Cheese -- the great complimenter. Wine and cheese. Mac and cheese. Crackers and cheese. Nothing is quite complete without this one pivotal element. Cheese is a staple food, dazzling the taste buds of children and adults alike. Varying in form -- the playful squirtable can to the lavish truffle infused, always taking the form of perfection. More paramount than form is flavor. Every occasion comes with its perfect compliment that sets the mood and stupefies the taste buds. Some, only some, are able to compliment any occasion. Fresh mozzarella, pesto gouda, balsamic bellavitano, and espresso bellavitano are held the highest on culinary pedestals. Why? They compliment and complete any flavor combination.
1. Fresh Mozzarella
First, the archetypal classic, the chef d'oeuvre: fresh mozzarella. Every bite, a harmonious interaction between whipped texture and milky taste. This porcelain orb of gusto stands great on its own, yet thrives all the same in a fusion of flavor. Numerous edible duets come to mind from the mere clean scent of fresh mozzarella. Most notable: the caprese salad; the epitome of the cheese’s talent. A bite with tomato, and the fruit’s juice will fill the cheese’s every pore. The flavor sensation, so tart but unique, gives the whole body chills. A bite with balsamic, and the cheese transforms into a sponge, soaking up the vinaigrette. A pairing, simultaneously sweet and bitter, somehow boggles the mind yet elucidates the taste buds. Its fine pores allow the mozzarella to not only compliment a flavor, but also become a flavor. Though commonly underrated and overlooked, mozzarella has found a way to soak up the limelight of cheese perfection.
2. Pesto Gouda
Second, the cheese that makes all others green with envy -- pesto gouda. Soft. Herby. Fresh. A luminescent speckled-green block, prominently taking center stage of any cheese case. Pesto gouda intermingles a uniquely decadent combination of flavors, but alongside other foods it creates a masterpiece. Pesto gouda allows the quintessential cheese dish, a grilled cheese, to take an extraordinary turn into the purest form of delectable satisfaction. Two crisp bread slices are nothing without this creamy garlic basil glue sticking them together in perfect unity. Just one bite reveals the yin yang complex; two different ingredients merge to one harmonious plate. The cheese’s soft, creamy texture causes the pesto gouda to meld itself into any food it accompanies. An obvious standout in appearance and an obvious standout in cheese hierarchy.
3. Balsamic Bellavitano
Third, a superb culmination of contrasting flavors: balsamic bellavitano. A sweet sensation of bold, fruity, and nutty zest spawns BIG flavor even in small morsels. One swift chop of a knife and perfect balsamic fragmentations crumble off the cheese rind. Enticing enough on its own, balsamic cheese elevates the average house salad, throwing a house party of flavor (a true rager). A bed of greens humbly awaits its perfect match -- balsamic bellavitano. Each hunk of cheese continuously crumbles so that every lettuce leaf can journey into divine transcendence. The juxtaposition of the crunchy lettuce and the smooth cheese - exquisite opposition. Balsamic bellavitano breaks apart, giving every bite equal tang. The divided cheese gives its companion undivided attention. On the contrary, balsamic bellavitano will never crumble and fall from its high status.
4. Espresso Bellavitano
Lastly, the delightful dessert cheese -- espresso bellavitano. So sugary, creamy, and sweet that it may as well be from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The scent of the rind, crafted solely from espresso,sails the mind across the sea to an old italian coffee shop. Unlike coffee, espresso bellavitano utilizes a drier, more raw approach. Utterly piquant in its natural state, the cheese travels to a whole new world when paired with milk chocolate. Imagine a slice of cheese perfectly aligned a top a pip of Hershey’s chocolate. . .mmmm delicious. A new succulent spin on the mocha, leaving the taste buds begging for more. Bitter espresso and rich chocolate - partners in the perfect crime. The contrast of the barren cheese and moist chocolate converge in satisfying solidarity. Never for a second, does this dessert cheese desert flavor. Espresso bellavitano dry in texture, bathes itself in culinary glory.
