Discover Top Posts Tagged with #semi-soft

Quick Bread - Chinky's Bibingka

A specialty of the Philippines, this sweet bread is heavy with coconut milk. A grating of cheese cuts the sugar just a bit.

#cheese #chinky #favorite #recipe #semi-soft #type

is it thirsty hour or soft hour cuz i’m feeling both

#¯\_(◕‿◕✿)_/¯#semi-soft

Flash Flash Comfort - Tiny Insects

https://flashflash.bandcamp.com/track/tiny-insects

Gabietou Milk: Unpasteurised sheep and cow's milk Rennet: Animal Style: Washed rind, semi-soft Country: France Gabietou hails from the mountains of southern France. This cheese is made from both winter and spring milk, from sheep's milk and cow's milk in a 1/3 to 2/3 ratio, respectively. This cheese can be aged in several locations, but we're trying Gabietou aged by Herve Mons. The rind is washed in water from a local warm spring and rock salt. This is a fantastic gateway cheese for people who want to go stinky/ washed rind. Heather’s notes: The taste of this cheese is so wonderful I almost cannot describe it!! Toasted hazelnuts and earth and just the right acidity when it sticks to the roof of your mouth. I LOVE THIS CHEESE. Favorite. EVER. Carrie’s notes: This cheese tastes to me like CHEESE- I'll explain. To me, if it were possible to take what the average person thinks of as cheese- the smell of milk and hay and the hint of sour leading into the cry, again, of MILK- and amplify it through the roof to perfection- this is that cheese. Just... this is what those shitty grocery store plain, non-descript cheeses dream of being. SO! GOOD! Try with a wheat beer or a pinot noir. Or with water. Just eat this cheese, ok?

#cheese #fromage #france #washed rind #semi-soft #cows milk #sheeps milk #$35/lb #Herve Mons #Gabietou #Gabriel Bachelet

Braata Braata

It's 6:00 on a Friday night and I'm sitting in front of my computer with a full face of makeup on (which rarely happens) and a crystal light mojito in hand (don't judge me), getting ready to go out HARD.* I know I haven't done a blog post in about a month now but it's time to get real, which is even easier said typed than done when you have on some confidence-boosting-hot-pink-barbie-lipstick and a night full of uncertainty ahead. Now I'm not one for New Years resolutions but this year I figured "why not?". 2011 was a weird year for me, which wasn't always a bad thing, but I feel like changing some things might make this year even better. So I guess one of my new "self-improvement" type things has to do with being more honest and to just say things when I should. No more holding back, MacKenzie! No more! That's why I'm going to start my first blog post of the New Year with a confession. Now it's slightly embarrassing but I can't help it, I have a new guilty pleasure... I just can't stop... I just can't...can't stop listening to RIHANNA. There I said it. I consider myself sort of a music snob and I never listen to the radio, ever, but when I was in FL for the break I did, like a lot. Rihanna and Calvin Harris's We Found Love has become my new obsession and I have it on repeat. You don't even want to know how many times I've played it. So, yes, this is me 2012. I'm starting you out (a few weeks late) the right way, with an over the top club banging hit. Oh and one more thing, I just had two days off in a row (SAY WHAT?!) and all I've done is stayed indoors, worked on work-stuff, ate microwavable food, and watched 2 seasons of the UK version of SKINS. so yeah, cheers mates.

**Yeah, yeah I know it's not Friday anymore but I didn't have time to finish it that night.

This grilled cheese was inspired by one of my buddy-followers Coverly and her discovery of Beechers No Woman Cheese, which is really freaking amazing. Follow her tumblr if you know what's good fer ya!

Ingredients -2 slices of rye bread -1 cup of Beechers No Woman Cheese -1 tbsp of green tomato jam -2 pats of salted butter -1 tsp of grated fresh ginger So like most of my recipes begin, you'll want to place half the cheese on each slice of bread. This might be easier to just do one-side-at-a-time, but I was out of my mind on vacation in FL when I shot this, so errrm, yeah. There's also no stove top photo which confuses me. how did I overlooked that part? Who knows. Let's just say that I have no idea what was going on with me that day. Also, for a little more info about this awesome cheese, it's a pasteurized cows milk cheese that is flavored with jerk seasoning. This means that it's quite earthy with spicy undertones but it's also got sweet notes from brown sugar and cloves. IT'S SO GOOD! Oh and Beechers is based out of Seattle but has a shop in NYC and is sold all over the country. So I'm pretty sure, no matter where you live, that you can find this stuff.

