October feels so far away, but I’m so excited to get this bible into your hands! I hope you enjoy her as much as I loved making her for you.
Cheese Shop Directory
A directory of American cheese shops, organized by state. Click here to see where to buy cheese online.
Alabama
Busy Corner Cheese and Provisions (Birmingham)
Belle Chevre (Elkmont)
The Cheese Cottage (Mobile)
Dayspring Dairy (Gallant)
Alaska
Fromagio’s Artisan Cheese (Anchorage)
Lucy’s Market (Soldotna)
Arizona
Arizona Farms Cheese (multiple locations)
Arcadia Premium (Phoenix)
Shea Cheese (Phoenix)
Arkansas
Sweet Freedom Cheese (Bentonville)
Boulevard Bread Co (Little Rock)
California
Bohemian Creamery (Sebastopol)
Central Coast Creamery (Paso Robles)
Farmstead Cheese and Wines (Montclair Village)
The Cheese Shop (Costa Mesa)
Nugget Market (Multiple Locations)
Small Goods (La Jolla)
Cultured Slice (Hermosa)
Let it Brie (Fullerton)
Vella Cheese Company (Sonoma)
Nicasio Cheese (Marin County)
Point Reyes Cheese (Point Reyes Station)
Bivalve Dairy (Point Reyes Station)
Cheese Plus (San Francisco)
Oakdale Cheese (Oakdale)
Cheese Cave (Claremont)
The Cheese Shop (Carmel)
Cheese Addiction (Long Beach)
Andrew’s Cheese Shop (Santa Monica)
Lady & Larder (Santa Monica)
Achadinha Cheese Co. (Petaluma)
Agnes (Pasadena)
Say Cheese (Los Angeles)
DTLA Cheese (Los Angeles)
Larchmont Village Wine Spirits & Cheese (Los Angeles)
Milkfarm (Los Angeles)
Cheese Store of Beverly Hills (Los Angeles)
Pavilions (Los Angeles)
The Rind (Sacramento)
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op (Sacramento)
Venissimo (San Diego)
Cheese Shop 831 (Capitola)
Colorado
Cured (Boulder)
Cheese Importers (Longmont)
The Cheese Haus (Colorado Springs)
Springside Cheese (Pueblo)
St. Kilians (Denver)
Truffle Cheese shop (Denver)
Marczyk Fine Foods (Denver)
James Ranch Market (Durango)
Connecticut
Dom's Cheese Shop (Avon)
Fairfield Cheese (Fairfield)
Madison Cheese (Madison)
Bon Appetit (Hamden)
109 Cheese & Wine (Multiple locations)
Darien Cheese & Fine Foods (Darien)
Fromage Fine Foods & Coffees (Old Saybrook)
Delaware
Janssen's Fine Foods (Greenville)
District of Columbia
Florida
Cheese Please (Tampa)
The Cheese Lodge (New Port Richey)
La Femme Du Fromage (Orlando)
The Cheese Course (Weston)
Artisan Cheese Company (Sarasota)
Georgia
Alon's Bakery and Market (Atlanta)
Hidden Creek Farm & Goat Dairy (Blairsville)
Sweet Grass Dairy (Thomasville)
Hawaii
Surfing Goat Dairy (Kula)
Naked Cow Dairy (Waianae)
Idaho
Lark & Larder (Boise)
Illinois
All Together Now (Chicago)
L&M Fine Foods (Chicago)
Augusta Food and Wine (Chicago)
Beautiful Rind (Chicago)
Cheese & Crackers (Champaign)
Art Mart (Champaign)
Prairie Fruits Farm (Champaign)
Marché (Glen Ellyn)
Standard Market (Westmont)
Indiana
Oh Mamma’s On the Avenue (South Bend)
Goose the Market (Indianapolis)
Smoking Goose Public Smokehouse (Indianapolis)
The Roaming Wedge (mobile cheese shop)
Iowa
The Cheese Shop (Des Moines)
Brix Cheese Shop & Wine Bar (Iowa City)
New Pioneer Food Co'op (Multiple locations)
Kansas
Jason Wiebe Dairy (Durham)
Au Marche (Lawrence)
The Better Cheddar (Multiple locations)
Kentucky
Stone Cross Farm (Taylorsville)
Harvest Home Dairy (Crestwood)
River Cottage Farm (Rockfield)
Wildcat Mountain Cheese (Bernstadt)
Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese (Austin)
Harvey's Cheese (Louisville)
Louisiana
St. James Cheese Company (New Orleans)
Keife and Co (New Orleans)
The Rind (Hammond)
Maine
The Cheese Iron (Scarborough)
Bangor Wine and Cheese (Bangor)
The Cheese Shop of Portland (Portland)
Eat More Cheese (Belfast)
Uncorked Wine & Cheese (Augusta)
Five Island Farm (Georgetown)
Nibblesford (Biddeford)
Maryland
Cheese Galore and More (Baltimore)
Chester River Wine & Cheese (Chestertown)
Tastings Gourmet Market (Annapolis)
Vaughan Cheese Counter & Bar (North Beach)
Massachusetts
Formaggio Kitchen (Cambridge)
Rubiner’s Cheesemongers & Grocers (Great Barrington)
Wasik’s Cheese Shop (Wellesley)
Concord Cheese Shop (Concord)
Pecorino (North Grafton)
Bacco's Wine & Cheese (Boston)
The Cheese Shop of Salem (Salem)
Smith Country Cheese (Winchendon)
Curds and Co (Brookline)
Allium Market (Brookline)
Chatham Cheese (Chatham)
Savour Wine and Cheese (Gloucester)
Leary’s Fine Wines & Spirits (Newburyport)
Provisions (Northampton and North Amherst)
Michigan
Zingerman’s (Ann Arbor)
Aperitivo (Grand Rapids)
The Cheese People (Grand Rapids)
The Cheese Lady (Grand Rapids)
Mongers’ Provisions (Detroit)
Petoskey Cheese (Petoskey)
Rockford Cheese Shop (Rockford)
Westborn Market (Berkley)
Culture Beer and Cheese (Brighton)
Minnesota
St Paul Cheese Shop (Saint Paul)
Redhead Creamery (Brooten)
The Cheese Cave (Fairbault)
Lake Wine and Spirits (Minneapolis)
Surdyk’s Cheese Shop (Minneapolis
MS Market Co'op (Multiple locations)
Missouri
Wine and Cheese Place (Multiple locations)
