Question: Do you Eat the Orange Part on Muenster Cheese?
Answer: Yes, you can eat the orange part on muenster cheese. Muenster is considered a washed-rind cheese. The orange coloring is a vegetable coloring. Cheddar cheese is colored orange as well, but with muenster the color is only on the outside. This is all based on the idea that the general public got that orange cheese is better.
Have you bought yourself some Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese and wondered what it would be good for? (besides just slicing and eating, which is good in itself) I think a classic baked macaroni & cheese dish would be a great use of this cheese. If you haven’t bough this cheese before maybe this is a good reason to go out and get it. The following recipe is NOT an official Kerrygold recipe. This is a recipe I have been using for years and I thought this cheese would work well with it.
Ingredients
8 oz pasta of your choice (pasta made with bronze dies are best)
8 oz Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2 oz or 1/2 stick butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
2 cups whole milk
kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour about a gallon of water into a large pot with a couple heavy pinches of kosher salt. Pasta should always be cooked in a large pot that has been heavily salted. Bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, dump in the pasta and cook until it is almost al dente, but still a little bit chewy, so it will be perfect when it comes out of the oven. Drain the pasta in a colander
Here are your direction for making the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is completely melted whisk in the flour, black pepper, mustard powder, and a pinch of kosher salt. When the flour is fully incorporated, pour in the milk. Turn your burner to medium, stir often, until the mixture comes to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Now slowly pour in the shredded Kilaree cheddar and whisk to combine. Pour the sauce over the pasta, mix to combine. Now place the entire thing into your oven and bake for 25 minutes. This will allow the cheese to thicken and brown. Browning the cheese will bring more flavor to the dish. Remove from the oven, let cool for at least 5 minutes and enjoy!
Question: Where can you buy Kerrygold products in Michigan?
Answer: Kerrygold makes some of the finest quality cheese and butter on the market. They are an Irish company and their dairy products are made from grass fed cow’s milk. Below are some stores in Michigan that carry Kerrygold products (actual product may differ in each store).
Busch’s stores
Hiller’s stores
Whole Foods Market
The Produce Station (Ann Arbor, MI)
…more to be added
I have reviewed several Kerrygold products on my site, click on the product to read my review.
1. Pure Irish Butter
2. Blarney Castle Cheese
3. Kilaree Cheddar Cheese
4. Dubliner Cheese
Do you own an Amazon Kindle
1. How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table
This is a wonderful guide on how to choose fruits and vegetables to get the best quality. Find the history of each item, from apples to peaches to green beans. Also find out where these things are grown. The best part of the book is that you learn why certain types of produce are found in today’s supermarket.
2. I’m Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0
This is THE book for learning how to cook written by Alton Brown of Good Eats fame. It goes through every type of cooking from grilling to roasting. It also include many great recipes and tips.
3. BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes
This is THE book for learning how to bake. It containing many fabulous recipes, and each one the author explains why she is using certain ingredients. The science behind each recipe is explained, so that you know what is really happening in your oven.
Want to learn to make your own cheese? This is the source for all things cheese making related. Tons of recipes are included from easy ricotta to more difficult cheddar.
Are you a brownie lover? Then this is the book for you. This book will keep you busy turning our different variations on this chocolate treat. It’s good for both those who love cakey brownies and those who love fudgy brownies.
6. The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas,
This book contains a ton of ice cream, sorbet, and granita recipes. It’s not my favorite for explanation, but it’s great just for the wide range of recipes.
Want to make your own gelato? Then this is the book you need. The author provides tips and tricks to help turn whatever fruit, nut, or other flavoring into a sweet, cold delight.
Bob’s Red Mill is known for making some of the highest quality whole grain products on the market. I regularly use their corn meal. This book contains recipes to make some of the best and healthy baked goods and breads you have ever turned out.
This past Memorial Day, I was traveling from Madison, WI to the UP of Michigan, when I spotted a billboard for a place called the Mousehouse Cheesehaus, so of course I had to stop in and check it out. It very easy to get off and on from the interstate from here, so those in a hurry have time to stop in. And you should stop in. They have many great cheeses with friendly workers ready to dish out any sample you would like. 
My eye caught their Mousehouse Jack cheese. It is their very own creation. It is much like a Jack cheese but with a wonderful creaminess to it and packed full of flavor. It is a great cheese for those who are fans of more mild cheeses. It went perfectly with my turkey sandwich lunch. They also carry all sorts of cheddars, colby, brick (mild, medium, or aged), and more. Also if you are thristy you can pick up some beverages in the back of the store. They also sell the basic stuff you see in any kind of tourist shop.
The Mousehouse Cheesehaus is located right off of Interstates 39, 90, and 94 in Windsor, Wisconsin. Just take exit 131 and look for the giant mouse and cheese in the sky, you can’t miss them. If you can’t make it to the store you can always order from them online. Visit their website for ordering information.
