Tag: cheese butter love
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Parmesan vs. Parmigiano: What’s the Difference?
I grew up consuming Parmesan that came out of a green shaker. It was grated, it was white, and it went on top of spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, cannelloni, and pizza. As a child, I was fearful of tomato-based foods. (I have no idea why; I just knew mom was trying to poison me every time…
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What You Need to Know About White, Fuzzy Rinds
The other day, a mother and her pre-teen daughter were in the shop buying cheese. In our soft-ripened cow’s milk section (which is not labeled as such), the mom picked up a small wedge and put it in their basket. “Mom, why does it say Bloomy?” the daughter asked, peering at the cheese’s label. “I…
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Ossau-Iraty is Oh So Yummy
Once upon a time I wrote about Mahón, and my deep and undying devotion for that cheese. I share those feelings equally with another cheese: a sheep’s milk Tomme from France’s Basque country that goes by the name of Ossau-Iraty. Mahón doesn’t have to worry about me cheating on it; I give these cheeses both…
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Celilo is Here!
This weekend, an older couple came into the shop looking for Death & Taxes. While I knew exactly what cheese they wanted, I had to report that we did not carry it; in fact, I do not know of a shop in Seattle that does (please let me know if I’m wrong, people!). At that…
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How to be Sweet on Citrus with Cheese
Ah, the dead of winter. That means different things to different people, to be sure. In general, we associate this time with darkness, cold, and snow. For much the northern US, Europe, and Asia, that is the reality of January and February life. When I lived in Arizona for my first 23 years, winter was…
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House of Curds
Sorry I’ve been MIA, my dear cheesy friends. We’ve spent the last 6 weeks trying to buy a house in the super-duper competitive Seattle metro area, and it has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life after finishing a PhD (and this is the slow season for real estate!). Too bad we…
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Health Questions About Cheese for the New Year and All Year
It’s only taken me half of January to get back online, but the holiday hangover is not at fault. Sadly, I was knocked flat by whatever plague it is that I caught at work just before Christmas. I blame the customers who cough into their hands, wipe their noses with their fingers, then proceed to…
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The Logistics of Giving the Gift of Cheese
I was going to put together a holiday gift guide for last-minute shoppers, but I waited as long to finish writing it as I did to do my own holiday shopping—which meant it would be too late for anyone else to get their gifts in time for Christmas if they got an idea from my…
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The 12 Days of Cheesemas
[Originally published on December 18, 2016; revised.] In honor of the holiday season that surrounds us, I give you the gift of poetry and music. Tonight is the first night of Hannukah, and tomorrow is officially 12 days away from Christmas. No matter what reason you have to celebrate, we can all take part in…
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Three Reasons Why Some Cheeses Just Melt Better
It is a fact that not all cheeses melt equally. Sometimes we have to discover this the hard way, by preparing a meal that we anticipate will be ooey-gooey and utterly delightful—only to discover hard strings of cheese scattered over the surface like a platter of dry grains. Other times, a meal we prepare to…
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Celebrate Cheesemas with a Charming Deal
‘Tis the season to buy gifts for our friends and family. Whether we’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, Festivus, or just general seasonal awesomeness, sharing seems to be the name of the game in December. In honor of this spirit of giving, I’m offering a pretty Gouda deal on the cheesiest hand-crafted charms…
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Thanksgiving Leftovers: Will They Raclette?
We are now four days removed from the American Thanksgiving holiday. (Yes, Canadians are also Americans, but their Thanksgiving was on October 8.) If, like me, you still have a lot of leftovers in your refrigerator, there’s a high likelihood that you are growing tired of recreating last Thursday’s feast every day. I will provide…
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What are You Putting on Your Thanksgiving Cheese Plate?
One of the biggest questions swirling around the internet’s cheese circles this week is, “What are you putting on your Thanksgiving cheese plate?” There are so many possible answers to that question, especially depending on where in the US you live. Last year, I wrote a post teaching you how to build your own Thanksgiving…
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Finding the ‘Taste of Place’ in Cascadia Creamery’s Cheese
This is a story about some of Washington state’s finest cheeses and the fairytale-perfect land where they are made. If you drive south on Interstate 5 from Seattle until you cross the Columbia River into Oregon, take Highway 84 East at Portland. The highway meanders along the south bank of the river, treating you to…
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Behold, the Black Pearl!
When Culture Magazine asked for photos of the best cheeses we have eaten this year (#BestCheese17 photo contest), my mind immediately went to Tieton Farm & Creamery’s Black Pearl. I have eaten a lot of cheese this year. I have eaten a lot of truly wonderful, life-changingly good cheese. But to my mind, the best…