Say Cheese! They were sampling this cheese at Trader Joe’s last week and normally I try to refrain from in-store sampling because one sample leads to four which leads to a cart full of impulse purchases.
Last week I left the store without buying it, but I had been thinking about this cheese ever since.
Yesterday I went back and purchased the cheese and doesn’t that say something about the power of sampling. Samples do apparently work for their intended usage of driving sales, rather than for the (unintended) usage of feeding children and tiding them over so mom can buy herself another 4.37 minutes of concentration and shopping time.
It’s got a really intense flavor because it’s been aged 1000 days, but it’s not “bitey”. Just mature and well-aged.
Cheese and grapes, cheese and dried fruit, this cheese platter, oh yes, Cheese Please.
Cheese and wine
More cheesy recipes to follow that you can add cheese to, add vegan cheese to (Daiya or similar), or keep “cheezy” with nutritional yeast:
Cheddar Cheese and Olive Oil Savory Muffins
Spicy Baked Eggs and Hash Brown Casserole (add cheese to it)
Spinach and Red Pepper Frittata (add cheese to it)
“Spicy Doritos” Cheezy Dip (vegan, GF)
Kale Chips (Raw, Vegan, GF)
Spinach & Artichoke Dip (Fat Free, Vegan)
Cheezy Vegetable Bake (vegan, GF)
Baked Savory Cream Cheese & Herb Donuts
Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches
Chips and Cheese Chili Casserole
Ritz Cracker-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cups (No-Bake, Vegan, and a little nutritional yeast for added cheezy-ness_
Roasted Grapes and Balsamic Reduction with Cheese and Crackers (vegetarian)
Avocado, Cream Cheese, and Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries (vegetarian)
Do you like cheese? What kind of cheese, or cheeze, do you eat?
Favorite cheese recipes or ways to eat it?
I grew up in the Minnesota where dairy cows and cheese are plentiful. I moved on to plenty of wine sampling and cheese plates as I got older, but for the five years or so that I was strictly vegan, I really didn’t miss cheese. Once I just wrote it off, I didn’t miss it (I could never write off chocolate or coffee, but cheese was easier).
It’s rare that I actually buy a block of cheese and just eat cheese, because, well, one bite leads to the block. Not necessarily something one needs to be doing tons of, so you see, the free samples will get you, every time.
I also am a fan of nutritional yeast. I buy mine here (use code AVE630 to save $5 on your order)
I’ve never really used much Daiya or soy-based cheese. It’s either brie or bust, so to speak.
Okay, Averie, I am counting on you!How can I make a vegan (gluten, dairy and soy free) version of cheddar cheese sauce for “pasta” (a replica for Kraft macaroni and cheese). I have the pasta covered, but I need the cheese sauce. The nacho flavoring in your Dorito sauce won’t do the trick…I need the flavor of Kraft!
Thanks!!!!
I don’t know how Kraft-like it will be but I’d just melt Daiya or another pre-made or soy-based cheese and season it to taste and thin it out as needed with almond milk or water. Making cheese sauce from scratch that’s vegan would involve tofu or cashews and lots of seasonings; you’d have to do your own legwork to get the flavors as you want them.
I bought a pitiful bunch of kale today to make cheezy kale chips with. There were 3 bunches to choose from, each worse than the previous. I need some fresh Cali produce! And a TJ’s! I need the west coast, haha.
Gas was $4.89 a gallon today but I will say, the kale is always great looking :) Huge bunches for 99 cents or even the TJ’s pre-bagged kale for like 2 bucks is just fine for kale chips. Wish I could ship you some!
You definitely deserve a drink while dealing with tech issues! Hope they get resolved. And that cheese! Oh my goodness!
it’s.been.a.day. oy vey
I like gruyere with its almost nutty flavor.
All these pictures of delicious looking food is making me hungry. I watt to try them all.
I went vegan for a while but couldn’t do without cheese. I was ready to give up anything, except cheese. I love my cheese with tomatoes, and I love old cheese, so that 1000 days would please my taste… Interesting, what is going to happen faster: TJ would open a store in Plano, TX or I move back to Seattle (in 15 months), where I lived in a same block with TJ?!
You’d think Plano would have a TJ’s. It’s nice, family-friendly, suburban town outside of Dallas…I mean, what are they waiting for!
I know, right? What are they waiting for? I’ve been doing most of my shopping in Plano lately anyway. I was so happy to see Plano on TJ’s opening soon page, I think I jumped a few times…:)
Oh my do I ever like cheese!!! ALL kinds, but goat and Gruyere are my faves.