Restaurant Review: Thatsa Wrapp

Posted on November 14, 2011 by
Thatsa Wrapp

Thatsa WrappDesserts

For those of you fortunate enough to live in our area, this will be our first attempt at a restaurant review.  I have been doing some work up in Canton lately and one of the greatest benefits is having a wide array of restaurants available to have lunch.  Having spent 18 years in big cities, one of the things I really miss is the abundance of small boutique reasonably-priced restaurants that are much less common in rural Ohio.  So when I first began working in Canton, I set out to find one of those restaurants, and struck gold.

Thatsa Wrapp is located at 600 6th St. NW near McKinley Ave. in downtown Canton.  The décor is contemporary eclectic, and changes slightly to match the season.  They have bar seating and eight tables, with two more on the sidewalk weather-permitting, a nice touch for a small city like Canton.  The staff is very friendly and outgoing, and they tend to remember what the regulars like.  They are also well trained and know the menu well, so they are very handy when it comes to recommendations.  They seem to have very little turnover, as I have mostly seen the same crew since I started going there, save for a few additions as their business has increased.

One of the first things that attracted me to Thatsa Wrapp was their more healthy variety of food.  I was looking for a good lunch without an overabundance of calories.  Of course, as their name implies, they specialize in wraps.  I have not had a bad one yet, but my personal favorite is “The Bruiser”, a blackened steak wrap with crumbled bleu cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing.  Many of the wraps are made with chicken and vegetarian varieties are available.  The sides that come with wraps include fresh vegetables if you want to save calories, a mildly spicy house potato salad, excellent homemade potato chips with a ranch dip if you are not counting calories, and the crème de la crème of all of their sides, smoked gouda macaroni and cheese.  This was what made me decide that they were worthy of my first restaurant review, their expert use of cheese in most of their dishes.  So I thought they would be a welcome addition to The Cheddarpress.  They also have salads available for those who prefer a lighter lunch, but they are a pretty good size.  I prefer the Asian Chicken Salad.  My favorite dessert is the pumpkin cheesecake, which has a taste and presentation similar to that of a high-dollar fine dining restaurant.

Thatsa Wrapp is overall and excellent dining experience.  They are also open for breakfast and offer an enticing breakfast menu, but unfortunately I don’t get to Canton early enough to try it.  They have a large beer selection which is very reasonably priced.  I have eaten lunch there on a regular basis, and have usually spent under $10 before tip.  Of course adding beer or dessert will increase the average.  After eating there regularly for a short period of time and having brought some colleagues in with me on occasion, the owner had the good graces to comp one of my lunches.   This tells me that they also take good care of their customers.  I would highly recommend Thatsa Wrapp, so the next time you are in downtown Canton, stop in for lunch! You can find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thatsawrapp

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Enjoy the Goodness of Uncle Mike’s Beef Jerky

Posted on September 7, 2011 by
Uncle Mike's Beef Jerky

Uncle Mike's Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is one of the most favorite snack foods. Beef is marinated in a curing solution and dried to lend a unique flavor and extend shelf life. Native Americans used to smoke dry meat in order to preserve it for a long time. And beef jerky meat processing technology finds its roots in this practice.

Uncle Mike’s beef jerky, backed by years of experience, today produces the finest quality beef jerky. If you love this snack, you must have certainly tried this brand. This beef jerky tastes as close to homemade snack as possible.

Beef jerky offered by Uncle Mike’s has the right moisture that enhances the taste. This is why it is so popular all over the world. Originally, the Amish method was used to produce Uncle Mike’s beef jerky. Amish method involves lack of preservatives and hormone free cows.

Uncle Mike’s offers beef jerky in three seasoned favors namely the hot beef jerky, original beef jerky and Teriyaki beef jerky. The main reason for the popularity of Uncle Mike’s beef sticks and beef jerky is due to the great care and attention that goes into the preparation.

Beef jerky is offered by Uncle Mike’s in six mouth watering flavors. A unique feature of this beef jerky is that it tastes firm and is not leathery like other jerky found today. Uncle Mike’s beef jerky provides you with that perfect protein boost and is ideal to be carried on your camping, hiking, fishing or boating trips.

