cheesemaestro's Profile
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
Like others here, I grew up with the green can, and I liked it. I remember going into Boston one day when I was a teenager and picking up a wedge of Gourmandise from the one store that then carried a small selection of imported foods. For those of you not familiar with Gourmandise, it's a French semi-soft cheese that is spreadable. It's made from a mixture of cheeses and flavored with kirsch or walnuts. I was excited by my new discovery, but when I brought the cheese home, my parents looked at me as if I had just stepped off a space ship from Mars. We had never had any cheese at home other than the stuff in the green can and supermarket cheeses like American, Swiss, Muenster and cheddar. It's been many years since I bought Gourmandise, but I still credit that first experience with starting me on the path toward exploring the world of cheeses.
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
Thanks for this post. You're quite right to point out that the FDA has a standard of identity for Parmesan, which corrects the misimpression (unintended) I may given that any cheese can be called "Parmesan" in the US as long as its maker claims that it is made in the style of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The FDA standard does say that the cheese must be hard, with no more than 32% moisture content and must be a cooked curd cheese (as is Parmigiano-Reggiano). Still, most American imitators age their cheese for considerably less time than the Italians. Parmigiano-Reggiano generally doesn't make it over to our shores until it has aged at least 18 months, and better quality P-R is aged even longer. Some American-made versions of Parmesan are aged less than a year
Sarvecchio is a very good cheese, but isn't the same as Italian P-R. It stands up well on its own merits, but I wouldn't agree that it beats the best of what Italy has to offer.
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
Technically, I suppose that there's not even a legal barrier to calling an American-made cheese "Parmigiano-Reggiano." That's very unlikely to happen, though. The US is a huge market for the Italian cheese. Appropriating the cheese's name over here would engender massive protests in Italy and might even cause the Italian consortium that controls the production of P-R to refuse to export the cheese to the US. Also, every reputable American cheesemaker and cheesemonger recognizes P-R as one of the world's greatest cheeses and as one that is essentially inimitable. Even the best American Parmesans don't come close to the original in quality or flavor. I can't imagine anyone daring to use the Italian name.
So imitation cheeses in the US and elsewhere will continue to be referred to as "Parmesan," although a few have been given more distinctive names, such as "Sarvecchio." In Argentina, where many people of Italian extraction live, the best known imitation of P-R comes from the R part of the name. It's called Reggianito.
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
Because feta was so widely produced, both within the European Union and outside it, Greece encountered a lot of opposition to being awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for its feta, and it took several years of hard lobbying to get it approved. Greece's arguments were 1) that feta made in Greece was distinctive and was made according to stringent standards and recipes not followed in other countries in the EU, and 2) that much of the cheese sold as feta elsewhere in the EU and not made in Greece was of inferior quality, yet was being confused with Greek feta and was thus tarnishing the reputation of the Greek product.
As to whether a Turkish feta made of 25% sheep's milk and 75% goat's milk could be called feta in Greece, no, it couldn't be. It loses on two counts. First, the PDO for feta specifies the milks to be used: sheep's milk with NO MORE THAN 30% goat's milk and no cow's milk allowed. The cheese with 75% goat's milk diverges from this standard. Second, even if it had met the standard with respect to milk composition, it wasn't made in Greece. The primary purpose of granting a PDO is to recognize and give protection within the EU to a product made in a specific geographic area, which can be as large as a country, but may be confined to a particular region of a country or even to a single location. Since Greece is a member country of the EU, the PDO applies there, and so, for a cheese to be called feta in Greece, it must be made in Greece.
Outside of the EU, there's no name protection, unless a country signs a trade agreement with the EU in which it stipulates that it will honor the PDO within its borders. Some countries have done that, but not the US, which has traditionally been opposed to geographic protections. Your Turkish cheese could certainly be sold as feta in the US.
