NEWS HEADLINE: Cheesy Chef Gets Duped By Cheesy Packaging

 Hi folks, Chef G. here, and welcome back to the Chef G. Cooking Channel--where cooking & eating isn't just a way to stay alive . . . it's life in paradise itself.  That's particularly true when yours truly is doing the cooking.  I hate to brag but, if a heavenly paradise exists, most of my delicious dishes would be served there.

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With all my cooking experience, all my food expertise, and all my bragging, one might be led to believe I was infallible.  One would certainly be surprised that the Cheesy Chef referred to in the news headline at the top of this page was ME.  I can't even believe it myself.  Indeed, I was the victim of trickery, if not outright fraud.  Allow me to explain:

I like cheese in almost all of its forms except Velveeta and other cheese-like substances.  Cheeses made from milk squeezed from cows, goats, and sheep are good.  Cheeses produced by the magic of chemistry are not good.

I especially like to visit the gondola full of imported European cheeses at my local grocery store, eschewing the aisle full of mass-produced Kraft, Borden, Crystal Farms, etc. products. 

Yesterday, I noticed something new: Sartori Old World Cheddar.  Aged & Sharp . . . just how I like it.

I was enticed by the "Old World" packaging and the words "robust" and "European tradition."  How could I not have noticed the "Proudly Wisconsin" insignia?

When I got home, I cut into the cheese for a quick taste.  It was kind of soft.  As one of the top food experts in the world, I knew Cheddar cheese should be kind of firm.  I guess that's true for a well-aged Cheddar from the British Isles, but not so true for a young cheese from Wisconsin.  At least it was white, unlike most American cheddars which are orange.

The best cheese in the world?  HAH!

Next time I buy cheese, I'll be sure to inspect the label with more circumspection.  Having said that, the TASTE of this Sartori Old World Cheddar wasn't bad.  I was just taken aback by the Velveeta-like softness.  Also, I don't disrespect Wisconsin cheese.  I love Wisconsin cheese curds--especially when they're battered and deep-fried in hot oil at the state fair.

I salvaged the soft Sartori Cheddar by using it for possibly the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever made.  I can't decide if it was the cheese or the fresh multi-grain bread that made it the BEST, but it really doesn't matter.  IT WAS DELICIOUS!

 

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