I'm looking for a specific cheese -- can you name it?
When DH was a youngster, he worked in a pizzaria that would buy wheels of cheese, and sometimes he had to slice it. He said the cheese was orange and that when it was uncooked, it tasted terrible. Possibly bitter. But when it was cooked on the pizza, he says it was the best cheese and the best pizza ever.
I've eaten a lot of cheeses, but I don't think I've run across one that was inedible before it was cooked, but was wonderful afterwards. I asked at a local cheese shop, but I suspect that they're most familiar with cheeses they sell, so this could be outside their expertise.
If anyone has a clue what this cheese could possibly be, let me know.
The pizzeria was in a suburb of Chicago, so it might have beeen coming from somewhere in Wisconsin, but I don't think it was a special recipe just for them -- this cheese must exist somewhere.
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12 Comments:
I have no idea if this is what you're looking for, but there are tons of Hispanic cheeses that taste kind of gross if you eat them "uncooked." An example of this is "Queso Quesadilla," I think it's pretty heavily processed and it comes in different "tastes" or flavors, one of which is orange. Anyhow, my dad bought me some once and it was horrible ... until I melted some in a quesadilla. It became creamy and delicious.
Once again, I don't know if this is your magical pizza cheese, but I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring.
PumpkinBear at 9:54PM on 09/04/08
sometimes fontina has an orange rind...?
pooch at 11:16PM on 09/04/08
The cheese itself was orange, according to DH. Like a cheddar color. But it's definately not cheddar.
The wheels were pretty big, too. Maybe a 2 foot diameter, maybe eight inches thick. More or less.
dbcurrie at 11:31PM on 09/04/08
oh please find out what it is. Just what I need, another cheese to melt........yummy!
MissMelissa at 1:48AM on 09/05/08
juustoleipa? finnish cheese, often swedish, too.
tmj529 at 2:42AM on 09/05/08
I know some pizzerias in the Midwest use brick cheese instead of mozzarella. Real brick cheese (not the stuff found vacuumed packed in the grocery store from large manufactureres) can become very strong and full-flavored if left to age. Only thing, I don't know if they make it in wheels!
GolfGirl at 11:45AM on 09/05/08
Perhaps something similar to Gjetost? It's a funky orange-brown color, and I think it's rather unpleasant raw.
Tamsinite at 8:50PM on 09/06/08
Do Gjetost or juustoleipa come in a big wheel? I've never had either, so that's promising. I know it can't be any cheese I've ever eaten, that's for sure.
Thanks!
dbcurrie at 1:13AM on 09/07/08
Try asking a source like Wisconson Dairy.
Those people probably know.This is as close to a local source that I know of offhand.
rlwycoff at 3:55AM on 09/07/08
I don't think it would be Gjetost. The HUGE amounts my boss gets flown in from relatives in Europe always are in bricks. Plus it's great "raw", unmelted, shaved into ribbons with a veggie peeler and eaten with apples.
*drool* Now I am craving it!
GretchinF at 12:23AM on 09/08/08
Juustoleipa is not what you're after either. It's most famous for being bread-like. Not orange and inedible. As extracted from cheese.com:
This cheese is considered as the specialty of Finland and Lapland. It is a round cheese of various sizes made from cow's or reindeer's milk. The production of this cheese is following: The curds are drained and pressed into a flat, wooden platter with a rim. Then it is placed in front of the fire until the outer layer is "toasted". Then the cheese looks like bread and that's why it got its name which means "cheese bread". It is creamy and smooth under a crusty surface. The period of ripening is only a few days. Juustoleipa is usually served as a dessert with cream and cloudberry jam.
feriorrenna at 12:32AM on 09/08/08
Well, I sent an email to the Wisconsin Dairy Council. We'll see if they have any ideas. I'm afraid it's possible the pizza place was buying cheese from a small dairy that was making their own varieties. If that's the case, the cheese variety may have disappeared when the pizza place did.
Either that, or DHs taste buds have grown up, and it's a cheese that he likes now.
I'm still having trouble imagining an orange cheese on pizza. It just seems weird.
dbcurrie at 1:13AM on 09/08/08