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
Yes, and same holds true for numerous other products whose names are protected throughout the European Union, but aren't in the US. Another example would be feta, which, to be called by that name in the EU, must be made only in Greece exclusively or mostly from sheep's milk (up to 30% goat's milk is allowed). In the US, feta can be made domestically or come from anywhere, and it can be made from any milk or combination of milks: sheep's, goat's or cow's.
Kraft "real Parmesan cheese"
I'm sorry to disappoint people, but there's nothing wrong with Kraft calling its cheese in the green can "real Parmesan." (Kraft has used that term in the past.) There's no accepted definition of Parmesan in the US other than that it is cheese made to imitate Parmigiano-Reggiano. That Kraft Parmesan does that poorly and is a horrible substitute for the cheese from Italy doesn't change the fact that it can legitimately be called Parmesan or even "real Parmesan."
As for who uses this stuff, if your idea of good pasta is Chef Boy-ar-dee, then you're probably buying Kraft Parmesan.
Room temp Half-n-Half --- thick and irregular texture [moved from General Topics]
Yes, in a sense you have bad cheese. Both cheese and spoilage of milk result from fermentation. For cheese, it's a controlled process. Specific lactic bacteria are added to the milk to acidify it; the level of acidity is closely watched; etc. In the case of milk spoilage, what happens is uncontrolled. You have lactic bacteria that "eat" the milk sugar/lactose, convert it to lactic acid and eventually cause the milk to curdle, but they are probably not the desirable strains that would be selected to make cheese. Also other microorganisms--namely, yeasts and spore-forming bacteria --can contribute to milk spoilage. The spores survive pasteurization and are activated when the milk is at a favorable temperature, i.e., is not refrigerated.
Had you left your Half-n-Half out another day or so, I think you would have detected the other telltale signs of spoiled milk, the sour smell and taste.
All I want is a good cup of coffee at home. [moved from General Topics]
The issue with unfiltered coffee, which includes boiled and Turkish coffee, as well as French press, is not so much a higher risk of cancer as it is an increase in bad cholesterol (LDL). Coffee beans contain two compounds--cafestol and kahweol--that have been shown in studies to raise LDL. These compounds are mostly retained in the filter, when one is used, but otherwise pass into the brewed coffee. Still, AFAIK, there haven't been any reliable studies of the long-term effects of drinking unfiltered coffee. Also, cafestol and kahweol have some good qualities. Studies suggest that they may have anticarcinogenic, as well as anti-inflammatory properties.
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
As you point out in your last paragraph, taxonomy may not apply. My taste for cruciferous vegetables runs the gamut from loving to loathing. I'm very fond of rapini/broccoli rabe and arugula; like many of the others, including cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and Asian greens (bok choy, Chinese cabbage, tatsoi, etc.); can take or leave broccoli and collard greens; dislike radishes (except for daikon, which I like), but will eat them if forced to; and despise Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
The vegetables I dislike the most are beets, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, raw celery and raw carrots. I'm fine with the last two if they are thoroughly cooked.
Any experience with Cuisinox, citychef.ca?
Second this. I have two Cuisinox Elite saucepans--2 qt. and 4 qt. They are sturdy and nicely designed. The interiors have useful volume markings and the 4 qt. has a helper handle that comes in handy for carrying the pot safely. The quality is similar to All-Clad, with more comfortable handles. Also, Cuisinox is the only manufacturer I know of that offers both metal and glass lids for their pots and pans. The default is metal (what I have), but, if someone prefers glass, it's available.
Although Cuisinox isn't a well known brand in the US, Americans can purchase it through this website:
http://www.inoxkitchenware.com
USA heavy cream vs UK double cream
Doug, please reread my post. I never said that raw milk was illegal in PA. What I did write was: "However, in Pennsylvania, one can buy raw milk, but not raw cream." I, too, live in PA and there are several dairies and stores selling raw cow's milk and/or goat's milk in my area (central PA).