Then add some of that tangy green tomato jam. I really enjoy this product a lot. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, and goes really well with the flavors from the jerk cheese. It also seems sort of island-ish which is fitting and made me feel real chill when I ate it with my mom while we stared at the hot surfers on the beach. Do I miss Fl right now? Maybe. Maybe just a little bit. Ok, a lotta bit. Whatever, it's freezing here and there's no snow which just makes it all seem pointless. I haven't even pegged anyone with a snowball yet and that sucks.

So anyways, now that everything is on the sandwich, go ahead and close it up and smear on some butter. Then sprinkle it with some grated ginger. I love how refreshing this makes the finish on the sandwich.

Heat your skillet to medium and place your GC right on in there. Let it cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side until it looks all crispy and you just can't take it anymore! Then remove it from the pan and let it sit for a hot sec, then dig in!

Oh and I'm totally sorry it has taken me so long to do a new post. As soon as I got back to NYC, it took me a while to get back into the swing of things. No more chillin on the beach and drinking with my family. Instead, I came back to crowded subways and work. A lot of work. And Netflix. So yeah, happy New Years everyone. I hope you all had an amazing holiday and all that jazz. Lata Alligatas! xoxo, GCS

#Cheddar #Beechers No Woman Cheese #Lunch #Pasteurized Cow #Semi-Soft

Pre-Turkey Melt(down)

One of the many depressing parts of growing up is realizing that you are way too broke to go home for Thanksgiving. Which sadly means no more of Mom's famous mac'n'cheese, Grandpa's baked beans, or Uncle Bro's secret mashed potatoes (ok, not so secret, he mashes one sweet potato in the mix and it makes all the difference!). It's not all that bad though, because it also means that there's no more interrogation sessions about what you're doing with your sad, pathetic life in Brooklyn self after you finish your internship or your alliance with certain political affiliations (My parents are grown-up hippies, so yeah, I'm not talking about them). But I'm sure you can relate, and I can definitely do without that. Instead, I'll be trying to fit 15 of my closest friends into my tiny little apartment (there's no kitchen table so I'm still trying to figure that one out), having panic attacks over botched recipes, and making way too many trips to the liquor store below my apartment. And ya know what? I can't wait! And because of all these Thanksgiving-related things that are flooding my mind, I decided to do a simple grilled cheese that will give you an easy yet delicious meal to hold you over until the big feast. With a spicy pepper jack cheese from Tillamook (you know, my favorite), and some sweet, creamy apple butter, and a buttery croissant, this GC encompasses one of my favorite flavor combo's SWEET & SPICY (and buttery) and it's an excellent little Fall treat that pairs nicely with an acidic Sauvignon Blanc.

Because you'll probably be spending way too much money this Thanksgiving, here's a simple 3-ingredient GC!

Ingredients: - 1 plain croissant - a few slices of Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese - 1.5 tbsp apple butter (I used Fly Creek) The first thing you'll want to do is slice your croissant in half and thinly slice some of that Pepper Jack and lay it on. I only use Tillamook's variety because I love how there's little bits of sweet peppers and how the creaminess of the cheese contrasts with spicy little bits of jalapeno peppers. It's so freaking good.

Then you'll just want to dab on some of the apple butter.

My roommate brought some of this stuff home from Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard, which is upstate, and it is sooo amazing. Slightly tart, yet super sweet and utterly creamy. I could eat spoonfuls of this stuff. Seriously.

Add another layer of of the Pepper Jack and put the top piece of bread back on top. Because croissants are basically all butter, and because I remember how greasy the last GC was that I made on a croissant (SEE HERE), you don't even need the stuff! You'll just want to turn your heat to medium low and stick it on.

After about five minutes on each side, it should start becoming even more flaky, golden, and crusty. I smashed mine a little because I couldn't resist.

When it's all pretty on both sides, take it off and give it a minute to sit. At this point, the cheese will be soaking up into croissant, and omg, it's about to get REAL.

I hope you all have an awesome Thanksgiving and that you remember your knife skills so that no one looses a finger. And if/when you're about to have a food-related breakdown, step out of the kitchen take a deep breath, eat a xanax take a huge swig of some wine and get yourself together kid! Pair this GC with a nice tart and acidic Sauvignon Blanc which will contrast with the sweet notes in the apple butter along with the creamy texture and spicy undertones from the Pepper Jack. xoxo, GCS

#Pasturized Cow #Pepper Jack #Semi-Soft #Breakfast

The Burnt Gardener

Man it's been too long since I've done a post! This is actually the longest break I've taken since I started GCS over a year ago. Yikes. I apologize to anyone who's been waiting for a new recipe. Fingers crossed that it's not just my mom. But seriously, I've had the busiest month of my entire life and I'm so ready for it to slow down. But unfortunately with Halloween right around the corner, my brother coming to visit (!!!), and my new (third) job writing for Depanneur, I don't actually see chill-out sesh in my future. So yeah, I'm going to try my hardest to keep doing a post a week, even if it means doing it hungover on a Saturday morning. Yeah, that's dedication.