Beef jerky is preferred by health and fitness enthusiasts as it has low fat and high protein content. Meat is cured using salt solution and moisture is reduced to half to make the jerky. Uncle Mike’s beef jerky is perfectly cured and has the right amount of roughness in texture and the exact amount of moisture.

All beef jerky offered by this brand come with a powerful flavor. They are popularly chosen by people who want a low calorie product that is nutritious, high in energy and protein and low in fat and cholesterol.

Try the delicious range of flavored Uncle Mike’s beef jerky. Some of the most popular types of beef jerky offered by this brand include the barbecue style, hot style, mild hickory smoked and teriyaki jerky.

If you have not tried this snack yet, it is time to taste the delicious and tasty Uncle Mike’s beef jerky.  Uncle Mike’s makes delicious beef sticks as well.

 

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Uses of Fresh and Healthy Amish Butter Cheese

Posted on August 23, 2011 by
amish butter cheese

Amish Butter Cheese

Add Amish butter cheese to any meal or snack and enjoy its creamy richness. This is a unique type of cheese with an exotic butter flavor that melts in your mouth. Made by the Amish, this butter cheese is used by people in many ways.

Amish butter cheese is derived from butterkase, its closest ancestor. Butterkase is a buttery and creamy cheese that originates from Austria and Germany. The cheese is pale yellow in color in spite of the red or golden natural rind. Butterkase is a popular cheese with 50 percent fat content. This cheese is semi-soft in texture.

Amish butter cheese does not come with the rind like butterkase. The pale yellow cheese with its buttery, rich, creamy flavor is obtained from cow’s milk. Good quality Amish butter cheese is made from milk collected from cows that are not on artificial hormones. No artificial ingredients, flavors or preservatives are added to the Amish butter cheese during the preparation process.

Most of the Amish countries including Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are authentic sources of genuine Amish butter cheese. From the Midwest region, this butter cheese is then distributed by vendors to other parts of the nation through retail stores and online.

Bite into a piece of delicious Amish butter cheese and you will find its creamy and smooth flavor mesmerizing. The cheese tastes just like havarti and is popularly used for melting in fondue recipes. Amish butter cheese is enjoyed by many as a snack. If you place an order for burgers or sandwiches in any of the Amish countries, you will find them dripping with the easy to slice, semi-soft Amish butter cheese.

If you are fond of only the best quality cheese, it is important to choose authentic Amish butter. Remember that while most of the products labeled Amish butter cheese are genuine, some of them may just refer to Amish as a method of cheese making. These do not come with the Amish guarantee even though the butter cheese is supposedly made without preservatives and uses the same hormone-free cows. This is because milk is obtained from cows owned by different people and there is no guarantee that all cows are hormone free.

Enjoy the goodness of Amish butter cheese melted, grilled or sliced. If you are a cheese lover, you will certainly enjoy its versatility and smooth flavor. This butter cheese is the perfect choice for snacks and sandwiches.

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Enjoy Cooking with Baby Swiss cheese

Posted on August 18, 2011 by
Baby Swiss Cheese

Baby Swiss Cheese

There is nothing more satisfying than biting into a slice of semi-soft, young, fresh baby Swiss cheese made from whole milk. The characteristic small holes make this cheese all the more exciting and unique.

Baby Swiss cheese is a part of the Swiss cheese family that is known all over the world as the holey cheese. You can find this cheese at retail stores and delis, mostly in Ohio. To make it convenient for you to use it in sandwiches and other recipes, this cheese is sometimes sold pre-sliced. If you want it for larger cooking projects, you can buy baby Swiss cheese in wheels.

Swiss cheese is made from cow’s milk. Lactic acid in the cheese is broken down using bacteria to generate carbon dioxide which in turn results in the formation of bubbles during the process of aging. To obtain larger holes and complex flavors, the cheese is allowed to age for a longer time.

Many steps are altered during the cheese making process to make baby Swiss cheese. To obtain that exquisite, buttery rich flavor, whole milk is used to make the cheese. In order to slow down the bacterial digestion process, water is used to cut the milk. As compared to traditional Swiss cheese, baby Swiss cheese is aged for a shorter period of time to create the more mild flavor.