It's been ages since I visited Hendricks Farm, but if Trent Hendricks is selling cream and butter made from raw milk, I assume that he is doing so "under the table" and without the approval of the state Department of Agriculture. As I noted, cheese is the only raw milk product (besides milk itself) that can be legally sold in PA, because it is the only one that has a standard of identity in the regulations. It makes no difference whether it is sold on or off the farm. The state wouldn't not have issued a permit to Hendricks or any other producer to sell raw cream or butter. I know that you're familiar with RealMilk.com, as am I, but take at look again at the entry for PA.
A trick that some people have used in states where sales of raw milk products are illegal is to sell them as pet food, since most states' regulations cover only human consumption. Still, that's a pretty risky strategy, and might get a dairy into trouble if the state determines that the products are not, in fact, being purchased for animals.
USA heavy cream vs UK double cream
It's not a given that, if selling raw (unpasteurized) milk is legal in a state, selling raw cream will also be legal there. California allows the sale of both raw milk and raw milk products, including cream. However, in Pennsylvania, one can buy raw milk, but not raw cream. The only other raw milk product legal in Pennsylvania is cheese (if it conforms to federal law of being aged at least 60 days). Concerning raw milk and raw milk products, the US is a patchwork quilt of individual state regulations, which can be found here:
http://realmilk.com/happening.html#fl
Substitution for Parmesan in pestos
I did some research on cheesemakers in North Carolina and found one that actually makes a parmesan: Elodie Farms in Rougemont, north of Durham. They also make other hard cheeses, such as an American version of Montasio (similar to Asiago). I'm not familiar with this producer, so can't say how good their cheeses are.
Substitution for Parmesan in pestos
Just because the OP thought about using mozzarella or queso fresco doesn't mean that these were good ideas. These cheeses have a very mild flavor that, in my opinion, would be overwhelmed by the other ingredients that go into pesto. There are many other cheeses that I would find much more suitable than these. If the OP was concerned that local dairies didn't have anything harder than semi-firm cheeses, it wasn't logical to then suggest even softer, fresh cheeses.
Substitution for Parmesan in pestos
Sure you can experiment, but the OP was trying to find a locally made hard cheese that could substitute for Parmigiano.. Your response, and that of others, is that anything goes. If anything goes, why bother to ask for recommendations?
Dunkin Artisan Bagels
Not to mention that putting the words "Dunkin" and "artisan" together is an oxymoron.
Substitution for Parmesan in pestos
I'm amazed at the cheeses that have been suggested as substitutes for Parmigiano in pesto. Parmigiano is a hard, grainy cheese that arrives in the US generally aged at least 18 months. Mozzarella and queso fresco are fresh cheeses that aren't aged at all. These cheeses couldn't be more different from Parmigiano. Quality American take-offs of Parmigiano are few and far between. SarVecchio from Wisconsin is perhaps the best known of them, but it hails from way outside the geographic area to which you've limited yourself.
Given that you'd like to go no further out than 100 miles from home, I suggest you consider Calvander from Chapel Hill Creamery. It's a hard cheese that is based on Asiago. Nothing can really replace Parmigiano, but this may come closer than other cheeses you could find in your area.
Ramps, Spring Onion, Scallion
To me, scallions and green onions are names for the same thing, but spring onions are something else. Scallions have a nearly uniform width from top to bottom. Spring onions are more like what you call "young sweet onions." They have rounded bulbs that are significantly wider than the stalk and are mainly available in the spring. However, I think that the terminology varies, depending on where one lives.
Ramps are a different animal (well, a different vegetable). How I wish that they were easier to find!
Calling all cheese experts...
Fromage fort needs one more ingredient: white wine or some alcoholic spirit. Without it, what you get is just what sandylc says, a plain cheese spread. "Fort" means strong and refers to the addition of something with alcohol.
Is there really no garlic in a traditional Bolognese sauce?
Anna Nanni, whose recipe appears in the Saveur article you cite and includes tomatoes, is from Emilia-Romagna, not Tuscany, so using tomatoes or not isn't necessarily an E-R vs. elsewhere distinction. Her recipe also omits milk and cream, which gives the sauce a brighter and slightly more acidic character. I doubt that the local customers at her well known and respected restaurant near Bologna would consider her bolognese to be non-traditional. I've made Nanni's recipe and like it at least as much as, if not more than, others I've tried, including Hazan's.
