On our kitchen counter, a beautiful wood inlay cheese board holds a place of honour. A gift from our best friends, we have pampered it, but it is starting to show wear and as much as it makes me a little sad, it also makes me a little proud that we are having so much fun with it. This great infographic is only going to wear it out more. I think I like that!
Presented By Cabot Creamery
“How is it that everyone on this train has so much alcohol?”
“We always head to Canada at the beginning of the season,” she says taking her seat again. “Their laws are much more civilized. Cheers.” ― Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
Today is Canada Day! July 1st marks the 147th birthday of my country and we celebrate loud & proud! While we remain a relatively young country, we are a deeply patriotic nation. Don’t let the politeness fool you! Polite “waters run deep.” We need to behave ourselves to endure long cold winters, but we sure know how to bust out when the sun warms things up.
My daughter, a “few” years ago, on Canada Day.
In light of our cold winter climate, my daughter pointed out today that we are really lucky our national birthday is in the summer. She’s smart! (For those readers who think we live in igloos and have snow year-round, you would be well-informed to know I am sitting outside in my red t-shirt and white shorts. The temperature has cooled down to 27°C or 81°F.) Today is a day of fireworks, parades, music and lots of revelry. Mostly, it involves lots of eating and, of course, drinking.
To celebrate this great day, I made Red & White Nachos for my family and they were awesome. Usually I just cheat and warm the nachos in the microwave, but this time I decided to do it right and warmed them in the oven. Not only were the nacho chips red and white, but so was the meat. I topped it with white chicken meat and red pepperellos. Of course, I made sure the mound had cheese layered throughout. Mmm… it was Canadian goodness. 
Canola oil
Garlic cloves, minced
Chicken breast meat, cooked & chopped
Pepperellos or pepperettes, chopped into thin slices
Green onions, chopped
Tequila or whisky
Salsa
Monterey Jack cheese with Jalapeño, shredded
Marble cheddar cheese, shredded
Red & green jalapeños, sliced (optional)
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large pan, sauté garlic in the oil along with a sprinkle of tequila (or a Canadian whisky). Add the meat and white part of the green onions to stir to warm them up. Sprinkle a spoon of salsa followed by a few handfuls of cheese and warm until the cheese melts.
3. Spread the bottom of a pan (I used my round pizza pan) with a layer of nacho chips and top with the warmed meat and a few more handfuls of shredded cheese. Top with another layer of nacho chips, meat and more shredded cheese.
Ready for the oven
4. Heat the beautiful mound in the oven for 10 minutes (approx.) then top with the green part of the onions and jalapeños. Serve with more red & white – salsa & sour cream!
Yup! All done!
Did you know our Canadian flag is only 49 years old? In 1965 it was inaugurated after spending a year with politicians debating the many submissions that came in from across the country. See Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson’s design that started the debate along with several others, some of which were …ahem… unique. “Awesome Canadian Flag Designs that Got Cut.”
“Age is not important unless you are a cheese.” ~ Helen Hayes
On the weekend a friend told me he questioned whether aged cheddar was really aged. He worried it could be a scam. Having spent an afternoon with George Batarseh, the owner of Daniel’s Cheese & Deli here in Cambridge, I was able to actually sound quite intelligent on the matter.
The day I walked into George’s shop, he greeted me warmly with a large welcoming smile. I remembered George from our Farmer’s Market where he has a booth every Saturday morning. We love to buy his signature garlic puree and pick up one of his truly delicious dips like hummus or babaganoush. And his curry chicken smells so good, most days it barely makes it home.
George in his shop standing behind his display of aged cheddars.
George has a very large selection of cheeses in his shop, but his speciality is cheddars. Orange cheddars, white cheddars & marble cheddars, all aged from a few years up to 13 years. Aged cheddar is real and it’s spectacular. Firm and dry, it crumbles easily and won’t get moldy if wrapped properly. If someone tries to sell you an aged cheese that feels rubbery like new cheese, put it back.
13 year old cheddar with a salty edge
Don’t let the white edges of aged cheddar bother you. It is a layer of salt that has surfaced over time. Also, a sign of good aged cheddar is crystals, little crunchy bits in the cheese. They start to form after the cheese is about 5 years old. I like them. I like the texture. You get both the taste and feel in your mouth – a multi-sensory experience.
11 year old aged cheddar
So, how do you serve aged cheddar? Let me assure you it is not for grilled cheese, nor is it for sprinkling on tacos or melting on nachos and skip the crackers. Aged cheddar is to be enjoyed all by itself, one small morsel at a time right off the block. It is savoured on the palate and is complimented perfectly with a robust red wine or porter beer.
Annatto, a natural colouring agent derived from seeds, gives cheddar the orange tint. Cheaper brands add food colour.
A great variety of colourfully wrapped cheeses in one of the cases in Daniel's shop.
George in one of his walk-in fridges talking to his son, Daniel, his shop's namesake.
This package of cheddar was produced in 2002, making it 10 years old.
Both of George's large fridges are controlled and on alarm systems. If they drop or go up too much in temperature, security is called.
I asked George if he had a recipe he could share that had alcohol in it and he pointed out the baklava on his counter. It is made by a friend of his and the honey is prepared with brandy. It is so delicious, it sells out quickly every time.
A wealth of information about cheese & food and a warm, generous heart will greet you when you arrive at George’s shop Daniel’s Cheese & Deli. You will find it tucked away in one of our busy industrial areas here in Cambridge on 250 Thompson Dr, Unit #4, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
Thank you George!
Did you know? Morning milk is fattier and makes better cheese than evening milk.
Beer fans, you know you don’t need a case for it! But today I got a “cold call” email from someone at Frugaldad.com sharing this graphic …errr infographic with me. I must admit I initially ignored the email. Having a popular blog attracts all kinds of unique inquiries and spammy stuff, but I took a moment and looked this one up. So glad I did.
I say this one’s worth a pin!
Source: FrugalDad.com
This weekend a lot of people celebrate many things. Christians celebrate Easter, Jews celebrate Passover, Hindus celebrate Hanuman Jayanti and Jains celebrate Mahavir Jayanti.
Let’s enjoy the holiday with a good chuckle!
The first time I saw this sketch, many moons ago. At the time I had no idea there was so many different kinds of cheese in the world. Now I know there are even more!
If you like cheese, you’ll probably like “We Are Family” Rye Bread ‘n Brie. *Note: Here in Canada we call whisky “rye.”
Image(s) courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com