Cork & Rind (Saint Charles)
The Cheese Store (Sweet Springs)
Osceola Cheese (Osceola)
Parker's Table (St Louis)
Montana
City Vineyard Wine (Billings)
Flathead Lake Cheese (Polson)
Mavens Market (Bozeman)
Bozo Co'op (Bozeman)
Tucker Family Farm (Missoula)
Nevada
The Cheese Board (Reno)
Cured and Whey (Las Vegas)
Valley Cheese and Wine (Las Vegas)
Lakeview Cheese (Las Vegas)
New Hampshire
Harman’s Cheese (Sugar Hill)
Angela's Pasta & Cheese (Manchester)
C'est Cheese (North Hampton)
New Jersey
Bay Head Cheese Shop and Bottles Too (Bay Head)
Bobolink Dairy (Milford)
Cheese and Wine Store (Hoboken)
The Cheese Cave (Red Bank)
Cheese Etc. (Haddon Township)
Chez Cheese (Tenafly)
Fourchette Fromage (Clinton)
Lebanon Cheese (Lebanon)
Seaside Cheese (Cape May)
Van Hook Cheese (Jersey City)
Cherry Grove Farm (Lawrenceville)
Valley Shepherd (Long Valley)
Olive With A Twist (Frenchtown)
C’est Cheese (Port Jefferson)
Olsson’s Fine Foods (Princeton)
New Mexico
The Mousehole Cheese Shop (Albuquerque)
New York
Di Silvestro & Sons Cheese Shop (Adams)
Milk and Hops (Astoria)
The Cheese Traveler (Albany)
Callee 1945 (Oneida)
The Curd Nerd (Syracuse)
Kutter Cheese Factory (Corfu)
River Rat Cheese (Clayton)
Barnyard Cheese (New York City)
Bedford Cheese Shop (New York City)
Brooklyn Larder (New York City)
Campbell & Co (New York City)
Foster Sundry (New York City)
Malt and Mold (New York City)
Murray’s Cheese Shop (New York City)
Saxelby Cheese (New York City)
Village Cheese Merchant (Rockville Centre)
Dobbs & Bishop (Bronxville)
Muranda Cheese Company (Waterloo)
Adams Fairacre Farms (Wappingers)
Plum Plums Cheese (Westchester)
Wegman’s (multiple locations across the east coast)
Scott & Joe (Nyack)
North Carolina
Orman's Cheese Shop (Charlotte)
Mere's (Charlotte)
The Loyalist Market (Matthews)
Southport Cheese Shop (Southport)
Southern Whey (Charlottesville)
The Cheese Shop (Carborro)
North Dakota
Luna (Fargo)
Pinch and Pour (Fargo)
Ohio
Black Radish (Columbus)
Grandpa’s Cheesebarn (Ashland)
Lamp Post Cheese (Lebanon)
Old Brooklyn Cheese Company (Cleveland)
The Cheese House (Orrville)
The Rhined (Cincinnati)
Yaggi Cheese House (New Philadelphia)
Walnut Creek Cheese (Multiple locations)
Share Cheesebar (Pleasant Ridge)
Oklahoma
Swan Bros. Dairy (Claremore)
Forward Foods (Norman)
Vine & Board (Edmond)
Oregon
Elephants Deli (Multiple locations)
Ochoa’s Queseria (Albany)
Face Rock Creamery (Bandon)
New Seasons Market (Multiple locations)
Oregon Cheese Cave (Phoenix)
The Kiva (Eugene)
Provisions Market Hall (Eugene)
TMK Creamery (Canby)
Providore Fine Foods (Portland)
Pennsylvania
Philly Cheese School (Philadelphia) Classes Only
DiBruno Brothers (Philadelphia)
Claudio’s Specialty Foods (Philadelphia)
Talula’s Table (Kennett Square)
PennMac (Pittsburgh)
Penn State Creamery (University Park)
Mediterra (Sewickley)
Chantal's Cheese Shop (Pittsburgh)
The Cheese House (New Wilmington)
Downtown Cheese Shop (Philadelphia)
Town Clock Cheese Shoppe (Gap)
Rhode Island
Cheese Wheel (Tiverton)
Edgewood Cheese Shop (Cranston)
South Carolina
The Gourmet Shop (Columbia)
Charleston Artisan Cheese House (Charleston)
Goat Sheep Cow (Charleston)
Avondale Wine & Cheese (Charleston)
Ted's Butcher Block (Charleston)
Counter Cheese Caves (Charleston)
South Dakota
Dimock Dairy (Dimock)
Cheese World USA (Sioux Falls)
Look's Marketplace (Sioux Falls)
Farm Life Creamery (Ethans)
Tennessee
Standing Stone Farms (Gallatin)
Bloomy Rind (Nashville)
Greys Fine Cheeses (Nashville and Memphis)
Bleu Fox Cheese Shop (Chattanooga)
Sweetwater Valley Farm (Philadelphia)
Euphoric Cheese Shop (Knoxville)
Texas
Antonelli's Cheese Shop (Austin)
Union Merchant (Georgetown)
Scardello (Dallas)
Houston Dairymaids (Houston)
Veldhuizen Cheese Shoppe (Dublin)
Ten One Artisan Cheese (Denton)
Mozzarella Company (Dallas)
Brazos Valley Cheese (Waco)
Otto’s Cheese Shop (New Braunfels)
Central Market (San Antonio)
Utah
Riverhorse Provisions (Park City)
Mesa Farm Market (Caineville)
Beehive Cheese (Salt Lake City)
The Creamery (Beaver)
Tony Caputo's Market & Deli (Multiple Locations)
Vermont
Dedalus Wine (Burlington)
Battleboro Food Co-Op (Battleboro)
Grafton Village Cheese (Battleboro)
Dakin Farm (Multiple Locations)
Mad River Taste Place (Waitsfield)
Virginia
Cheesetique (Alexandria)
Arrowine & Cheese (Arlington)
Feast! (Charlottesville)
The Cheese Place (Dayton)
The Belmont Butchery (Richmond)
Truckle Cheesemongers (Richmond)
Washington
Cougar Cheese (Pullman)
DeLaurenti (Seattle)
Big John’s PFI (Seattle)
Wanderlust Delicato (Spokane)
Samish Bay Cheese (Bow)
Twin Sisters Creamery (Ferndale)
The Cheesemonger’s Shop (Leavenworth)
Street Cheese (Burien)
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Fleur de Lis Cheese Shop (Berkeley Springs)
The Wine and Cheese Shop at Capitol Market (Charleston)
Wisconsin
Landmark Creamery (Belleville)