Bite into a bit of baby Swiss cheese and what will strike you first is its creamy, nutty and buttery flavor. This cheese is ideal to be used in a wide range of dishes and also melts quickly in the mouth. It is easier to work with this cheese as it comes with small holes and is easy to slice. The small holes make cooking with baby cheese enjoyable.

If you are planning to use this cheese for cooking purposes, it is essential choosing evenly colored ones with holes that are equally sized. The cheese should have a distinct buttery aroma and should resemble a pale straw. Before you buy the cheese, it is better to taste if the shop allows it as this is the only way to determine its quality. Otherwise, you must carefully observe for signs of cracking, mold and dampness. All these are indications that the flavor has been compromised.

Baby Swiss cheese can be layered with turkey, lettuce, ham, sliced onions and tomatoes on dark rye, light rye or wheat bread. Using this cheese you can make mouth-watering sauce for your steamed vegetables. Try the delicious French bread filled and baked until bubbly with chopped scallions and shredded baby Swiss. You can also enhance frittatas, omelets and quiches with this amazingly delicious cheese.

What’s your favorite use for Baby Swiss cheese?

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Lucerne Cheese – A Healthy Low Fat Option

Posted on August 3, 2011 by
Lucerne Cheese

Lucerne Cheese

Most of us are partial to cheese and enjoy choosing from over thousand different varieties. Cheese comes in a variety of different textures, flavors and aromas. If you are very fond of cheese and are health conscious, low fat varieties such as Lucerne cheese can add nutrition and flavor to our food through the year.

Cheese is categorized into varieties based on the methods used for production, type of milk used, local preference and taste. Cheese making is an art by itself and is as delicate as wine making. There are many health benefits of including low fat cheese in our daily diet.

Cheese enhances bone health and prevents osteoporosis. Cheese is also rich in calcium and offers all related benefits. For vegetarians, cheese provides ample protein. A cube of cheese contains around 5 to 7 grams of protein.

One of the most popular low fat cheeses used by dieters is Lucerne cheese. This cheese comes with small holes and is semi-soft and young. It is low in sodium and fat and comes in a mild, smooth and light flavor. If you are cautious about your sodium intake or if you are on a strict diet, this cheese is ideal for you.

The aging process during the making of Lucerne cheese and other low fat or normal cheese breaks down the milk sugar. It is therefore low in carbohydrates and ideal for diabetics. Low fat cheese is also ideal for those who are intolerant to lactose as it contains minimal or no lactose.

You can enjoy cheese in many ways. The best way to enjoy the goodness of Lucerne cheese is to grate it over soups and salads. If you wish to enjoy mouthwatering, delicious, cheese dripping sandwiches, add in a slice to your whole wheat vegetable sandwich.

Make steamed broccoli and melt Lucerne cheese over it to enjoy a delicious snack. This low fat cheese can also be had with fruits as appetizers. You can enjoy cubes of Lucerne cheese for a snack as you do not have to worry about the fat content.

Lucerne cheese comes with 17% fat calories, 38% protein calories and 45% carbohydrate calories. Add in a generous quantity of low fat cheese like Lucerne cheese in your diet and complement this with regular exercise and you are on your way to a healthy and fit lifestyle. You can find recipes for mouthwatering dishes using Lucerne cheese. Be sure to try them all.

In addition to Lucerne cheese, we also have other healthy cheeses including Farmer’s Cheese, Lacy Swiss, Lacy Baby Swiss, and several varieties of yogurt cheese.  Check out our skinny alternatives section for more healthy yet delicious alternatives.

 

Please tell us your favorite use for Lucerne Cheese by commenting in the box below.

 

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Havarti Cheese – One of the Best Cheeses from Denmark

Posted on July 30, 2011 by
Havarti cheese

Havarti cheese

Ask any cheese lover and he (or she) will tell you how Havarti cheese is one of the best cheeses from Denmark. This is a semi-firm, creamy cheese developed in and named after a farm. Havarti’s mild flavor is similar to the Gouda or Tilsit and it comes with a lot of irregularities and small holes.