Carp anyone?
Halászlé, a wonderful Hungarian fish soup, is made with carp and a liberal amount of hot paprika. I've only eaten it while traveling in Hungary, but there's a recipe for it in most Hungarian cookbooks and several available by Googling.
Cheese Shop in Phoenixville
Yes, there was a cheese shop in Phoenixville that closed three or four years ago. I never had the chance to visit it, but met the owner at an event hosted by a local cheesemaker. As I recall, his wanting to spend more time with his family was a reason for closing the shop, but I also think that he was not getting enough business to stay open.
Pas de Choux? Pate de Choux! [moved from General Chowhounding board]
I'm not French, but thanks for the compliment!
Pas de Choux? Pate de Choux! [moved from General Chowhounding board]
The correct term is "pâte à choux." The preposition "à" in this case means "for." So pâte à choux translates literally as dough for cabbage-shaped pastries. "Choux" means cabbages in French. Pâte à choux got its name from a old type of pastry or bun shaped like a cabbage.
"Pâte de choux" means something completely different. It would be a paste or dough made from actual cabbages. Cabbage-flavored cream puffs, anyone?
"Pas de choux" if that's in fact how Alton Brown mispronounces it, means "no cabbage(s)." If someone has braised some cabbage and wants to pass the plate to me, but I don't want any, I'll shake my head and say (if I'm speaking French), "Merci, pas de choux." No thanks, no cabbage for me.
Things you thought you hated
Olives. As a child, I thought all olives were like those disgusting, mushy black things that came in a can, which was all that my mother ever bought. Tasting good olives when I got older was a revelation. I can't quite remember which variety first hooked me, but it may have been kalamatas, which are still among my favorites.
Italian-American - Regional Lexicon
Right. There is no K in Italian, but there is a k sound, which can also be referred to as a hard c.
Would it bother you if a restaurant surrepitiously recorded your dining experience?
"For the purpose of my being willing to eat here and give you a tip afterwards, my dining experience may NOT be recorded."
Italian-American - Regional Lexicon
What is "abominable" about these pronunciations? Italy was, and remains, a country of dialects, many so different one from another than mutual comprehension is difficult, if not impossible. What we know of as standard Italian is a form of the Tuscan dialect that became the lingua franca after Italy was unified. The language of the media and government across Italy is standard Italian, which is taught universally in the schools. When Italians from different regions speak with each other, they will also use standard Italian, but when people speak with others from the local area, it is usually in their own dialect. The dialects are not inferior bastardizations of the standard language. They are living representations of the language in their own right, and they have evolved over time in different directions. That evolution has continued among Italian-Americans whose families have lived abroad for a hundred years or more. Think about how American English has changed from British English in pronunciation, vocabulary, etc. Should Americans consider that their form of English is a bastardization and an abomination compared to what is spoken in the UK?
Italian-American - Regional Lexicon
The vast majority of Italians who emigrated to the northeastern US were from southern Italy, most commonly from Sicily, Calabria and Campania. While it's not accurate to speak of southern Italian as a single language, the various southern dialects do share some peculiarities of pronunciation. Three features, among others, that can be found in these dialects:
1. The vowel "o" in standard Italian often becomes "u" (pronounced "oo") in the southern dialects.
2. Unvoiced consonants in the standard language can be voiced in the southern dialects. For example, t becomes d, k becomes g, and p becomes b.
3. There is a tendency not to pronounce the vowel in unstressed syllables fully, but rather to pronounce it indistinctly as a schwa. From there, continuing evolution of the language in America has resulted in dropping the vowel entirely when it is at the end of a word.
Pronouncing capicolla as "gabuhgool" illustrates all of these traits: replacement of unvoiced c by voiced g, replacement of o by u (oo), replacement of the middle unstressed i by a schwa, and dropping of the final unstressed vowel entirely.
