Archive for the ‘General Cheese News’ Category

Ideal Cheese Shop Hosts French Cheese and French & Corsican Beer Demo

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

The Ideal Cheese Shop, New York’s trusted gourmet cheese shop, invites all cheese lovers to a French Cheese and French & Corsican Beer Demo on Saturday July 10, 2010 from 12 noon to 4 in the afternoon at the Ideal Cheese Shop outlet at 942 First Avenue, New York.

Ideal Cheese is hosting this French Cheese and French & Corsican Beer Demo to coincide with the celebration of Bastille Day, a French national holiday on July 14. Customers and guests will be treated to free beer and a delectable assortment of French cheeses.

For more information please call Michael at the Ideal Cheese Shop at 1-800-382-0109 or email cheeseinfo@idealcheese.com.

About the Ideal Cheese Shop

Ideal Cheese is New York’s trusted gourmet cheese shop named World’s Best Cheese Shop by Forbes.com and 56 years in business. Ideal Cheese offers a selection of over 250 cheeses from 17 countries. Their cheeses are always fresh and hand cut to each order.Idealcheese.com today!

Join the Ideal Cheese Shop Fan Page on Facebook and get exclusive promos and offers.

Hosting a Raclette Party

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

The word ‘Raclette’ can be used to refer to three things –  a particular type of cheese, a grill that is placed on the dining table to melt cheese, and a type of meal or a manner of eating.

The Raclette cheese is a Swiss semi-firm cows-milk cheese that is very popular in Switzerland, and although originally from the Alps, it is also made in France. Good Raclette cheese is mild, creamy and slightly nutty, and is very ideal for melting. The classic use of Raclette cheese involves melting it and serving it with boiled potatoes, pickled onions, a variety of sliced meats, and vegetables. Most people believe that fondues is the most popular dish in Switzerland when it fact, Raclette is actually more popular than fondue in most parts of Switzerland. The term Raclette comes from the French word racler, which means “to scrape”, pertaining to the fact that the melted cheese must be scraped from a grill and on to the plate of the diner.

Raclette cheese can be melted into different kinds of dishes, even fondue, or it may be eaten plain. Its creamy, mild taste fits well with an assortment of things, which is why Raclette cheese is a favorite for quick snacks and dinner cheese platters. A lot of people nowadays enjoy these Raclette dinners because they make a great venue for catching up with friends without the tedious food preparation.

For most of use who have just recently discovered Raclette may feel like we have stumbled on to the latest and perhaps the most enjoyable dinner party trend ever. A Raclette meal is pretty much like a fondue party, but better – the same socializing, but with more cooking options. Aside from being absolutely fun for the guests, a Raclette meal is also one of the easiest parties to hose. This is because much of the food preparation can be done ahead, while the cleanup afterwards is equally simple.

In a nutshell, Raclette party goes like this.

The Raclette grill usually serves about up to eight people, and can take different shapes – some Raclette grills are rectangular while some are round or oblong in shape. Although traditionally, the Raclette grill is made of wood, modern Raclette grills are available in most department stores today. While the cheese melts on the grill, the guests get to cook their own meats, sausages, fish and even vegetables on the grill. The melted cheese on the trays is then scraped out and onto a selection of side dishes (the most common of all, are small boiled potatoes). Guests cook, talk, eat, and repeat the entire process often a few times, for several enjoyable hours.

Be sure to offer your guests a cocktail, something dry but not too sweet – perhaps a good old wine or a martini. But what good would your Raclette party be if you do not have the best Raclette cheese? Organize your next Raclette party and order Raclette cheese today!

Cappello del Mago Cheese: Goat Cheese for the Diet Conscious

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

When was the last time you ran out of cheese? Do you remember the last time you went to the grocery store and found yourself all confused with the overwhelming selection of cheeses available? For the regular customer, picking out any cheese is simple. But for people like you and me who are a little concerned with our weight and figure, even picking the right cheese can be quite a task.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), cheese is giving Americans heart attack each day. According to their research, Americans are getting too much fat from cheese. Fatty cheese is everywhere – on sandwiches, on salads, and even on fries. And what is more surprising is that, regular cheese is doing more damage to our hearts than beef and butter.

