If you're looking for a complete selection of cheese in Calgary (or Woodstock, Ontario!), you can't do any better than the Springbank Cheese Company. They've got it all: from dainty little Spanish cheeses to soft, runny cheeses that smell like a Frenchman's sock drawer. Linda runs their impressive Crowfoot location and we asked her a few questions about grilling with cheese:
The Hot Line: Are people eating more cheese these days? The Hot Line: We know about halloumi 'the grillable cheese' - are there other cheeses that stand up to grilling?
Springbank Cheese: A lot of the sheep's milk cheeses can be grilled. Traditionally the sheep's milk cheeses have been drier and saltier to help with preservation. This style of cheese won't lose its shape on the grill as easily. The sheep's cheeses from Greece are particularly popular for grilling - cheeses like kashkaval, kesalograviera and kefalotyri (editor: fondly known as the "Opa" cheeses). Indian Paneer is also terrific on the grill.
The Hot Line: What about 'smoked' cheeses? What are the most popular ones?
Springbank Cheese: Yes, smoked cheeses are very popular - they're sort of "bacony". One of our best sellers is a British smoked applewood cheddar. Some cheeses have smoked flavours introduced artificially. A cheese that has been genuinely smoked (another traditional method of preservation) will have a brown rind on it.
The Hot Line: A lot of our readers will 'plank' cheese on a wood plank in the grill - what are some of the best cheeses for planking and why?
Springbank Cheese: You can do this with just about any cheese. People shouldn't limit themselves to just soft cheeses. Personally, I love Sylvan Star's Grizzly gouda planked on a barbecue.
The Hot Line: Every single one of our customers grills burgers - what's your current favourite cheese on a burger?
Springbank Cheese: I can't pick just one! I'll give you two: either cave-aged gruyere or the hyper-tasty Tiger blue from naramata.
Here is some recipes with Cheese!
- Acorn Squash Mac N Cheese
- Portobello Mushroom "Cheese Burgers" Recipe
- The Viking Burger
- Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas
- Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip