Three Great Snacking Cheeses

Grana Padano goes with pasta or a stiff drink

When I’m playing dervish in the kitchen, I like to set out a snacking cheese. A little nibble for me, a little nosh for any guests who might be lingering. In my mind, a good snacking cheese must be so full of flavor that it doesn’t need any jewelry – well, maybe a few grapes. But it should stand on its own. And it should dazzle, bite after bite.

I’ve written about most of these before, but I return to them. They live with me. They are my go-to snacking cheeses. And the best part? You should be able to find them at any decent cheese counter – from Whole Foods to your local fromagerie.

Bon appétit and happy holidays! Let me know if you have any snacking faves.

Midnight Moon (nutty, sweet, addictive)

A clothbound cheddar (Keen's, Montgomery, or Cabot)

Grana Padano (sweet, salty, boisterous)

Grana Padano: A Pesto-Perfect Cheese

Last weekend, I decided it was time to bushwack the basil growing on my patio and make pesto for the neighbors. I had everything I needed – garlic, pine nuts, good olive oil – but no cheese, except for an expensive sliver of Parmigiano Reggiano that I keep in the back of the fridge to drizzle with truffle honey when I need a mood-changer. For making pesto, I didn’t want spend $30/lb, so I turned to Grana Padano, which costs a third of the price and still tastes like joy itself.

Grana Padano looks a lot like Parm. It’s dry and crumbly with a fruity smell and golden color. What’s the difference? To read on, please click here.


Full disclosure: This post is part of a series I'm writing for Di Bruno Bros., one of my fave cheese haunts in Philly. The deal is, I get paid to guest-blog on the store's site (dibruno.blogspot.com) on Wednesdays. Woo hoo!