Random Food Reviews

[hrj]

One of my basic principles on eating is never compromise on taste. Make a different choice, use a smaller amount, but don't use a lower quality. So it was with some trepidation that I decided to try several reduced-calorie cheeses. (Cheese being a serious weakness of mine.) Herewith my opinions:

Trader Joe's Light Feta 40 cal/oz compared with 70 cal/oz for regular feta.

The taste was quite comparable, with the most noticeable difference being that the light feta was drier, less sticky. Since I primarily use feta crumbled in salad, the drier texture is something of a feature rather than a bug. On the other hand, since I use only small amounts, the difference is a savings of maybe 10-15 calories per salad.

Cabot light cheddar 60 cal/oz compared with 110 cal/oz for regular cheddar

I prefer a very sharp cheddar and this was a fairly mild version, so it started off on the wrong foot. When toasted or melted it turns decidedly rubbery and I didn't have much success at blending it into a cheese sauce. Not worth the caloric savings.

Lisanatti almond-milk mozzarella 50 cal/oz compared with 70 cal/oz for part-skim mozarella

I have to conclude that the only excuse for this cheese is vegan pizza. It melts like a cross between silly putty and rubber and tastes like nothing at all. It doesn't even rise to tasting like a cross between silly putty and rubber, just ... nothing.

Overall conclusions: The feta works but the rest are simply incompatible with my culinary principles.

Comments

[wulfsdottir.livejournal.com]

I am firmly of the opinion that my teeth should not bounce off my cheese.

[duchessletitia.livejournal.com]

I second this comment.

[bedouinchick.livejournal.com]

The only low-fat cheese I've found worth even attempting to eat is Alpine Lace swiss cheese, although I usually eat it on cold sandwiches. I have no idea how it would hold up as a melt or used in a quiche Lorraine.

[kaththeamac.livejournal.com]

We use a light mozzarella on pizza, but that's about it.

[aureellia.livejournal.com]

Would you try some cheese I make? I think I have a line on about 40% of the flavor of various cheeses. Holoumis, fetas, and other soft aged cheeses are easy to pack flavor in. Packing it into a longer process (high whey/low cheese yield) may require more experimentation. Is anyone willing to help a fledgling cheese maker work on it?