On a Wednesday lunch in early February this year I found myself at the sandwich bar admiring
the cheese that Chef Greg and Ms. Monica had placed out there for the day. If you didn’t know,
Ms. Monica’s job is to slice the cheese and meats on a daily basis for us to eat. And on a side
note, if you are a fan of the smoked turkey like myself, Chef Greg and crew cook the turkey in
house on a regular basis. We are lucky to have our kitchen crew, both E veterans and nEwbies.
Their excellent daily work and love for feeding us has helped make this a great school year.
Back to the Cheese...
The day-to-day cheese is good. You can’t go wrong with American. It’s a classic.
It goes with anything, especially 2 slices on double smashed patties, or even without patties for
the all-American of foods: the grilled cheese. Then there are the regular alternatives such as
swiss and provolone. Swiss and ham are meant for each other, while provolone can pretty much
be paired with anything. Both are delicious rolled up all on their own, if you didn’t know. And on
occasion, the pepper jack can be found on the bar if you want to spice up your tuna panini. If
you’re looking for a new friend altogether, you could even try the muenster cheese on your roast beef
sandwich. But what was different about this February day was the cheese on the bar that I
hadn’t noticed before: the smoked cheddar. While I don’t usually dig smoked cheeses, this one
was sliced with just the right amount of love, and it got my immediate attention. Upon
returning to the Del-E bar for another round of this smokey deliciousness, I ran into Parker
Stack. After plugging this new smoked cheddar, we quickly entered a conversation about our
favorite cheeses. I learned quickly that Parker was no novice cheese person. However, on this
Wednesday, she would learn about something she didn’t know about: Parrano cheese. For those
of you who don’t know, Parrano cheese is the Captain Crunch of cheeses. It’s a dutch cheese
combination of parmesan and gouda that google identifies as mellow, buttery and nutty. It even
has little crispies inside the cheese that gives it a powerful crunch and makes it a guaranteed hit
on any charcutier-E board. While some Publix do have Parrano, it can be hard to find. A slightly
less rare sibling cheese of sorts that can be substituted for Parrano is the Vintage Havarti. While
not quite as good IMO, it’s still a hit for your guests and family functions. So, if you want
to make an impression or just enjoy a quality cheese, give either of these a-go. As I told Parker,
you will not be disappointed. And don’t forget to try the smoked cheddar when available. While you’re there, thank our amazing dining crew for all their care for our community. And finally, if for some odd reason you get your hands on the Parrano and you don’t like it, then just, “say cheese” and no one will ever know.
- Dean Perk!