Bite onto a cube of Havarti cheese and you will be surprised at the distinctive flavor that packs a subtle punch. You can find this variety of cheese as plain blocks and flavored with cumin, caraway, dill and other spices.

The credit for creating Havarti goes to the wife of a Danish farmer. She developed this cheese at the turn of the twentieth century after exploring the cheese making art, traveling to many parts of the world. Havarti cheese was a result of her experimentations with different cheese making methods.

Just like most cheeses, Havarti making process also starts with curdling of milk by introducing rennet to it. Curds are drained by pressing into cheese molds and the cheese is then aged. Subtle flavor of this cheese comes from the fact that it is washed rind.

Bite into the flexible Havarti cheese and you will also notice a buttery, creamy flavor. Color of this cheese can be anywhere between pale to creamy yellow. You can find a lot of holes on the cube. It is imperative to allow the cheese to age if you want to enjoy its delightfully subtle and acidic flavor.

Havarti pairs excellently with wine and is often served with crackers and fruits. Many use this cheese as a replacement for strong cheeses like Emmental and Gouda in recipes that require mild cheese. You can find Havarti predominantly used on salads, on sandwiches and in fondue. If you are slim and fit and can afford to bite into the full cream, melt-in-the-mouth cheese, you can choose the enriched Havarti cheese version. If you are on a strict diet, you can enjoy the low fat version of this cheese.

If you are planning on using enriched Havarti in any of your recipes, do so sparingly after ensuring that the dish has the capacity to handle the heavy flavor. Havarti cheese is indeed one of the best cheeses from Denmark. It is commonly found in many parts of the world today. Havarti’s low fat version is especially popular as it retains the very flavor, texture and essence of the enriched version. On the cheese and wine platters, you can find the herbed Havarti. If you wish for a pleasant tasting experience, you can pair your wines with enriched Havarti cheese.

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What are Cheese Curds?

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

 

Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds

Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds

Cheese curds are eaten as standalone foods by some. Small, solid chunks of cheese are produced as a part of the cheese making process. Cheese curds are separated from natural whey and pressed into molds to make cheese. Different types of cheeses are produced by treating curds in different ways. These curds can also be eaten straight. In the American Midwest, cheese curds are very popular, especially curds obtained during the process of making cheddar cheese.

The first step in making cheese is to curdle the milk using a combination of bacterial cultures, rennet and acid. You get cheese curds separated from whey as the milk solids coagulates during the curdling process.

Curds are then separated from the whey. To make the process of separation easier, the curds are cut into small pieces. Cheese curds are then packed into molds after adding salt which eventually turns into cheese. Rich, mature cheese is created by aging the finished cheese.

Some find cheese curds bizarre as they have a characteristic squeak when eaten. Eat them days after they are made and you will find them squeaking against your teeth.  Squeak in them is due to the moist whey. As the cheese curds get older, the whey or moisture in them dry up and the squeakiness disappears.

Cheese curds are used in many different ways. Apart from eating them as it is, people deep fry them, serve them on appetizer platters or sprinkle them on top of foods. One of the reasons why cheese curds are not available in areas where there are no cheese manufacturers is the fact that they go bad very quickly. To enjoy optimum texture, flavor and squeak, cheese curds must be eaten within 12 hours.

You can store cheese curds by freezing them for up to six months. Even though they may crumble when thawed and may not be as fresh, they still taste great. Fried cheese curd is made using frozen curds.

There are many different varieties of cheese manufactured around the world including the soft cottage cheese and the hard cheeses like Pecorino and Parmesan. Interestingly, all of them are made from the squeaky, humble cheese curds.

Poutine

Poutine

Today you can also find a variety of different cheese curd flavors. Some of the popular flavors include Roasted Garlic, Chive, Hot Pepper, and spicy Buffalo Wing. These curds make for a friendly snack and are used by some to make poutine (Cheese curds melted over french fries with gravy) or to put on salads.

How do you like to enjoy your cheese curds?

 

 

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