One of the things I like to do on this website is carefully monitor what people are searching for and try to provide the specific information they requested. Today, I had a search for where to find brick cheese in Michigan. In case you don’t know what brick cheese is, check out my earlier post on it. I recently took a trip to Wisconsin and brick cheese could easily be found at all the cheese places I visited. But I do not find the same to be said in Michigan. I prefer to use brick cheese over mozzarella on my pizzas (it is more flavorful), so I tried to find it whenever I can. The brick cheese I had in Wisconsin was superior to anything I have been able to find in Michigan so far. Below is a list of the places I have bought brick cheese from before. As I discover more, I will add them to the list.
Where to Buy Brick Cheese in Michigan
Horrock’s (locations in Battle Creek and Lansing)
Holiday Market (Royal Oak, MI)
Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market (Shelby Township, MI)
Hiller’s (found under the Yoder’s brand, at least in Ann Arbor, but should be in their other locations as well)
**NOTE** Zingerman’s Creamery in Ann Arbor sells a cheese called Detroit Street Brick. This is NOT the traditional brick cheese. This is a goat cheese that contains green peppercorns.
While looking through a travel brochure for the city of Madison, I saw an ad for Fromagination, a cheese shop located in the downtown area of Madison, right near the capitol building and farmers’ market. It sounded cool, so I was excited to make a stop at the store, a part of my trip. As you enter this beautiful looking establishment you are greeted by the scent of cheese, and before you are tons of options. They had samples available for some of the classic Wisconsin cheeses: brick, Colby, and cheese curds, all of which were delicious. They had several employees waiting to help you. The employees seems to be very knowledgeable about their cheese. We were greeted warmly as we entered the store, and got the explanation of what was in each display case. As for the prices, they were reasonable for a place of this quality.
Besides cheese, you could find honey, wine, books on cheese, tools for slicing cheese, non-alcoholic drinks including Dogs n Suds Root Beer, and more. I noticed upon checking out they were selling Zingerman’s candy bars, which I thought was cool being from the Ann Arbor area myself. Outside the store they had a nice little area with tables and chairs so that you could sit back, relax, and enjoy your fromage. We enjoyed some Colby cheese, along with some ice cold limeade I purchased at a nearby street vendor.
The store also offers special events and classes. It seems like they have something going on each Saturday. We just missed out on hearing about the classic Wisconsin cheeses. If you are in the downtown Madison, make sure to take some time to stop at this institution.
Grass fed products have been all the talk in the food industry in recent years. At first I didn’t really buy into. I thought why would it matter what the cow ate. Well when I had Grass Point Farms Mild Cheddar Cheese for the first time, I discovered why it matters. Grass Point Farms (out of Wisconsin) makes their cheese from milk from cows that are grass fed. Not only does this produce a better tasting, more creamy (in my opinion) cheese, it also has increased health benefits. The cheese contains naturally occurring omega 3s and CLAs. Best of all, it’s packed full of flavor and is all a mild cheddar should be.
Grass Points Farms do their best to raise their animals the proper way. They are certified pasture, which means they “meet the third party certified Grass Point Animal Compassionate and Grass Fed Program Standards, which require nutritious pasture diet without antibiotics or hormones; Animals are raised humanely in conditions that support natural animal behavior.
I have found Grass Point Farms cheese at Whole Foods stores. If you visit their website you can fill out a form to receive a coupon. Whole Foods also has it on sale from time to time for $3.99 a pound, which is a steal.
The answer I am going to give you today of what muenster cheese is, will differ from what a European might give. Do not confuse European style ” Munster” (notice the spelling), with that made in the United States. I have been told the US version is inferior to what is called Munster. But I still believe the American style Muenster can be a treat for the taste buds.
Now taking what I said into consideration, muenster is a soft, washed-rind cheese. It is easy to spot because the interior is white and the outside contains an orange coloring. Once you have seen one slice of muenster it will be easy for you to spot any other brand. Since muenster is a soft cheese is good for melting on a grilled cheese sandwich or a cheeseburger. Most varieties are pretty mild in flavor, so they don’t work as well for cheese sauces, where you will want a sharp cheese since your mixing it with milk. It’s a nice cheese to serve along with your favorite crackers. My 2 year old daughter likes it, so I will say that’s good for kids too.
Now onto a question that I get a lot. Can you eat the orange part on the outside of the muenster? And the answer to that is yes, it is completely edible. Keep in mind I am talking about the American style, I cannot speak for the European muenster.
There is nothing better than good cheddar. The people at Cabot know this. Their Vermont Sharp Cheddar makes for a great cheese for shredding for that next serving of macaroni & cheese. It has the sharpness you want for a mac & cheese and comes at the right price. It can be found in a 2 pound block at Sam’s Club. And if you are into eating sharp cheeses this one can be easily sliced and enjoyed with along side your favorite crackers. The cheese is very light in color.
Cabot began in the dairy business in 1919, when farmers came together to start a creamery. Their location in Vermont, gave them the ability to ship their products to the big urban centers to the south, which helped them to grow into the company they are today.
Where to Buy
Sam’s Club