Larry’s Market (Brown Deer)
Wisconsin Cheese Mart (Milwaukee)
West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe (West Allis)
Door County Creamery (Sister Bay)
Fromagination (Madison)
The Cheese Board (Minocqua)
Village Cheese (Wauwatosa)
Door Artisan Cheese (Egg Harbor)
Ellsworth Cheese (Ellsworth)
Bountiful Boards (Green Bay)
Hill Valley Cheese Shop (Lake Geneva)
Wyoming
Chalk N' Cheese (Laramie)
Grant Street Grocery (Casper)
Comté Is Your Dependable Bae
Toe-Curling Pleasure, Guaranteed
When you’re getting cozy with a little Comté, you know you’re in for a good time. That’s because that shit is AOC (French for, essentially, “protected origin”). In other words, if the label says “Comté,” it’s going to rock your world no matter where you find it. You’ve probably had Swiss Gruyere, the cheese often found smothering French Onion soup or oozing out of Croque Madames.
Think of Comté as Gruyere’s French cousin: it’s very similar, but different because of its distinct terroir. It’s so complex and delicious—the kind of cheese that curd nerds obsess over.
Every wheel of Comté is dank, but some are extra special. I especially like those made in the summer months, when the cows are munching on fresh grasses, flowers, and herbs.
Because it’s a raw cheese, all those flavors shine through in the cheese. Comté has given me some of my most intense flavorgasms with its tantalizing notes of caramelized onions, juicy plums, leek quiche, new leather, candied hazelnuts, tobacco leaves, and even bacon.
Comté is the kind of cheese that leaves you satisfied all on its own, but if you’re looking for a pairing, Comté gets along with rosé, Champagne, and nearly any beer, especially farmhouse ales. Or just smear it with some da-yum fine honey.
About Comté PDO
What Kind of Cheese Am I? An Alpine cheese made with raw cow’s milk.
Where Am I From? The Jura region in France.
Three Words That Describe Me: Dependable, intricate, and suave.
Fun Fact About Me: There are 83 official descriptor words for my distinct flavors and aromas.
What Do I Smell Like? Brown butter, toasted hazelnuts, and herbal bouquets.
What Do I Feel Like? Firm, satin-y, and slightly crunchy.
What Do I Taste Like? A complex parade of flavors, including apricots, leeks, grass, leather, and chocolate.
Favorite Foods: If you want to get savory, make a spread with salami, mustard, pickles, and wheat crackers. For dessert, pair with fig jam. dark chocolate, candied nuts, and the best honey you’ve got.
Favorite Beverages: Champagne, rosé, and nearly any beer out there, especially farmhouse ales.
Where to Find Me: Nearly anywhere cheese is sold.
What I’ll Cost Ya: About $15-30 per pound, depending on age and quality.
Special thanks to Peterson Cheese for gifting me this sexy wedge of summer-milk Comté.
Cheesus be with you!
Gjetost, Norwegian Brown Cheese
Like A Three-way Between Cheese, Caramel, and Fudge
Gjetost (yeh-toast) is a traditional brown cheese from Norway that tastes a lot like butterscotch and sticks to the roof of your mouth like peanut butter. It’s not fancy, it doesn’t have mold, and it’s not even really cheese – but It’s damned delicious.
I’m pretty sure gjetost is the weirdest “cheese” out there. I mean, it’s not even really cheese. A lot of people say American cheese isn’t really cheese, but at least that starts with cheese. Gjetost starts with whey, the leftover liquid from cheesemaking.
Whey is rich with lactose, or milk sugar. To make Gjetost, that whey is boiled until the liquid reduces and the sugars caramelize, which is where the butterscotch flavor comes from. Ricotta is also made with whey, but it’s cooked much less and retains more moisture.
“Gjetost” translates to “goat cheese” in Norwegian, so this style contains at least some goat’s milk.
Most readily available varieties such as Ski Queen, also use cow’s milk to make it creamier and soften the flavor.
I love shaving off thin slices of Gjetost and serving it with green apples, which cuts through the lip-smacking, nut butter-richness. I also love layering it onto a slice of hot toast and smothering all of it with jam, like a cheesy PB&J. I’ve heard of people melting it into fondue as well, I’ve never tried it,
but if you do, please share your sexy experience with me in the comments below.
Gjetost
What Kind of Cheese Am I? An 8-oz pasteurized semi-firm cheese made of goat’s and cow’s milk.
Where Am I From? Norway.
Three Words That Describe Me: Sweet, lip-smacking, fudgy
Fun Fact About Me: I’m also known as “brunost,” which means “brown cheese” in Norwegian.
What Do I Smell Like? Caramel and cream
What Do I Feel Like? Fresh fudge and peanut butter
What Do I Taste Like? butterscotch, milk, and almonds
Favorite Foods: Warm seeded toast, green apples, chocolate, and dried figs.
Favorite Beverages: Nutty brown ales, brandy cocktails, and port.
