Battle of the Cheesyburg

If you want to up your cheese game, and we don’t mean those lame pickup lines you’re droppin’ at the local hoochie corral, then turn to these winners when making your next sammie.

Wisconsin’s Roth Cheese recently snagged four medals including two Best of Class awards at the 2019 United States Championship Cheese Contest in Green Bay. Roth Grand Cru Reserve and Roth Pavino are apparently da bomb. And their Chipotle Havarti took second place in Peppered Flavored (Medium Heat) category.

Meanwhile, Crave Brothers Cheese won five awards (take that, Roth!) Crave took home two Gold Awards (Best of Class, First Place) for Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Medallions and Crave Brothers Part-Skim One-Pound Mozzarella Balls. But that’s not all… Crave kicked the cow’s ass winning three Silver (Second Place) Awards for Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Ciliegine, Crave Brothers Oaxaca, and Crave Brothers White Cheddar Cheese Curds.

With all that winning, let's get some Crave Brothers in our bellies!

​Fresh Mozzarella with Balsamic Drizzle and Walnuts

By: Randy Hughes of Waterloo, WI
Yield – 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 medium balls of Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
2 medium ripe tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Craisins
6 sprigs fresh basil – chopped finely
1/2 cup candied walnuts (recipe to follow)
Balsamic reduction sauce (recipe to follow)
 
Directions:
Layer slices of mozzarella cheese and fresh tomatoes on a medium sized plate. Stack them ending with fresh tomato. Drizzle the balsamic reduction sauce over stack. Sprinkle with fresh basil and Craisins. Top with chopped basil and candied walnuts.  Serve within one hour of stacking.
 
Candied Walnuts
1 cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon butter
 
Melt butter in a frying pan. Stir in brown sugar and walnuts. Heat until the brown sugar is caramelized. Remove from heat, spread on a cookie sheet to cool. May add cinnamon or wasabi to spice them up.
 
Balsamic Reduction Sauce
1 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 sprigs finely chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic – crushed
2 Tablespoons capers
 
Combine vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. remove garlic. The sauce can be refrigerated up to two days.

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