Comments on: American Cheese (not Kraft singles, aka, “Thank God for the hippies”) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:52:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2020 Adam Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:45:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2020 Having drunk a lot of tea over here, I agree with you that the imported stuff is the only way to guarantee the real deal. Unless you want to wait 10 minutes for a barely tolerable brew (I do at least have a tea cosy for my teapot, so it doesn't go cold). The Asian food market where I used to live was indeed the very place for Ribena, but it never occurred to me that it might be true of them in general. Cheers for that; I shall check the local one here. Having drunk a lot of tea over here, I agree with you that the imported stuff is the only way to guarantee the real deal. Unless you want to wait 10 minutes for a barely tolerable brew (I do at least have a tea cosy for my teapot, so it doesn’t go cold).

The Asian food market where I used to live was indeed the very place for Ribena, but it never occurred to me that it might be true of them in general. Cheers for that; I shall check the local one here.

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2019 Clifford Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:13:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2019 Ah. Secret tip for Ribena. Find your local chinese food supermarket. Somewhere in there you may find Ribena, and at a relatively decent price. It's one of those amusing anomalies....I suspect that Hong Kong is the culprit. On tea bags....make sure that they are not ones that are manufactured for the US market, but actual imports. Tolerances (amount of tea in bag, for example) are different, apparently, although I confess to never having done the measurement. (Probably the shifty store owner trying to sell me the imported one at twice the price told me it and I believed it 'cos I'm such a trusting guy.....) -cvj Ah. Secret tip for Ribena. Find your local chinese food supermarket. Somewhere in there you may find Ribena, and at a relatively decent price.

It’s one of those amusing anomalies….I suspect that Hong Kong is the culprit.

On tea bags….make sure that they are not ones that are manufactured for the US market, but actual imports. Tolerances (amount of tea in bag, for example) are different, apparently, although I confess to never having done the measurement. (Probably the shifty store owner trying to sell me the imported one at twice the price told me it and I believed it ‘cos I’m such a trusting guy…..)

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2018 Adam Tue, 30 Aug 2005 19:14:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2018 I get the strongest Cabot cheddar I can find, but it's not the sort that sets your teeth on edge, alas. They do import English cheddar to the local supermarket (some some other British cheeses) but it's not fabulous. Of course, this is nothing compared to the difficulty of finding Ribena at anything less than an insane price (or, indeed, any price). I may resort to buying it over the net, but it's not cheap that way, either. On the plus side, at least I can get hold of proper tea at the local supermarket (well, Tetley teabags, but you know what I mean). I get the strongest Cabot cheddar I can find, but it’s not the sort that sets your teeth on edge, alas. They do import English cheddar to the local supermarket (some some other British cheeses) but it’s not fabulous.

Of course, this is nothing compared to the difficulty of finding Ribena at anything less than an insane price (or, indeed, any price). I may resort to buying it over the net, but it’s not cheap that way, either. On the plus side, at least I can get hold of proper tea at the local supermarket (well, Tetley teabags, but you know what I mean).

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2017 Clifford Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:25:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2017 Hey! The UK is great for cheese...of the appropriate type. For nice basic commercial cheddars with flavour, try the aged Cabot range from Vermont. (They call themselves "the world's best cheddar", which makes me fall about laughing.) There are several others too, and some well known ones from Wisconsin that I can't recall. You should find Cabot in a half-decent supermarket. If you insist, you should be able to get cheddars from the UK in some good stores too. -cvj Hey! The UK is great for cheese…of the appropriate type.

For nice basic commercial cheddars with flavour, try the aged Cabot range from Vermont. (They call themselves “the world’s best cheddar”, which makes me fall about laughing.) There are several others too, and some well known ones from Wisconsin that I can’t recall. You should find Cabot in a half-decent supermarket.

If you insist, you should be able to get cheddars from the UK in some good stores too.

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2016 Adam Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:04:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2016 Hmmm, it appears that commercial Halloumi is pasteurised. Maybe there aren't many Greeks living near here. Or where I was before this. I used to live in NW London and there, even Budgens stocked it. The other thing I've noticed here, in my experience, is that what is marketed as a strong cheddar is pretty low on flavour and smell. Admittedly, I like very strong cheddar, but I've found it to be not such a big choice of decent strength cheddar. It's not like the UK is great for cheese, of course (not compared to France!). Hmmm, it appears that commercial Halloumi is pasteurised. Maybe there aren’t many Greeks living near here. Or where I was before this. I used to live in NW London and there, even Budgens stocked it.

The other thing I’ve noticed here, in my experience, is that what is marketed as a strong cheddar is pretty low on flavour and smell. Admittedly, I like very strong cheddar, but I’ve found it to be not such a big choice of decent strength cheddar.

It’s not like the UK is great for cheese, of course (not compared to France!).

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2015 Clifford Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:54:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2015 Well, if you fixate on one cheese in particular, then you've a problem. Have you tried going parts of (whereever you live) that has a large Middle-Eastern community? You're not going to have much chance of finding a specialist soft goat's milk cheese in your local Ralph's or Lucky's, right? ;-) Also, is it unpastuerized? This can often be the problem. Alterrnatively, try ordering from companies on the web. You just can't beat this country for being able to get all sorts of things by mail order. -cvj Well, if you fixate on one cheese in particular, then you’ve a problem. Have you tried going parts of (whereever you live) that has a large Middle-Eastern community? You’re not going to have much chance of finding a specialist soft goat’s milk cheese in your local Ralph’s or Lucky’s, right? ;-)

Also, is it unpastuerized? This can often be the problem. Alterrnatively, try ordering from companies on the web. You just can’t beat this country for being able to get all sorts of things by mail order.

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2014 Adam Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:47:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2014 Risa, of course, is up there near the Land of Cheese. Risa, of course, is up there near the Land of Cheese.

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2013 Adam Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:36:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2013 I've only been looking in parts of the North East, and I have been able to get some decent stuff (mostly imported, as one might expect; that's no different to London, of course). Inexplicably, however, no halloumi yet. My brother has had the same problem, incidentally, and is more widely travelled (within the US) than I am. I’ve only been looking in parts of the North East, and I have been able to get some decent stuff (mostly imported, as one might expect; that’s no different to London, of course). Inexplicably, however, no halloumi yet.

My brother has had the same problem, incidentally, and is more widely travelled (within the US) than I am.

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2012 Clifford Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:28:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2012 Adam. That's a bit of a generalisation. It really depends upon where you are. There are some places where the availability of decent cheese is better than several places in England, for example. All depends.... -cvj Adam. That’s a bit of a generalisation. It really depends upon where you are. There are some places where the availability of decent cheese is better than several places in England, for example. All depends….

-cvj

]]> By: Adam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/comment-page-1/#comment-2011 Adam Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:18:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/23/american-cheese-not-kraft-singles-aka-thank-god-for-the-hippies/#comment-2011 Getting decent cheese in the US is no trivial task. And I can't find Halloumi anywhere. Getting decent cheese in the US is no trivial task.

And I can’t find Halloumi anywhere.

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