Imagine this: You come home from the cheese shop or grocery store, unwrap a wedge of a favorite familiar cheese, and cut off a piece to try. The flavor is great, just as you expected, but you can’t help but feel it’s lacking a little excitement. As proud cheese lovers, we all have our favorites that we can’t live without, but even the most devoted fan will admit the joys of variety. But that’s no reason to give up on the classics! Just as a cozy old sweater can get a revived fashion life with new buttons, so can a familiar comfort cheese be livened up with new flavors. You have the power take the flavor into your own hands by creating your own marinades.
Photo credit: Image of olive oil being poured courtesy of Shutterstock
Marinating is the process of setting something to soak in a mixture of oil and herbs in order to give it a distinct new flavor. You can buy many cheeses pre-marinated in many flavors such as the Marinated Ciliegine from Crave Brothers or the Marinated Goat Cheese from Meredith Dairy. However, it’s also very easy and fun to make at home!
Crave Brothers’ Marinated Ciliegine
Many cheeses can be marinated, though typically mild, high-moisture cheeses work best. This will provide the best balance between the flavor of the cheese and the spices. We’ve got some great recipes for marinating Feta, Mozzarella, and even Manchego that might inspire you in your own marinating-undertakings, but remember to be creative and think about what flavors will best suit your cheese and your personal taste.
Marinated cheeses work great as salad toppings, appetizers, and even gifts. If you’re feeling crafty, you can follow Samantha’s lead at Five Heart Home, and keep your marinades in a cute mason jar that you could decorate and give to friends.
Photo Credit: Featured image courtesy of Laura Chenel’s Chèvre
Jamie Ditaranto
Jamie Ditaranto is a senior at Emerson College and an online editorial intern for culture, who enjoys writing, photography, and travel. She finds a way to sneak cheese into just about every meal and is a sucker for free samples.
