Here’s a quick run-down on the cheeses I’ve got in my fridge.
- Tillamook Pepper Jack: great for chupaqueso filling, great for snacking, and perfect for grown-ups because the kids hate spicy stuff and that means more for me.
- Bulk block of Cheddar: We get this at Sam’s Club for right around $2.00 per pound, and we buy 5 pounds at a time. It’s the “staple” cheese, used primarily for kids’ stuff — quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, and snacking. It’s a good chupaqueso shell, and a decent filling, too.
- Bulk block of Mozzarella: Again, Sam’s Club, and again, $2.00 per pound. It’s a good chupaqueso shell, and works great as a pizza topping.
- Meadow Creek Dairy “Grayson”: The stinkiest cheese in the house. I’m the only one who eats it, and I have to be sure to do it when nobody else is around. It really is stinky. But it’s good — even the rind is tasty.
- Meadow Creek Dairy “Appalachian Shitake/Leek”: Oh boy oh boy is THIS tasty. We just got a 10 pound wheel from a generous Schlock fan, and while the rind smells like musty dirt, the cheese is wonderful. We haven’t yet tried it for anything besides eating.
- El Viajero brand Queso Blanco: This is the best frying cheese I’ve found. When I’m low-carbing, I’ll slice pieces and fry them directly — no shredding, no chupaqueso shell. The cheese doesn’t melt or go greasy when fried, and DOES make an excellent chupaqueso shell. It’s not especially tasty for straight snacking, but it’s delicious when fried.
- Baby Havarti: I’m not sure there’s much of this left. It gets gobbled up by anyone who knows it’s in the fridge, and it’s a little on the pricey side. In fact, I bet that if I go check the fridge again after finishing this post, it’ll be well and truly gone.
- Bulk block of Parmesan: I forget the brand name, but we bought two to three pounds of the stuff for shredding as a topping on whatever, including chupaquesos. You can’t beat parmesan you shred yourself. (You especially can’t beat it if your friend GIVES you a block, which I think may be where this block came from).
- Bottle of Parmesan: This shouldn’t count as cheese, but hey, we’ve got it. Mostly it’s for the kids and when we’re lazy.
- Homemade yogurt: If I’m including the bottled store-brand Parmesan in a list of cheeses, then the homemade yogurt ought to count as cheese, too. Sandra makes this stuff, and the kids and I agree that it’s better than store-bought yogurt. We used to have a strainer with which we could make “yogurt cheese,” but it’s long gone. I think that makes yogurt a “proto-cheese,” but once we go THAT route I have to start listing the milk here, too.