Where to Find Me: Cheese shops and specialty grocers, like Whole Foods and Mariano’s. Look for the Ski Queen brand.
What I’ll cost ya: About $6-8 per square
How to Make Your Own Ricotta Cheese
How to Make Ricotta Cheese
Five Minutes of Effort For Fresh AF Ricotta!
Sweet, fluffy ricotta—is there any cheese more fit for the heat of summer? It’s refreshing and makes the perfect bed for summer produce, like plump raspberries, sweet peas, or sautéed greens. It’s also delicious in dumplings, pancakes, and cheesecake too.
Homemade ricotta is tastier, fresher, and healthier than store-bought versions, which usually have preservatives. This isn’t the kind of cheese you want to preserve. It’s always best when you eat it fresh. It’ll last a couple days, but you should really enjoy it in a couple minutes.
Making cheese at home seems like a daunting and tedious task, but ricotta is extremely easy.
It only takes about five minutes of actual effort for fluffy, spreadable ricotta cheese.
If you’re extra lazy, you can even make it with a microwave.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Yields 1 cup ricotta
Equipment:
Saucepan
Cheesecloth
Large mesh sieve
Large bowl
Ingredients:
1 quart good whole milk
pinch salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Method:
Line a large sieve with two layers of cheesecloth. Place it over a large bowl.
Pour milk into the saucepan, add salt, and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Stir often to keep it from scorching.
Add lemon juice and reduce heat. Stir gently and simmer until the milk separates into white curds and translucent liquid whey, about 2 minutes.
Pour into the lined sieve and let it drain 20 minutes to an hour. The more you drain it, the more crumbly it gets.
It’ll keep in the fridge for 2 – 3 days, but I recommend eating it right away.
Personal Baked Brie With Garlicky Mushrooms
Your Own Personal Brie-sus
This one’s for those cold winter nights when you most need some cheesy comfort. A perfect single serving of luscious, oozing brie with garlicky roasted shrooms prime for dunking. It’s warm, creamy, and will give you that gravity blanket level of comfort with an orgasmic explosion of flavor.
I made this with Big Sur from Stepladder Creamery, but you can use any mini wheel of brie, like the Petite Brie from Marin French Cheese or a 4-oz slice of a larger wheel. If you hate mushrooms, try this with sweet potato wedges, carrots, or broccoli. Just keep in mind that roasting times will differ.
Personal Baked Brie with Garlicky Mushrooms
Equipment:
Whisk
Baking sheet
Ramekin (I used the one leftover from Vermont Creamery St Albans)
Ingredients:
8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned with stumps trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Salt & pepper
4-oz wheel or slice of brie, room temperature
Sliced green onion, to garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Whisk together olive oil, garlic, and thyme.
Toss shrooms with the mixture.
Season with pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread shrooms onto the baking sheet, making sure they’re not crowded so they don’t get soggy.
Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until all golden on the outside. Set aside.
Reduce oven to 250°F and let come down to temp for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the top rind off the brie.
Place the brief in the ramekin and bake for 8-10 minutes, until all gooey.
Let rest 5 minutes, then sprinkle with green onion and go to town.
Maple Manhattan With Humbolt Fog
This post is sponsored by Cypress Grove
The Spellbinding Marriage of Velvety Goat Cheese & Autumnal Manhattan
It’s fall, y’all! I’m sad that summer is ending, but there’s just nothing like a cozy evening spent with a whiskey drink and a wedge of fine cheese. Especially Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove, so dense and cake-like she begs for something slightly sweet and soul-warming. So I conjured up a simple, sweet, autumnal cocktail. Enter the Maple Manhattan.
This cocktail is both woodsy and elegant, like a lumberjack who knows how to dress for dinner
The oak of the whiskey and the maple get along famously, while the dry vermouth balances out the sweetness.
Humboldt Fog, on the other hand, is so fluffy and tangy that she reminds me of buttermilk pancakes. This makes this pairing really sparkle: alongside The Maple Manhattan, she tastes just like a fluffy stack of maple-syrup-soaked flapjacks. I have a fantasy about reducing this drink into a syrup, and drizzling it directly over a wedge of Humboldt. But I’ll save that for a brisk winter morning.
I recommend serving these two with a couple of candied pecans to really tease out the bourbon’s nutty notes.
Cypress Grove recently updated their tagline to “Fine Cheese Alchemy,” to reflect the magick they create with just a few simple ingredients. I already loved them, but this really set my witchy heart aflutter. We’ve joined forces to bring you a series of several autumnal pairings and recipes featuring their great cheeses. This is just the first…
Maple Manhattan
2 ounces bourbon
½ ounce dry vermouth
½ ounce maple syrup, heaping
dash orange bitters
dash angostura bitters
cherries and orange peel to garnish
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add bourbon, vermouth, syrup, and bitters.
Stir for 45 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, such as a coupe.
Garnish with cherries and orange peel. Serve with a hefty hunk of Humboldt Fog and a couple candied pecans.
Take a nibble of Humboldt and follow with a small sip of Maple Manhattan. Chase it all with a pecan and enjoy!
Special thanks to Cypress Grove for sponsoring this post and the Cheese Sex Death mission!
Cheesus bless!
Blue Cheese Butter
It’ll Make You Love Blue Cheese
How to Become a Blue Cheese Lover
I have a feeling a lot of people who hate blue cheese just haven’t had the right one. A good blue is salty, creamy, decadent and heavenly…but that signature funk is too kinky for virgin palates.
Adding butter to blue cheese is kind of like putting fur on handcuffs. The extra fat smooths out the cheese’s pungent flavor, carrying it across your palate and softening the blow. This butter will groom your tastebuds, seducing them into the pleasures of funky blue cheese.
If you’re blue cheese averse, start by smearing this butter onto something comforting and flavorful, like cornbread with honey or a scone from your favorite bakery. If you’re feeling adventurous, try it on pancakes with lots of maple syrup. Or just dip pieces of baguette into it.
I recommend using a creamy blue cheese, like Gorgonzola or Roquefort. Sturdy blue cheeses like Stilton hold their shape when crumbled and don’t mash into the butter as smoothly.