Deep breaths MacKenzie, deep breaths.

In the meantime, I present you with another new method for cooking grilled cheese. This one is called the burnt gardener because, well, it features a burnt cheesy crust on every side of the bread and it's got a lot of herbs that were picked from my pathetic fire-escape garden. I don't mean to brag, but it's a textural masterpiece. The alternating layers will blow your mind and basically go like this: crunchy--soft and airy--crunchy--melty gooeyness--chewy--crunchy--soft and airy--then crunchy again! That probably makes absolutely no sense, but just check out the pictures and maybe even try it yourself to see what I'm talking about. I think you'll like it.

Alright, let's get this party started.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of burning melange gouda

(or some sort of herbed gouda)

- 2 slices of an olive batard

- 1 tbsp of diced semi-sun-dried tomatoes

- 2 pats of citrus herb butter

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tiny sprigs of rosemary and parsley then

combine with 2 tbs of salted butter and a

pinch of lemon zest)

To begin, go a ahead and melt some of that zesty butter in your nonstick pan over medium heat.

Once it starts to bubble, throw in 1/3 cup of cheese and spread it around. When it starts to bubble up, turn the heat to high. This high heat will help transform the cheese into a crunchy crust.

Oh! Before we go any further, I've got to tell you about this crazy good award-winning cheese.

About two and half weeks ago - in the midst of the craziness - I was lucky enough to enjoy a delightful lunch with some of my favorite ladies from the WisconsinMilk Marketing Board. And guess what? Not only were the super nice, but they were also the most generous people EVER! They took me out to lunch (Gah, I love Cafe Colette) and brought me a giant bag of Wisconsin's finest. Among the many blocks of cheese was a cut of burning melange gouda. This herby gouda is spiked with stinging nettles, chives, celery, parsley, dried onion and garlic. It awakens the palate with the bright and refreshing flavors from the herbs, but at the same time because of the aging process, it's mellow and semi-sweet. I've never had anything like it.

So now that you know a little bit about it, let's go back to the recipe.

Once the cheese and butter are bubbling like a fourth grade science experiment, very quickly throw in two pieces of sliced olive bread and smush them into the cheese. Be careful not to burn yourself. You remember my rule about cooking without a shirt on right? DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT cook in a bikini (or naked) EVER. It may be sexy, I guess(?), but the risks definitely outweigh the rewards.

While the cheese is bubbling away on the journey of becoming a delicious crispy crust, spread on some of your herbed butter. It should take about 6-8 minutes depending on how much cheese you threw down. I used quite a lot (...duh...) so it took a while. If you decided to be a non-fatty and use a smaller amount of cheese, it should take about 3 minutes.

Using a metal spatula, gently scrape it against the bottom of your skillet to help seperate the cheese from the pan. If you used a nonstick pan, you shouldn't have to do this, but if your pan has been through the works like mine, well it's best to follow my lead.

Then peek under your bread to make sure that the cheese has burnt a little bit. When it has, flip it!

Once it's flipped, these burnt cheesy sides are going to be on the inside of your sandwich. Crazy, right?! Who says GC's are only crispy on the outside?

So go ahead and lay on another 1/3 cup of cheese.

Then add some finely diced semi-sun-dried tomatoes. If you have no idea what these are or you aren't able to get them where you live, then regular sun-dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil are fine. I just like the semi-dried variety better because they are less tough and still taste like tomatoes.

Now place the other piece of olive bread, cheesy side down to make the GC. Carefully balance it on your spatula and throw in half of the remaining cheese. Don't mind the amount of cheese from that picture because it's not enough.

When the first side is good, add the remainder of the cheese, and flip so you can do the other side. EVERY SIDE SHOULD BE CRISPY.

Finally, when all the sides are equally browned and crispy, take it off the heat and let it sit for a minute so that everything bonds together.

