~ Culinary Q&A & Kitchen Therapy Too (11/5/10) ~

This post is late.  I try my best to get Friday Q&A out of the gate by 3:00 PM, but on a day when my computer has no compassion or respect for my deadline... I move on to more pressing matters, like cooking dinner and deciding what movie I will be watching tonight. 

Tonight's dinner: Grandma Ann's Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup.

Tonight's movie:  The Bridge On the River Kwai.

Last weeks' Penn State Tuning Up for Tailgate Thursday was a big success.  The "White Out" White Chicken 'n Corn Chili and Deep-Fried Tortilla Chips (Totopos) recipes got a lot of attention.  When I followed up on that Tex-Mex theme by posting my breakfast recipe for Ranch-Style Eggs (Huevos Rancheros), I was astonished at how many folks "ate that one up"!  While I didn't have any questions for Q&A last week, I did have one extremely gratifying comment, which I'll share today:

C. Gretchen (via Facebook) says:  I've been wanting to make White Chicken Chili for a while now.  I've even searched the internet for recipes several times.  Then, all of a sudden, on a Google search this week, there "you" Kitchen Encounters were.  The moment I saw all of the "how to" pictures I knew it was the recipe I wanted to try.  Your chili is wonderful!  Thank you so much.  I look forward to trying many of your wonderful, easy to follow, creations!

A.  Kitchen Encounters:  Gretchen, you just made all of this worthwhile!  No need to say more!!!

This week, Kitchen Encounters had one question regarding the Blackened Flank Steak & Bacon Sandwiches recipe and one question regarding the Creamy Baked Five-Cheese Macaroni & Cheese recipe.  Both questions are from Jesse, who is becoming a regular at asking important questions here at KE:

Q.  Jesse asks:  I noticed you used Cambozola cheese as an option on the blackened flank steak sandwich.  Can you tell me something about that cheese?

A.  Kitchen Encounters:  Jesse, great to hear from you again.  Cambozola cheese just happens to be my very  favorite soft, spreadable cheese... just plain wonderful!

It is a triple creme, full-fat cheese that is a cross between Italian Gorgonzola blue cheese and  French Camembert.  It was invented in the 1970's (which makes it relatively new to the cheese world) by the Kasseri Champignon company in Bavaria, Germany, and the name was successfully trademarked by them in 1975.

The best description of this cheese that I can come up with is:  blue brie.  It is much milder than, creamier than and lacking the saltiness of Gorgonzola.  It is made from cow's milk; it is great served with fruits like apples, grapes and pears; and, it pairs perfectly with white wines, particularly Chardonnay. 

Q.  Jesse asks:  How do I add goat cheese to your macaroni & cheese recipe?

A.  Kitchen Encounters:  Jesse,  if you are going to add a dry-aged, grate-able goat cheese, like the Dutch Beemster, you can simply subsitute it for the Italian Fontina in my recipe.  If you come across a product called "crumbled goat cheese", which is sold in a plastic container, that will work as a substitution too.  Personally, the Dutch Beemster is the way to go.  This being said, if you are using soft chevre, the kind of goat cheese that spreads like butter, you have to change your tactics just a bit.  Substitute it equally for the Italian Fontina, but instead of grating it:  bring it to room temperature and as per the recipe, when you put the butter into the warm stockpot to melt, stir in pieces/small chunks of the soft chevre.  When you get that butter/chevre mixture to a consistency that will easily stir into the pasta, proceed with the recipe!

Have a great weekend everyone, and once again:  To leave a comment or ask a question, simply click on the blue title of any post, scroll to the end of it and type away!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2010)

Comments

[Kitchen Encounters]

Welcome Kitchen Therapy! Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you are enjoying my Kitchen Encounters Blog. While Beemster is most known for its Gouda, they do make a lovely goat cheese as well... give it a try! Not quite sure what the purpose of your posting the misplaced youtube link "midstream" is/was.

[Kitchen Therapy]

Enjoyed reading the article. Really useful and interesting.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dolxfld6uQE It cleared several of my questions. Glad i came across your article. Will keep visiting. Thanks for the information."Beemster is goat cheese" part is new to me.

[Kitchen Encounters]

Hi Jesse! Beemster makes 8-9 varieties of truly fine cheese. You are correct in thinking Beemster is Gouda, as they are well-known/famous for their Gouda. I use Beemster goat cheese (it is specifically labeled "Beemster Goat", and it has been aged 4 months, in any/all of my recipes where I need/want a grate-able goat cheese with great goat flavor! Hope this clarifies.

[jesse.]

I didn't know Beemster was goat cheese. I actually thought it was aged Gouda, and used in that fashion.