If my rabid collecting of vintage recipes and cookbooks has taught me anything, it is this: SHAPES MATTER. I don’t usually go in for sculpted food, but this cheese ball is so much fun to make (and easy, quick, simple, at that) that I can’t help but smile at its presence on my table.
I often call these my pizza beans because A) it's accurate, and B) it's a great way to lie to myself so I don't order another late-night large for snacking. This is an Italian-American-inspired take on baked beans, trading Navy beans for cannellini, and swapping molasses and bacon for oregano, sausage, and parmesan.
Why do these things match so perfectly? Well, when we look at the science of acids and fats it all begins to make sense. Learn why wine and cheese taste so great together, and then how you can build the best cheese plate at home!
Though it sounds absurd, there's actually quite a bit of science behind melting cheese. If you've ever had a block of cheese separate into a pool of oil and curds while you're heating it up, you'll want to watch this for some quick tips on making the most out of melting cheese.
Take a look into the chemistry behind cheese making with me! While most cheeses take time to age, every culture has a "quick" cheese: something that you can make at home with ingredients you've already got in your fridge. Get busy with the Home & Family team today.
Chewy, gooey, crusty mozzarella sticks are a staple of middle-American menus. Kids love them, adults love them, there's nothing not to love. But there is something to improve. When you want a treat like that at home, skip the frozen food aisle and our microwave. Instead, make a batch of paneer, cut it into slices, and fry it in hot oil. You'll love the dense cheese with a crisp crust.
My sister chides me for calling grapes the poor-man's berry, but the truth is that the gems of summer (straw/blue/rasp-berries) can be quite costly and for someone who eats fruit by the handful I needed something more cost-effective. Hence my deep love for grapes (red only, I'm a bit of a grapecist)...
Greater chefs and cooks than me have already done the hard science and legwork on making ricotta/paneer/queso fresco at home, but I wanted to try my hand at it anyway. There is no innovation on my part, just a deep abiding love for the work of eaters over the past centuries.
