For the Huitlacoche: If you have eaten in an authentic Mexican restaurant (and don’t get me started on what is or isn’t), you have probably eaten it without knowing.
I find that rather doubtful. I’ve seen huitlacoche here plenty, but it’s always a featured ingredient. It’s not something that is generally hidden as an ingredient, in my experience.
I didn’t know it was particularly popular in Chicago, but I fully endorse this complaint. Nothing disappoints me more than seeing that gloop arrive after I’ve gotten all excited for cheese fries. I’ve had American cheese melted on top of fries that were edible, but never nacho cheese from a pump.
I think you’re misinformed about Wisconsin cheese. Colby is probably the “insipid Cheddar” you’re thinking of, while Monterrey Jack is from California. No one here would confuse Colby for Cheddar or use it in place of Cheddar.
Here’s a little snippet from eatwisconsincheese.com concerning the most recent U.S. Cheese Championships
“Wisconsin reaffirmed its national leadership by taking top honors at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest for the show’s best cheese and 115 awards in all, more than any other state. The U.S. Champion was awarded to SarVecchio® Parmesan an extra-aged style made by Sartori Food Corp. in Antigo, Wis. Additionally, Wisconsin dairy producers swept the top three places in 20 categories”
I agree with nacho cheese kind of sucking on cheese fries, but my favorite cheese fries are not made with normal shredded cheese, either. Rather, they’re made with those upper Midwestern cheese spreads–I’m in particular thinking of Merkt’s and Kaukanua. Those make some excellent cheese fries.
That’s impressive. But I understand For You’s complaint. For the most part, I’ve also had difficulty finding cheese in Wisconsin I consider truly great and interesting, but my tastes tend to blues, goat, and sheep cheeses and things of that nature. I want to support the local economy, but the Northeast has always been more interesting cheese-wise, to me. I did, finally, on my last trip find a fine 13-year-old cheddar (or somewhere in that range) at $30/lb that was fan-freaking-tastic, but I forgot which dairy made it.
I don’t even know how to respond to this. Where are you shopping? Even the Piggly Wiggly in my podunk town of 4,000 people carries BellaVitano hand-rubbed with espresso, as just one example.
I can’t think of any cheese shops that wouldn’t have aged cheddars up to and including 15 years, as well as treasures like Pleasant Ridge Reserve, along with any of the dozens of artisinal sheep and goat’s milk cheese producers.
Gordy’s, Piggly Wiggly, Kauffman’s, Milwaukee public market, the various cheese shops along the highway (Mars Cheese, Renards, etc.), and so forth. I’m not interested cheese rubbed with espresso or flavored with horseradish or habanero any of that shit. I just want good cheese. I found some decent stuff at the Milwaukee public market, but that’s about it. That could completely be my fault, and I’m sure it is. But it takes some digging. That said, 15-year-cheddars were not standard at any grocery store I’ve visited in Wisconsin. That might be my bad luck, I suppose.
Look, I love Wisconsin. But for us “foreigners,” it’s not that easy to find the really good cheeses.
All you folks have it wrong. The ultimate horrible, nonsensical and never-ever-actually-eaten-by-anybody food is : Fat-free half and half.
I have seen it actually purchased on occasion, always by some fool who is on a diet and brings it to the office kitchen. And there it stays, for weeks on end, until some sane person pours it down the drain. The really awful part is how long it stays there, because everyone s waiting for it to go sour; which it never ever does because there is no actual food in it that so much as a microbe can find a use for.
I am well acquainted with Wisconsin cheese, having spent not a small amount of time there. My best friend who has lived 60 years in Winnebago County agrees with me on the Tillamook and Cabot. I do concede that we found a decent 7 y/o cheddar at the cheese shop in Lake Windsor last year, but the 15 we bought in Lake Delton this year was just not good. In the great scheme of things, two year Tillamook is excellent and affordable, beats the crap out of the vast majority of the pap from Wisconsin.
Ooh, I get to have a smug “I eat that thing they’re petitioning for elimination” post:
Nonfat cottage cheese. I’ve gotten into the habit of bringing a quart to work with me on Mondays as a side with lunch. I have between a half and one cup. It’s low carb, low cal, nonfat and decent protein. A sprinkle of cayenne and some black pepper does it up. It’s a compromise but I can justify it and it supports the gums and thickeners industry.
I have been getting nice Wisconsin 5 year cheddar from Mariano’s on Elston for a reasonable $10/lb. I’m eating some now with a Wisconsin lite [sic] macrobrew which is also a compromise but it’s low carb, low cal, nonfat…
Tenuta’s Deli in Racine has a great Wisconsin cheese selection. I think I picked up some 13(?) year cheddar there once. They also have one of the best muffalettas I’ve had, not an easy thing to find.
I am fairly certain that I disrupted the nocturnal habits of several creatures in the immediate area when I laughed out loud at this. You win the thread.
Yes! Yes! Every time I pass the “fat free” half and half shelves at my store I have to supperess the urge to shatter the glass door and hurl those abominations on the floor.
“Half and half” means: half milk and half cream. There can be no such thing as “fat-free” half and half.
And if you truly believe that the calories you will save by using “fat free half and half” in your coffee will help you get thin…well…look in the mirror. You are still fat, right?
Wow. I have never heard of this and am having a difficult time conceptualizing. I can’t even imagine what it is. Skim milk with a bunch of carageenan and guar gum or something like that?