Paired with Effie’s Cocoa Cakes and Honeyed Apricots with Pistachios from Lemon Bird Jams
Blue Cheese Butter
Ingredients:
4 ounces creamy blue cheese, room temperature
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Method:
Mash all ingredients together with a fork until thoroughly combined.
Roll into a log and wrap with wax paper.
Store in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before using. You can also put it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months.
Shout out to Effie’s Homemade, Lemon Bird Preserves, and Sartori for sending samples to the Cheese Sex Death headquarters!
I love you guys and appreciate your support!
Shakshuka With Feta & Kale
Exposed Yolks & Enough Cheese to Go Around
Shakshuka is a playful little dish of eggs baked in a spiced tomato sauce. It’s a cheap, easy, and delightful skillet meal that tastes especially fantastic when showered with feta. I added some kale to round out the meal, but it’s really all about those tender yolks. They’re begging for a triangle of warm pita to pierce their fragile skins, so they can swirl into the cheesy sauce like lava.
Shakshuka With Kale & Feta
Serves 4-6
Equipment:
12″ skillet
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch dinosaur kale, stems removed
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon harissa paste
1-28 oz can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
salt & pepper
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
6 large eggs
hot sauce and toasted pita to serve
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Add the oil to your skillet and heat over medium-low. Add onion and a bit of salt. Sauteé gently until onions become soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
3. Add kale and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about about 3 minutes. Stir in the harissa.
5. Pour in the tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
6. Sprinkle the feta over the top. Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season each with salt and pepper.
7. Bake until the egg whites are opaque white but the yolks are still soft, no more than 10 minutes. Let cool briefly and serve with hot sauce and warm pita.
Dark Chocolate Goat Cheese Truffles
These dark chocolate goat cheese truffles are going to be your new go-to easy dessert. You can use any fresh chèvre, but I recommend finding something local to you. I used some from Capriole, located in Greenville, Indiana.
These Goat Cheese Truffles Are Like A Velvet Slip For Your Tongue
These goat cheese truffles are as luxurious as silk lingerie. They taste just as indulgent as a ganache truffle, with a dense, silky interior and rich chocolate shell, but all that flu y chèvre actually makes them much lighter. There is nothing as blissful as the sweet sensation of biting into their dense, tangy centers. This recipe is also really easy to make: there’s only about 30 minutes of real effort involved and about zero skill, but you’ll feel like a master chocolatier.
WHAT TO PUT INSIDE YOUR TRUFFLES:
I spiced up my goat cheese truffles with cinnamon and cardamom. Feel free to substitute the spices, or omit them all together. You can also change up the nut butter or sweetener: I used almond butter and honey, but feel free to try cashew butter and maple syrup. Just don’t mess with the proportions, they help to bind the flavors of chocolate and cheese.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE TRUFFLES:
These are the easiest dessert to make. This one is for my cheese sluts who, like me, suck at baking.
1. Make the filling: you’re just whisking together the ingredients here. Make sure everything is at room temperature so it combines easily.
2. Chill, portion, chill: you want to make sure the filling is nice and firm so it’s easier to roll. Chill for 30 minutes, scoop into little teaspoon-sized balls, then chill again so they don’t melt while you coat them in chocolate.
3. Make the chocolate shell: you’re just melting chocolate chips. I use a double boiler to prevent burning: Fill a medium saucepan with water 1/3 of the way and place over medium low heat. Place a small heat-proof bowl inside. Pour the chocolate into that bowl, and let it melt, stirring occasionally.
4. Dip it low: use two teaspoons to lower the truffles into the melted chocolate, twirl them ’til they’re coated, and place them back on the parchment. Repeat with all of the truffles.
5. Salt and serve: before the truffles fully cool, sprinkle their tops with some fancy salt. You can also use spices or cocoa nibs – whatever you want! Then, eat by yourself or share with some lovers.
Dark Chocolate Goat Cheese Truffles
These sexy little goat cheese morsels are as delicious as a typical ganache truffle, but lighter and easier to make. This recipe makes 20, so long as you don't eat too many while you're making them. It's pretty hard to resist.
Yeilds 20 truffles
Equipment:
Medium saucepan
Small heat-proof bowl
Wooden spoon or spatula
Teaspoons
Baking sheet lined with wax paper
Ingredients:
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
3 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon almond butter
Pinch sea salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 ½ cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon flakey salt
Instructions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the goat cheese, cocoa, honey, almond butter, and spices until thoroughly combined.
2. Let chill in the fridge until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Scoop the chocolate mixture with a teaspoon and roll them in your hands to make evenly sized balls.
4. Place onto the wax paper-lined baking sheet and repeat until you're out of mix. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Set up a double boiler: fill a medium saucepan with water 1/3 of the way and place over medium-low heat. Place a small heat-proof bowl inside.
6. Pour the chocolate chips into the small bowl and melt, stirring every so often.
7. Turn off the heat and use two teaspoons to lower the truffles into the melted chocolate, twirl them 'til they're coated, and place them back on the parchment. Repeat with all of the truffles.
8. Sprinkle with fancy salt, and let sit until the shells are hard. Store in an airtight container. Lasts about 3 days.
Notes:
If the almond butter is too hard to stir, warm in the microwave for 5 second intervals until it's soft.
How to Pair Beer & Cheese
Beer and cheese make the perfect pairing. Don’t get me wrong, I love wine too, but there’s nothing like refreshing your palate with a cold beer in between bites of cheese. It’s relatively easy to find a good match between the two. Here’s a handy little beer and cheese pairing guide to get you started on this sexy journey.
Pale ale with Red Rock Cheddar
We all love the romance of enjoying a little wine with our cheese, but what if I told you that beer can actually make a better pairing partner? It’s true. the tannins in wine can dull your palate, preventing you from tasting all the crazy complex flavors in the cheese. Beer doesn’t have that problem, and it also has a massive upper hand in mouthfeel: its natural effervescence slices right through the mouth-coating fats, prepping your palate for another bite.
