Cheese Industry Resources: July 2008

Cheese Industry Resources

22.7.08

Cheese Factoid

Here's a little bit of cheese history: During the Middle Ages, religious organizations, because they owned a lot of land, became large agricultural centers. As a result, they produced cheese, which was especially important to them to have available on the days they couldn't eat meat (I remember as a child not being able to eat meat on Fridays!). Many of today's well-known cheeses, such as Wensleydale, Pont l'Eveque, and Tete de Moine, came from these long-ago monasteries and convents.

Permanent link to Cheese Factoid.

Pasta Salad Recipe

My husband asked me to make a pasta salad for him that included tuna and cheese, and anything else I wanted. So here's what I made - and he ate every bite (well, with my help)!!!

Mix together:

2 cups cooked tri-colored rotini pasta

4 oz of cheese, cut into small squares

2 six-oz cans of tuna

1 apple, cut up

1 pear, cut up

1 cup of fresh pineapple, cut up

1 cup of grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup of walnuts, coarsely chopped

Miracle Whip for dressing, amount at your discretion

Permanent link to Pasta Salad Recipe.

Cheese & Apples

One of my very favorite (healthy!) snacks is apple wedges topped by slices of cheddar cheese. And I just found out today that Manchego is another good cheese that pairs well with apples. To people that have never tried it, it sounds kind of weird - but, trust me, you'll love it if you just give it a chance.

Permanent link to Cheese & Apples.

12.7.08

Cheese and Pregnancy

Have you ever wondered why pregnant women shouldn't eat cheese? Well, they can still spread cream cheese on their bagels, and mix their elbow macaroni with cottage cheese (if you've never had this delicacy, you should try it!). It's only the non-pasteurized that they should avoid, as they carry bacteria that is potentially dangerous - and pregnant women are 20 times more likely to be affected, simply because their immune systems aren't working as well as they normally do.

Permanent link to Cheese and Pregnancy.

Cheese Factory Tour

If you ever find yourself in Oregon, you must make the Tillamook Cheese Factory a stop! It's such a feast for all of your senses! They have dozens of cheese samples for you to try, you can watch cheese being made during the tour, and you can choose a freshly made ice cream from their Farmhouse Cafe to end the day. You'll soon be looking for Tillamook Cheese in your local grocery store! Check out http://www.tillamookcheese.com/VisitorsCenter

Permanent link to Cheese Factory Tour.

Endless Variety

We sure have come a long way from Velveeta and Kraft American Singles! These were two staples when I was growing up, and I thought I hit the big time when, as a teenager, I tasted Swiss cheese for the first time. However, my best single memory of trying an unknown cheese was spreading a small amount of warm Brie on freshly baked french bread and sinking my teeth into the soft, savory richness. That experience compelled me to keep trying new cheeses, which is why the cheese of the month club is so wonderful! I still come across cheeses I've never heard of or hadn't had the opportunity before now to try.

Permanent link to Endless Variety.