Cheese_Whisperer_Cheesy_Holiday_Appetizers_-_Skagit_Food_Co-op.[good]

For toppings/coating: use chopped pistachios, almonds or pumpkin seeds; fresh herbs like chives, and tarragon; and bacon with paprika. Or try the following recipe for intense, smokey-salty bites, perfect for any bacon-friendly gathering:

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Cheese Whisperer: Cheesy Holiday Appetizers

The holidays are here (how did that happen?!), and friends and family will be feeling snacky! Hold them over until the main meal with something cheesy. Rich and protein-packed, cheese can make a wonderful appetizer for your Thanksgiving celebration. Read on for tips and tricks for creamy, tangy, and oh-so tasty spreads.

Build a Cheese Platter

Cheese doesn’t need much help to be enticing. Serve it simply with fresh fruit and nuts, read our Co-op guide: Creating the Perfect Cheese Plate. Choose from imported standout cheeses as well as local favorites. A few suggestions:

Ferndale Farmstead – this family owned dairy farm in Whatcom County produces artisan Italian style cheese from their own grass fed cow’s milk. After importing equipment, cultures and expertise from Italy, the Wavrin family makes Fior di Latte (fresh mozzarella), Scamorza, and Caciotta. The staff at Ferdnale is proud of their small scale, high quality “seed to cheese” operation. Slice and serve their pear-shaped Scamorza – a relative of mozzarella, only with a more intense buttery flavor – on your holiday cheese board. Plus, it won honors at the 2017 American Cheese Society.

Golden Glen Creamery – located roughly 10 miles from the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, this small dairy makes fresh dairy products and cheese from their herd of Holsteins, Jersey and Guernsey cows. Cheese makers there use “vat pasteurization”, a method that uses lower heat and longer, slower heating times to gently pasteurize their (rBST and rBGH free) milk. The Co-op stocks a variety of cheese from Golden Glen including gouda and flavored cheddars. Try serving a wedge of their classic Medium Cheddar with apple slices and a flavorful preserve like Divina Fig Spread.

Go Retro, Go Cheese Ball

Get creative here – there are many possible combinations for a successful cheese ball. Whether you decide to make a large cheese ball or mini cheese ball “bites, the flavors are up to you.

Satisfy appetites and nostalgia with Mini Cheese Balls. Use straight pretzel sticks as “handles” for these simple, bite sized appetizers. Make a batch of Basic Cheese ball filling. Then add the seasonings of your choice: dried fruit, chopped nuts, garlic, sundried tomatoes, bacon and more can be used to amp up the flavor level.

Basic Mini Cheese Ball Filling:

Mix 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 cup shredded firm cheese (like cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack or gouda); season with salt and pepper. Form cheese mixture into 1-inch balls, chill 4 hours, then roll in toppings.

For toppings/coating: use chopped pistachios, almonds or pumpkin seeds; fresh herbs like chives, and tarragon; and bacon with paprika. Or try the following recipe for intense, smokey-salty bites, perfect for any bacon-friendly gathering:

Photo: Jonathan Boulton

Loaded Cheese Ball Bites

Recipe adapted from delish.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar


• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened


• 1 tsp. paprika


• kosher salt


• 1 tsp. garlic powder


• Freshly ground black pepper


• 8 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped


• 1/3 c. finely chopped fresh chives


• 1/3 c. finely chopped pecans


• 18 pretzels sticks

Directions:

Mix together cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Form into 18 small balls and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. In a shallow bowl or on a plate, stir together cooked bacon, chives, and pecans.

Roll balls in bacon-chive-pecan mixture and insert a pretzel stick in each ball. Serve. (If not serving right away, loosely cover with plastic wrap and return to fridge. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.)

By: Claire

Claire Harlock Garber loves to eat and drink and write about it. She has worked in the food industry for nearly a decade and was on staff at the Skagit Valley Co-op from 2010-2018, writing the regular columns Skagit Brew Corner, The Cheese Whisperer, The Bounty of Bulk, and What's Dippin' in the Well for the Co-op's blog, as well as articles for the Natural Enquirer newsletter.

holiday appetizers

июня 27, 2021 Tags : Тест

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