A trip to your supermarket dairy department doesn’t have to be boring.
Next time you’re in the mood for a cheese treat, bypass the cheddar and try something different. There are hundreds of delicious cheeses on the market, so give your taste buds a boost and pick out a new one today.
Cheese — a powerhouse of nutrition and a mainstay in your fridge. It’s perfect for every occasion, from a quick snack on the go to an elegant dinner party. Cheese can add a punch of flavour to your dinner recipe or be the star of a wine and cheese party. We all have our go-to favourites, but with so many types of cheeses readily available, why not try something new? Here are five you may want to try, or enjoy again.
Frère Jacques
This Canadian cheese is produced at Abbaye De St-Benoît-Du-Lac in Quebec. It’s a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese with a yellow-orange rind, and because it has “eyes” — the round air holes — it bears a resemblance to Swiss cheese. The flavour is quite mild and has a slight hazelnut taste. It melts easily and as such is a wonderful addition to cheese fondues, sauces, pastas or as a topping for soup or pizza. Cube it into a salad, melt it on crackers or enjoy it on its own.
Halloumi
The traditional cheese of Cyprus and originally made from only sheep and goat’s milk, it’s now common to see this cheese made with a blend of cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk. It’s a white, semi-hard cheese with a pleasant salty taste. It comes packaged in brine and has a distinctive layered texture. Due to its high melting point it’s a wonderfully suitable cheese for frying or grilling. Enjoy it a traditional way, by pairing it with watermelon or garnishing it with mint.
Manchego
Real manchego is only made in the La Mancha region of Spain. Made from sheep’s milk, this is Spain’s most popular and famous cheese. It has a firm texture, a salty, nutty flavour and comes in a wheel with an inedible rind. It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, including grated onto vegetarian dishes or into a quesadilla; on a cheese tray with cured olives; or even as a dessert, when drizzled with honey.
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is a blue-veined cheese from Italy. It’s a soft, creamy cheese with a blueish-green marbelling of mold, which gives it a sharp, flavourful bite. Traditionally, it’s made with cow’s milk and has a dry, brown-hued rind. Enjoy it with dates, pears, apples or nuts. It’s a great addition to a salad, cheese sauce, pasta or crumbled over a steak.
Dubliner
Originating in Ireland and named after its capital city, this is a firm cow’s milk cheese with a flavour unique in its range. It’s at once sharp and nutty, with a hint of sweetness and a bite similiar to Parmesan. It has a slightly crumbly texture but melts easily. Try it with fruit and crackers, in soups, casseroles and macaroni and cheese, or as a substitute for Swiss, aged cheddar or Parmesan.
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