By KAYLEE BREWSTER and MICHELLE SCHMIDT inland360.com
Every October, sisters Kaylee Brewster and Michelle Schmidt celebrate their favorite holiday of the year: Cheese Mas. What, you’ve never heard of it? That may be because they made it up several years ago. Still, since there’s a good chance you’ll want in on this delicious celebration, they provide an introduction to the almost-real holiday: ——— Michelle Schmidt: First, for the unenlightened, what is Cheese Mas?
Kaylee Brewster: Cheese Mas is a three-week celebration of cheese that begins the third Sunday in October.
MS: That’s right, cheeses is the reason for the season. And how does one celebrate Cheese Mas?
KB: Well, the main goal is just to have cheese every day.
MS: OK, so cheddar, mozzarella, Gouda, Brie … what about Easy Cheese. Does Easy Cheese count? Do Doritos count?
KB: That’s a good question. I think for cheese to count, it has to be real.
MS: I agree — the true spirit of Cheese Mas is enjoying real cheese that came directly, or at least more directly, from a cow, or sheep or goat. Now, let’s talk about the reason for Cheese Mas.
KB: Well, it’s based on the premise that deep in the heart of every human, there’s a desire to celebrate cheeses.
MS: That is the truth. Whenever I tell people about Cheese Mas, they’re like, “Yes, that’s a great idea, I want to do that.” So for Cheese Mas neophytes, let’s talk about some helpful tips for celebrating the holiday.
KB: One thing you need to do is have money because good cheese is expensive. And you need to do your research. You want to discover what the cheese was made for and eat it that way. MS: Cheese Mas isn’t about just eating as much cheese as you can, it’s more about having permission to try something new. You don’t need a lot of cheese in order to enjoy it — in fact, you might love cheese less if you consume it en masse.
KB: Yeah, just sprinkle some feta in a salad or enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. I recommend getting the cheeses you normally have on hand and then go to the cheese counter and try one new cheese. If you don’t like it you can give it to someone else.
MS: Because nothing says “Merry Cheese Mas” like a gift of already opened cheese.
Get More Cheesy
If you’re looking for some new cheeses to try, Brewster offers these suggestions:
Chevre — Chevre is French for goat’s cheese; it’s just trying to trick you with those fancy foreign words. Enjoy your goat cheese as a table cheese or topping.
Edam — Edam is similar to Gouda, they’re both Dutch so they’re probably cousins. It’s good for melting in sandwiches and pastas but also as a table cheese.
Gloucester — Gloucester is sort of like cheddar — like if cheddar had a cooler older brother. It has a super strong flavor so don’t eat it alone, combine it with another cheese with a milder or creamier flavor like cheddar Havarti or Gouda. It’s good melted, especially in scrambled eggs.
Munster — If butter was a cheese it would be Munster. So creamy, so buttery, so good. It’s another one for melting, so try it on your pizza. Also, the color and name are perfect for Halloween.
Mascarpone — Mascarpone is often used as a substitute for cream cheese in cheesecake and used in other desserts, like tiramisu and cannoli. It is a thick, triple cream cheese with a custardlike texture. Mascarpone is less likely than cream cheese to turn runny, and therefore ruin your yummy desserts.
Roquefort — If you’re tired of having blue cheese that’s always blue, try Roquefort, the green blue cheese. It can be used in similar ways as blue cheese as toppings on salads, pizzas and sandwiches, but it’s good with plain-ol’ crackers.
