13. Cheese

Ciao, my dear readers! Bonjour to another spring day of sun rays and gentle wind. Today we say hello to quite a different topic than the ones I had posted so far. While previous posts were somehow related to more spiritual or abstract topics, today we dive into the world of... Cheese.

I find this topic quite challenging but at the same time very pleasing because I have always wanted to know something more about cheese. In Bulgaria, we produce only 2 main types of cheese - feta cheese (sirene) and yellow cheese (kashkaval). In other parts of the world, however, you could be amazed at the variety of tastes and textures of the cheese produced there.

La Formaggeria Gran Moravia, Prague

The website for American cheese craftsman, Artisanal Cheese, developed the Artisanal Cheese Clock which guides new and lifetime cheese fans through a proper journey along the tastes of various cheeses. It starts with milder tastes and goes the bold strong flavors while at the same time suggesting the best wine pairings for each type. Cheese plates are a common treat for upper medium class families in the chill summer nights, but to us, the AUBG community, they are very often something we serve after a $100 meal in our Work and Travel restaurants.

Grilled cheese! (bonappetit.com)

What we seem to be more familiar is... grilled cheese sandwiches. It might be new for some of you to find out that the the grilled cheese gained popularity in 1920s America and soon became a widely used way of getting protein, fat, and carbs in one simple meal. Today, Americans consume more than 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches per year.

For those of you who enjoy having a dose of cheese in your daily meals, I suggest checking out these recipes - something simple to prepare and quite tasty to freshen up your lunch or dinner. If you are a vegan (like one of my best friends who I hope will read this post), here is something cheese-y for you, too : Vegan Cheeses!

I wish I knew something more spectacular to share with you but hopefully this will come with time. Until then, I am looking forward to hearing about YOUR favorite cheese plate ingredients!