Reid & Robie

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?

– French President Charles de Gaulle

It’s no secret Robie and I love cheese.

While we’ve learned to make queso with gouda and pinched pennies to splurge on American cheddar in Europe, we really miss the shelves of French bries and bleus, rows of Italian pecorinos, parmesans and fontinas, assortment of Greek, Bulgarian and Israeli fetas, and bounty of Mexican Oaxaca, Chihuahua, cotija, asadero and panela we once knew back home.

In Liverpool we were frustrated by the lack of options beyond cheddar. In Ikaria we had our pick of fresh sheep and goat cheese but little else. In Albania mozzarella is called “pizza cheese” and made with something that doesn’t melt – even at 450º Fahrenheit. Who wants to eat that?

With limited cheese options it’s hard not to think back to the vast selection at Central Market in Dallas. And when we do we’re like starving men in a raft reminiscing about our favorite dishes. And since we believe cheese is the most important food group on the pyramid, here’s a list of our favorites.

Honorable Mentions

As we often do, Robie and I have a few honorable mentions. Because like that guy ahead of you in the express lane at checkout, we just can’t keep it to only 10 items.

It’s hard to go wrong with grilled cheese, and every culture has one. French brie with apricot jam, Swiss cheese with salami and pickles, a Cuban with pork, pickles and cheese, an English toastie, Italian panini or Mexican quesadilla. We love ’em all.

Because the ingredients are so simple, a caprese salad demands the freshest ingredients: warm, summer-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil plucked from the windowsill, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh mozzarella. So don’t even bother making it in winter because in Italy a caprese salad is seasonal for a reason.

Burrata. This awesome combination of fresh mozzarella wrapped around oozy cottage cheese might just be the best thing on the planet. And because it’s so delicate you’ll want to keep the flavors simple to let the cheese shine. In Puglia where burrata was born we had it served in a flavor bomb topped with anchovies and lemon zest that highlighted the simple flavor of the cheese. Motlo delizioso!

And now, for Reid & Robie’s Top 10: Cheese dishes, pairings and nibbles:

No. 10 – Ina Garten rarely makes a misstep in the kitchen and her Grown Up Mac and Cheese is no exception. This version, made with Gruyere, sharp cheddar and bleu sprinkled with nutmeg and bits of crumbled bacon is rich, homey and satisfying. The only thing that improves the original is a layer of sliced tomatoes added on top before baking.

No. 9 – El Arroyo Queso. In the mid-1990s when El Arroyo had a location on upper Greenville in Dallas, Robie and I made it our weekly haunt and always ordered the spinach queso. But since they packed up and left Dallas years ago and no longer serve this version at their iconic Austin location, we’re letting you in on the secret.

El Arroyo Spinach Queso

Ingredients

1/3 package of cream cheese

8 oz. cubed Chihuahua cheese or similar like Oaxaca or Monterrey Jack

1-10 oz. package of frozen whole spinach, thawed, wrung dry and chopped

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Tortilla chips, tortillas (corn or flour) and sliced jalapenos for serving

Directions

Put cream cheese in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth but not bubbling. Add Chihuahua cheese (or other melty cheese) in batches stirring until melted.

Once the cheese is mostly melted, add the spinach and spices and stir to combine.

Pour cheese into a serving bowl, set out the chips, tortillas and jalapenos and serve with your favorite beverage.

You’re welcome!

No. 8 – Khachapuri is a boat shaped cheese bread from Georgia (the country not the Peach State). Made with a mixture of feta, Monterrey jack and low-moisture mozzarella, the cheese is baked right in and then topped with an egg yolk and pat of butter. Plus, this nifty little concoction comes with its own bread sticks for dipping. Just break off a hunk of crust and dig in!

No. 7 – Fondue is basically cheese soup. And you can never go wrong with a big bowl of hot cheese you can dip veggies and hunks of bread in and call it dinner.

No. 6 – What do you get when you cross French camembert with Italian gorgonzola? Cambozola! This tasty little number is magic around the holidays when baked until melty, sprinkled with turmeric and topped with chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Oh, and don’t forget the crackers and a sliced pear for dipping.

No. 5 – Micheal Symon’s Grilled Halloumi Salad is a delicious summer side featuring grilled slabs of halloumi cheese cut into bite-sized chunks added to a bowl of cubed watermelon, slivered almonds and a dressing made with crushed garlic, finely minced shallots, sherry vinegar, olive oil, honey and mint. It’ll go faster than the burgers and hotdogs at your next barbecue.

No. 4 – Roasted baby beets and goat cheese salad. In the spring there’s little we like better than a plate of roasted baby beets drizzled with sherry vinegar and dollops of fresh goat cheese.

No. 3 – Pear heaven is a delicious dessert made from cored pear halves sautéed with a little sugar, dash of cream, knobs of bleu cheese and loads of black pepper. Trust us, you’ll want to eat this simple dessert again and again. And again.

No. 2 – Queso fundido. If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know Robie and I love our queso. And this little bit of melty, gooey goodness is Chihuahua cheese baked with rajas (strips of roasted poblano peppers) and mushrooms served in tortillas alongside a refreshing salt-rimmed concoction. Now that’s hard to beat anytime.

No. 1 – The ultimate cheeseboard. Want to impress your friends with your cheese cred? Here’s Reid and Robie’s over-the-top, irresistible cheeseboard. Because we once hosted a party where the only food we served were different cheese stations paired with garnishes and their own delightful beverages.

Triple crème brie with whole strawberries paired with a chilled glass of bubbly.

Manchego cheese served alongside salty Marcona almonds, rich serrano ham, briny green olives and a crisp Albariño.

Swiss cheese like Emmentaler goes well with Dijon mustard, pickles and a French chardonnay.

Bleu cheese with honeycomb, sliced fresh figs, walnuts and a Willamette pinot noir.

And for those annoying friends who don’t drink wine but like a good pint, sharp cheddar paired with sliced apples, whole grain mustard and cranberry-walnut bread.

Those are some of our favorite cheese dishes. Send us yours so we have something new to dream about.