Here are 9 of my favorite beer and cheese pairings to get you started. Mess around with these guys, then get kinky with some experimental matchmaking on your own.
Sbrinz paired with oatmeal milk stout
Beer & Cheese Pairing Guide
Beer and cheese pairings are all about balancing the flavor intensity. To start, choose one cheese or beer that you’re already in love with. Then, look for complementary pairings, like a tangy chèvre with a lemony saison, or contrasts, like a salty blue with a sweet barleywine. Remember: taste the cheese first, then the beer, then try them together.
The 9 Best Beer & Cheese Pairings
Humboldt Fog
1. Wheat Beer With Aged Goat Cheese
Wheat ales have plenty of effervescence, which slices through this dense, cakey cheese like a knife. They also have bright notes of citrus that co-mingle with goat cheese’s lemony tang, which together taste like lemon meringue pie. Try it with French Bucheron, Humboldt Fog, or Coupole.
Burrata
2. Sour Ale With Fatty Cheese
Sour beers have a ton of funky acidity, which you want to balance out with lots of fat. Avoid tangy cheeses like feta, and go for those indulgent, voluptuous cheeses that always leave your lips feeling slick with butterfat. Try it with a double-cream brie Mt. Tam, Burrata, or marscarpone.
Widmer’s Cheese Brick Spread
3. American Lager With Cheese Spread
For those times when you just need something simple and satisfying, pick up your favorite cheap beer, grab some Ritz crackers, and open a tub of creamy cheese spread. Enjoy yourself with abandon, and remember, this, too, is a sexy way to indulge. Try it with Widmer’s Brick Spread, pimento, or Merkt’s Cheddar.
Red Rock Cheddar
4. American Pale Ale With American Cheddar
American Pale ales make for easy drinking, so couple them with something equally low maintenance. The slight sweetness from the malts gets along really nicely with that tangy cheddar flavor. It’s an uncomplicated, charming duo. Try it with Red Rock, Hook’s Cheddar, and Shelburne Farms 2-year.
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar
5. IPA’s & Clothbound Cheddars
The barny flavors in earthy clothbound cheddar mellow the bitter hops in the IPA and tease out the fruity bits. The combination creates a deliciously woodsy flavor experience that’s sexy enough to even convert people who normally dislike IPA’s. Try it with Montgomery’s Cheddar, Willi’s Bandaged Cheddar, and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve
6. Farmhouse Ales & Alpine Styles
Aged alpine-style cheeses have complex, lasting flavors that can range from nutty to floral to grassy and beyond. Farmhouse ales all have a funky, earthy flavor that can hang with all those intricacies and bring a dry crispness to refresh the palate. Try it with Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Comté, Gruyère.
Oma from Von Trapp Farmstead
7. Belgian Ales & Washed Rinds
The yeasty, banana bread flavors in these robust ales calm the stank in washed rind cheeses. Belgians are also bold enough to stand up to the rich, custard textures. Together they create these toasty, caramel notes that always remind me of creme brulée. Try it with Époisse, Taleggio, and Grayson.
Ossau Iraty
8. Amber Ales & Aged Sheep’s Milk Cheese
Amber ales are filled with lots of sweet, malty notes that create a praline pecan effect when combined with salty, nutty sheep’s milk cheeses. Add a few Marcona almonds to really take this relationship to the next level. Try it with Ossau-Iraty, Manchego, or Pecorino.
Bellamy Blue with Oatmeal Stout
9. Stout & Blue Cheese
Bold blues have enough robust character to stand up to big, chocolate-y stouts. It’s a salty-sweet combination that’s perfect for dessert, like chocolate-covered pretzels or salted caramel. Try it with Stichelton, Bayley Hazen Blue, or Rogue River Blue.
The 5 Best Cheeses to Pair With Apple Butter
I would like it explained to me in writing
what’s so great about apple butter.– Tina Fey, Bossypants
I’ve been searching for the answer to this ever since I first read Tina’s memoire, Bossypants.
Surely, it’s not as good as real butter. Nothing is. It’s basically just grown up apple sauce. What’s the point? It wasn’t until I first smeared a small chunk of cheddar with the stuff that I discovered the answer.
So here you go, Tina: apple butter, which is result of boiling the souls of many apples with harvest spices, is fantastic with cheese. The soft, velvety texture cloaks your palate in sweet, spicy autumnal flavors, cradling all hunks of cheese from creamy and funky to salty and crumbly.
A good apple butter will truly enhance nearly any cheese, like the accoutrement version of a sexy halloween costume. I recommend making it yourself. It’s pretty easy and you can choose your own spices. Here are a couple of my favorite pairings to tease you before you go play yourself.
Camembert from Normandy
Normandy is famous for their apples and their funky camembert. They’re a classic pairing, especially in the form of hard cider. Apple butter’s sweet tartness brightens the rich cheese and calms its intensity. I prefer a mild, lightly spiced butter for this one.
Oma from Jasper Hill Farm
If washed rind cheeses like Oma are too intense for you, try them with apple butter. It softens that savory blow while enhancing the cheese’s natural meatiness. Think about how well pork and apples go together. It’s kind of like that. I especially like Oma with apple butter because she’s so rich and custardy.
Aged Mimolette
Mimolette is kind of like a French gouda, particularly when aged. It’s a little crunchy and has rich toffee notes that bring to mind caramel apples, especially with a little apple butter. Try it with some toasted pecans for the full effect.
SarVecchio from Sartori
You know how peanut butter and apples are sooo good together? This Wisconsin parmesan style is lush with nutty notes and has a very similar effect on the apple butter. Also lovely with a crumbly Wisconsin cheddar.
Bleu d’Auvergne
French blues are usually very creamy with a nice kick, especially Bleu d’Auvergne. The contrast of salty blue and sweet apple is straight transcendent. Highly recommend pairing this one with a crunchy cookie and a hot cup of coffee.
Flamin’ Hot Grilled Cheese
Indulge Your Munchies!
