GB Fine Cheese & Charcuterie October 2014

Some of my earliest and fondest memories of food have to do with melted cheese. My mother made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. In the early days, she used Velveeta but, eventually, as we grew more sophisticated, we switched up to Kraft American Singles, which was a big improvement in both flavor
and convenience (I always hated trying to slice Velveeta, and besides, even then it didn’t seem like real food). They were always grilled to golden-brown perfection and were the standard sick-day lunch, accompanied by a hot bowl of Campbell’s tomato soup. I wasn’t above adding a bit of Welch’s grape jelly to my sandwich, and of course, they always tasted better when mom cut them on the bias.

Growing up, I never lost my fondness for grilled or, as the English say, toasted cheese.  I no longer use Wonder Bread, having opted for something, shall we say, a bit more rustic in nature; and I discovered a world beyond American cheese, preferring these days to use Gruyere with a slice of either serrano or country ham, pickles or chutney, and lots of good butter. I’m sure I’m not alone in my taste for melted cheese, and it is the theme this month of our Passport to Fine Cheese column, page 5. And coincidentally, our Shop Talk interview, page 9, is with Paul Schilt from Mifroma, the man and the company behind some of the world’s greatest cooking cheeses, in this case those brought to America from Switzerland.

We continue the cooking theme in our feature, “Waste Not, Want Not” (page 11), where we look at cooking from the deli. More than convenience, deli foods make great ingredients, and learning how to use up the end bits can stretch profits and make your customers feel they are getting more value. I’m very happy to have had a conversation about it with Chef Bernard Guillas, master chef, author and collaborator at our sister magazine, Mulange, where he has the enviable job of cooking with some of the music world’s biggest names in their homes.

As always, we have insight from Margaret Eckert in Rules and Regulations (page 17), and a gallery of new and classic products that we love (page 18).

As I write this, I’m about to head off to Paris, where my colleagues and I will be attending SIAL, the biennial food trade show that is a feast for the senses. I’ll be reporting back in the next issue, not only on the show but also on my experiences roaming the streets of one of the greatest food destinations in the world. À bientôt!

James Mellgren
Managing Editor,
Fine Cheese & Charcuterie jmellgren@gourmetbusiness.com