Now I know this might not be the prettiest of my creations, but never judge a sandwich by it's crust. Hah! I should trademark that...Along with my sideways toaster grilled cheese that has become an internet meme without any connection to GCS! UGH. Anyways, I've got to get dressed and run to work (surprise!) but hopefully next week I'll finally get my hands on a grill and do a literal grilled cheese. Until then...

xoxo,

GCS

#gouda #Raw Cow #Lunch #Pasteurized Cow #Semi-Soft #Dinner

From Meme and Me

There's something special about this sandwich. My Meme used to make me one of these every time I visited her. As soon as I'd walk in, she'd ask that magic question that never even needed an answer. "You hungry darlin'?" she'd say, and without waiting for a response, she'd rumble through the fridge and bring out her iconic ingredients: cheese, white bread, butter, and a tomato. I know I didn't really mention it but when I went to visit Tallahassee last week, I also went to see my Grandma who has Alzheimer's and is living in an assisted living facility down there. During college, I spent a lot of time with my Grandparents; from Sunday meals to running errands around town. But after my Poppy died during my sophomore year, I sort of became of my Meme's caretaker. It got hard after he passed. They had been married for almost 60 years, and it seemed as if her mind couldn't really deal with it. She began to forget things and the doctor told us that she was displaying early signs of Dementia. At first we laughed about her using sugar instead of salt in her tomato gravy and rice, but it got to the point where she needed some serious help and unfortunately, I was planning on moving to New York for grad school that same summer. The decision to leave was really hard, but luckily, I had my amazing uncle there to help as much as he could. After I left, the inevitable happened, the disease got a hold of her and was she diagnosed with Alz. I'm not going to put on a front and say it was lovely and wonderful seeing her last week because it wasn't. It was really, really, really freaking hard. I mean, luckily, she still remembers all of us, but it's not the same. She's not really there and she knows it. It's tough seeing her like that. And because of it, I wanted to make a post to celebrate my Meme by commemorating her amazing hospitality and love. This little snack was something that she'd whip up, pop in the oven, and then forget about it for the next few minutes while she caught up with me. It was also perfect for times when I brought over my starving college friends, because she could fill a whole baking sheet and not have to tend to the frying pan like with traditional grilled cheese sandwiches. Honestly, she's the best, you'd love her...even when she gets a little sassy...and she does get a little sassy.

As I mentioned before, those iconic ingredients are:

Ingredients: - 2 slices of lite boule or some white bread - 1/2 cup of shredded fontina - 1 giant beefsteak tomato slice - 1 tbsp of herbed butter (combine 1 tbsp salted butter with 1/2 tsp herbs de provence) My entire family is obsessed with butter. I'm not kidding, not even a little bit. I once saw teeth marks in a tub of I Can't Believe it's Not Butter. Who does that?? I still think it was my Dad but he'll never fess up. But yeah, my mom always bought that kind because if we had the good stuff in our fridge, it would be devoured, along with every single piece of bread or cracker in the house. But before I gross you out any longer... To begin, go ahead and butter your bread with some delicious herbed butter. Feel free to mix up with anything you'd like; garlic or thyme-infused butter would work wonderfully.

During the next step, you'll want to preheat your oven to 450°. Then put the bread, butter side down, onto a baking sheet. Then sprinkle it with fontina cheese. My Meme always used government cheese cheddar but I just did cheddar in last week's post so I wanted to switch it up.

Next, you'll want a nice thick slice of tomato to lay down right in the middle of the sandwich. Sometimes Meme would salt and pepper it, but I never knew when to do that so I left it out. Whenever I tried , it would always come out too salty. I guess she just had some sort of magic touch.

When it's all built, go ahead and place the baking sheet on the middle rack for about six and a half minutes. This will give you ample time to pour someone a sweet tea and bring them a cookie.*

*Hospitality lesson 101: Always bring someone a sweet tea and a cookie. It will instantly make them happy they came over.

And then when it's all bubbly and golden, take it out and fold the two pieces together to make a sandwich.

Give it a second to rest because if you cut it right away, the tomato will slip out and burn your chin. I'm speaking from experience, of course.

I know that Meme will probably never see this because I don't think she even knows what the internet is, but at least I can share it with all of you. I know Alz can be hard, but it's best to treasure the good times and this sandwich definitely helps me do that. It reminds me of being a little kid and sitting in her kitchen while she helped me with ALL of my problems. As I ate this after I shot it, I got a little teary eyed because I wish I could have been eating it with her. I know she probably feels the same way. And if you're feeling generous, the Alzheimer's Assocation is a wonderful not-for-profit group that would love your help to keep fighting the memory loss battle. And for those of you who are struggling with the same thing, stay strong and keep loving! Hopefully there will be a cure soon. xoxo, GCS

#fontina #Lunch #Pasteurized Cow #Semi-Soft