Happy 420, cheese doods! Today we celebrate one of the most glorious of holidays by treating ourselves to the dank life. So gather some friends, roll some fatties, and stuff your face with something crazy gluttonous. We all have our go-to snacks for when we get the munchies, and my steady is Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. For this special day, I took our relationship to the next level and stuffed them inside a grilled cheese. It’s crunchy, gooey, spicy, and dope AF. Go ahead, treat yourself.
Flamin’ Hot Grilled Cheese With Mac & Flacid Cheetos
The first time I made this, I went overboard and loaded it up with leftover mac n’ cheese. Bad move. A buncha oil seeped out and drowned those poor Cheetos into mush. I obviously ate the whole thing and it was still delicious, but it was a struggle.
The real genius here is the lime mayo: it adds this amazing tartness that totally ties it all together. I also love the way mayo crisps up the bread and reminds me of elotés. But you can use a lime butter, too; it’ll still have that tasty tang.
Now, I know it’s gonna be hard to wait for this sexbomb to finish toasting, but you gotta hold out for that crispy golden bread. Roll yourself a jay and snack on some Cheetos while you wait for that grilled cheese to get ready for you. Maybe you can even set a pint of your favorite ice cream out to soften for afterwards. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself. Happy holidaze!
Flamin’ Hot Grilled Cheese
Adapted from Lady & Pups
Ingredients:
2 slices bread
2 oz mozzarella, shredded and room temp
1 oz cheddar, shredded and room temp
1 handful flamin’ hot Cheetos
1 tablespoon mayo
½ tablespoon lime zest
Equipment:
Nonstick skillet
Spatula
Rolled jay or packed bowl nearby
Method:
Heat the nonstick skillet over medium.
Mix together the shredded cheese.
Spread a thin layer of mayo on the outside of each slice of bread.
Place one slice, mayo-side down on skillet.
Top with about half of cheese, then top with a big handful of Cheetos on top. Flatten them out into an even layer.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Place second slice of bread on top, mayo-side up, and try to wait at least 5 minutes for the bread to toast up.
Flip, and try to wait 5 minutes again.
Take it off the pan, and try to wait 1 more minute so you don’t burn your mouth.
Cut it in half, and go to munchies town.
Pro-Tips:
Use freshly-shredded, room temperature cheese so it melts fast.
Devour quickly, otherwise all the cheese coagulates and the grease makes the Cheeto’s soggy.
3 Sexy Cheesy Salads to Douse with Hot Honey Vinaigrette
Toss that salad. Cheese has this magical ability to turn any pile of lettuce into a masterful salad, but you need the right dressing to tie it all together. Just as honey pairs with any cheese, this honey vinaigrette is the perfect pairing for any cheesy salad. It’s sweet and tangy with a little kick—guaranteed to make a salad person out of you. Here are my recipes for that tasty hot honey vinaigrette and three seductively cheesy salads you need to put it on.
Hot Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil (something high quality and tasty)
2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons hot honey
salt
Whisk together the vinegar and honey with a little salt. Slowly drizzle in the EVOO whisking continuously until thoroughly incorporated.
Now Put That Sweet n’ Tangy Thangy All Over These 3 Cheesy Salads.
Bacon and Smokey Blue
1/2 head butter lettuce
2 slices bacon, chopped and cooked ’til crispy
8 pecans, chopped
1 oz Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue, crumbled
1/4 avocado
2 tablespoons scallions
black pepper
Prosciutto and Humboldt Fog
Ingredients:
1 cup arugula
2 dates, slivered
8 Marcona almonds, chopped
3 slices prosciutto
2 oz Humboldt Fog
black pepper
Cirtus and Cotija
Ingredients:
1 cup arugula
1 cara cara orange, cut into a Suprème
1/3 avocado
1 oz cotija
black pepper
sea salt
This One’s For My Meat Lovers
Sponsored by Saxon Creamery
My friends, this pepperoni pizza is truly next level: it’s thoroughly infused with spicy, oily charcuterie thanks to that ‘nduja sauce. If you’ve never had it before, ‘nduja is a soft, almost spreadable salami. I mixed it into a tomato sauce, heavily perfumed with garlic and basil,
slathered it onto a semolina-coated pizza crust, and drowned it all with Asiago. This is a pizza that will satisfy your most animalistic carnivore desires.
This pizza is really flavorful, so the right mild cheese between the meaty sauce and pepperoni is key. My favorite pizza cheeses are young and semi-firm, like low-moisture mozzarella, fontina, and Asiago. These are all great melters, and they generally don’t get too oily when baked on top of pizza. For this pizza, I used Saxon Creamery’s Asiago Fresca™, a soft and buttery cheese that melts like a dream. The creamy texture also gets along well with juicy Italian wines. I like pairing this one
with a good Sangiovese, which can stand up to the charcuterie’s powerful flavors. Get yourself a pliable dough, and go to town.
Pepperoni Pizza with Asiago and ‘Nduja Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pizza dough (Bobby Flay’s recipe does me right – make a bunch and freeze it)
Handful flour for rolling
handful semolina
2½ cups Saxon Creamery’s Asiago Fresca™, shredded
1 cup sauce
Grated parmesan, to serve
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
pinch salt
4 oz ‘nduja (spicy, spreadable salami)
2/3 cup canned tomato sauce
Equipment:
Saucepan
Rolling pin
Pizza stone or sheet pan
Method:
Heat olive oil in the saucepan over medium., Add garlic and basil stalks, then stir for 2 minutes until golden.
Sprinkle in the ‘nduja and cook for a couple minutes until it starts to brown.
Add the tomato sauce, 2/3 cup water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.
Chop basil leaves. Reserve a handful for garnish, and add the rest to the sauce.
Reduce to low and simmer until thick, about 20-25 minutes.
A little orange grease will render out from the sauce. Drain it out.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Sprinkle surface with flour and roll out the dough.
Drizzle pizza stone or sheet pan with a teaspoon of olive oil to evenly coat. Sprinkle with semolina.