So what do we do in order to stay fit yet satisfy the creamy cravings of our mouth?

One type of cheese that is getting the attention of the health conscious is goat cheese. Goat cheese is known for its tangy flavor, but what most people do not know is that it is much healthier than the regular cheddar cheese.

Cappello del Mago is a kind of goat cheese made by the Gianluca family in a small town in Peidmont, Italy. Every piece of the Cappello del Mago is considered as a work of art – it is slightly crumby, creamy and is full of flavor and tastes perfectly in the mouth with the right balance of flavor and acidity.

The Cappello del Mago cheese is a great substitute for regular cheese because it is low both in fat and calories. While cheese from cow’s milk generally has around a hundred calories and ten grams of fat per ounce, the  Cappello del Mago cheese only has eighty calories and six grams of fat. This makes the Cappello del Mago cheese a better choice if you are watching over your waistline.

Aside from having less fat and calorie content, the Cappello del Mago cheese is also a good alternative for people who are lactose intolerant. This is because the fat molecules in goat cheese are shorter than that of the regular cheese, making them more digestible and light to the stomach

But perhaps the best benefit that you can get from the Cappello del Mago goat cheese is its high calcium content. Although it is low in fat and calories, goat cheese is a very rich source of bone preserving calcium. The amount of calcium in goat cheese can differ from about forty grams in soft cheese up to 240 grams in hard goat cheese, making it a bit higher (as far as calcium content is concerned) compared to cow’s milk cheese.

With the Cappello del Mago cheese, you will have lower fat, lower calories, and high calcium content – now isn’t that a pretty combination?

If you can’t do away with cheese but is concerned about your diet, the Cappello del Mago cheese is for you.

Go and try the Cappello del Mago goat cheese now!

Turn Blab Meals Into Fab Meals: How To Cook with Feta Cheese

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Any meal can be spruced up with feta cheese. Whether it’s adding a little pizzazz to a basic salad, microwaving tomatoes, or steaming broccoli, all you need is feta cheese. The nice thing about cooking with feta cheese is that is doesn’t require a lot of time. The cooking time varies of course depending on whether you are preparing a microwave , stove- top, or even an oven- baked dish.

Microwave:
For those of you who use the microwave to prepare your frozen dinners, popcorn, or even a toasty cup of hot chocolate, the good news is that you can also use the microwave to prepare dishes with feta cheese. In less than 4 minutes you can make one of the best microwaved dishes with feta cheese- baked fish fillet. 1) Start out by placing your seasoned fillet in a microwave safe dish. 2) Add a dash of virgin olive to complement the heat of the microwave to help the fillet cook quicker and add flavor. 3) Set on high, cook for about 1 -2 minutes. 4) Now, after the ding, don’t forget to add the feta cheese. Dress the fillet with as much feta cheese as you would like and enjoy.

Stove-top:
Ditch the parmesan for the night and liven up your evening meals with feta cheese. A faithful friend of feta cheese, pasta is always a great choice. Prepare your pasta according to your normal recipe except exchange that shake of parmesan with a shower of feta cheese.

Oven-baked:
True feta cheese justice is performed in the warmth of the oven. For your oven baked recipes, if you choose to include the feta cheese in your dish prior to baking the secret to not burning the cheese is to cook your dish at a slightly lower temperature (around 345 – 350 degrees). Or you can simply garnish your dish with the feta cheese. Once you remove your dish from the oven, sprinkle the feta cheese on top and double the flavor with a pinch of parsley or oregano. Now, you have the delightful combination of zest and rich color.

For best results, we recommend using Barrel Aged Feta.

Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, will soon host the Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour. Each attending winery will be hosting a cheese maker, so lucky visitors will have a wonderful opportunity, to sample new fine wines and delicious cheeses.

Northwest Wine Cheese Tour

New fine wines and delecious cheeses, will await visitors of Washington's, Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour

The wine and cheese event, will be held on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of April. As well as enjoying fine wines and cheeses, visitors will also be treated to book signings from wine and cheese authors, as well as short talks.

For more information on the Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour, please visit the Pacific Northwest Cheese Project website