Place dough on stone/sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
Spoon sauce onto the dough. Sprinkle with cheese, and top with pepperoni.
Reduce oven to 425°F. Bake 18-20 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
Garnish with reserved basil. Enjoy!
Notes:
I recommend using the excess oil in vinaigrettes or drizzling on to scrambled eggs
Special thanks to Saxon Creamery for sponsoring this post and the
A Marinated Cheese Recipe, Dripping with Olive Oil
This marinated cheese recipe is my favorite summer appetizer. I especially obsess over marinated goat cheese with herbs and spices, because fresh chèvre is so good this time of year. You can also revive dried out aged cheeses like Manchego with this easy marinated cheese recipe.
Purple Haze, a fresh goat cheese infused with lavender and fennel pollen, marinated in olive oil with rosemary, olives, and black pepper.
What’s a cheese slut to do in the heat of summer? When the sun is beating down and leaving our wedges sweaty, it’s time to bring out this refreshing marinated cheese recipe. Marinated goat cheese with herbs and spices is my go-to, but you can also bring dried-out wedges back to life with an olive oil bath. Whatever cheese you choose, this easy marinated cheese recipe makes for a seductive soiree with warm ciabatta, fresh arugula, and chilled rosé. You’re going to want to eat this all summer long.
Here’s how to make yourself some olive oil-marinated cheese in 3 steps:
Step 1: Choose the Cheese
Choose 8 ounces of something mild and porous enough to absorb the oils.
The best cheeses to marinate are…
Soft, spreadable cheeses like chèvre, ricotta, and quark, which you can roll into nickel-sized balls.
Semi-firm, spongy cheese like feta, mozzarella, and halloumi, which absorb the marinade like a dream.
Hard, dry cheeses like Manchego, Piave, and Pecorino, which become soft and buttery when marinated.
Avoid marinating these cheeses:
Gooey, funky soft-ripened and washed cheeses like brie and Taleggio, which are too delicate and get slimy.
Punchy blues cheeses like Roquefort, which overpower the oil, unless they’re stuffed inside olives.
Marinated Manchego with orange peel, black pepper, and rosemary
Step 2: Get Some Flavors Going! These herbs go well with goat cheese and other marinated cheeses
Choose ingredients that complement the natural flavors of the cheese and olive oil, like herbs, crushed garlic, peppers, and citrus peels. And make sure to use a good extra virgin olive oil—your cheese deserves it. I chose O-Med Arbequina, which is phenomenal.
What herbs go well with goat cheese and other marinated cheeses?
Look for fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, something with a little heat like black pepper or red chilis, and something with a little zip such as citrus peels or sweet peppers. Here are some of my favorite combinations:
Feta with garlic, thyme, olives, and lemon peel
Ricotta with fresh chili, peppercorns, orange peel, and a cinnamon stick
Manchego with sundried tomatoes, basil, and oregano
Step 3: Marinate
Layer the cheese and spices in a 12-oz mason jar and then fill with olive oil. Let marinate for at least one week. Or, to save time, gently cook your flavorings in a saucepan over very low heat, let cool, and then marinate your cheese for just 20 minutes.
Marinated Cheese Recipe
Equipment:
8 oz mason jar
Chef's knife
Ingredients:
6 - 8 oz cheese
1 cup Extra virgin olive oil to cover
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
Instructions:
Cut hard cheese into ½ inch cubes, or roll soft cheese into nickel-sized balls.
Add cheese to the jar, layering with the flavorings so they intermix well.
Pour the olive oil into the jar until everything is covered.
Store in the fridge and marinate for at least 1 week. Enjoy with warm bread and chilled wine.
Notes:
Quick method: gently cook the herbs in a saucepan over very low heat, let cool, and then marinate the cheese for 20 minutes.This keeps a really long time: I've had marinated cheese in my fridge for months.Once the cheese is gone, save the oil to use in salad dressing.The grapeseed oil keeps the oil from solidifying, but you can omit if you're in a pinch. Just make sure to let the cheese come to room temp before serving.
Waffled Grilled Cheese With Scrambled Eggs & Pepper Jelly
This waffled grilled cheese is a queen amongst other simple breakfast sandwiches. Stuffed with buttery scrambled eggs, sweet pepper jelly, and hot, melty cheddar cheese, she’s an orgasmic flavor combination cooked to perfection in a waffle iron. Find the recipe below, complete with a guide on how to cook scrambled eggs. Enjoy!
Honestly, this is the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever made. Pepper jelly-smothered toast with soft-scrambled eggs is already my favorite breakfast, so naturally, I had to cheese it up. Then my waffle iron got involved, and the rest is kink history.
For the best melt, grate your cheese fresh. Also, make sure it’s at room temperature, which only takes about 10 minutes once you grate it.
14 Goat Cheese Pairings That Will Bring You Back to Life
WELCOME TO CHÈVRE SEASON CHEESE SLUTS
Spring is prime time for fresh, tangy goat cheese. Right now all the momma goats are giving birth to their babies, which means they’re getting milked! This first batch of liquid gold is all kinds of thick, delicious, and rich with, protein, minerals, and fats. Those hot mamas are also headed back out to pasture to munch on the sweet, juicy first blades of spring grass and bathe in the sun. All of this results in some serious dank fresh goat cheese: fluffy little clouds of heaven with lemony, herbaceous notes.
Go stock up on the freshest, most local chèvre you can find, and pleasure yourself with that sweet, fresh, spreadable lovin’. Here are 14 ideas for how to pair it up.
On Sourdough Toast With Honeycomb, Thyme, & Black Sesame Seeds
Crumbled Onto Avocado Toast, Lube It Up With EVOO & Also Finish With Black Sesame Seeds
Schmeared Onto A Toasted Bagel With Tomato Slices & Lots of Salt & Pepper
Sprinkled Into Scrambled Eggs
Dolloped Onto Pancakes & Finished With Maple Syrup
Spread Onto Toast and Topped with Any Jam or Preserve
Banana jam with cashews and sesame seeds on chèvre
