cabot

Chorizo Nachos
Original Recipes

Not Your Regular Nachos: Chorizo Pinto Bean Nachos

Nachos are one of my favorite foods, so when I realized the Super Bowl was around the corner, I had to whip up a batch.
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Nachos are one of my favorite foods, so when I realized the Super Bowl was around the corner, I had to whip up a batch. The thing that makes these nachos — which are not baked, but assembled — absolutely to die for is the spicy queso sauce.

I used Cabot's hot habanero cheddar, and I highly recommend seeking out this cheese to make these nachos. Combined with a quick béchamel, it results in a super creamy, sharp, spicy, and flavorful queso sauce. The chorizo pinto bean mixture is also wildly delicious and could easily be used in huevos rancheros or as the filling for quesadillas.

If you're a fan of classic fiery Tex-Mex, you must make this recipe. It sounds crazy, but I think these were the best nachos I've ever eaten — and I've tried a lot of nachos! Check out the method now.

Are Cheese Spreads Popular?
Love It or Hate It

Cheese Spreads: Love Them or Hate Them?

Cheese spreads were all the rage at this week's Fancy Foods.
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Cheese spreads were all the rage at this week's Fancy Foods. I asked Michel Bray, who works with Cabot Cheese, what types of people buy spreadable products. That's when I came across the second interesting cheese fact from the show: people who purchase cheese spreads also enjoy eating traditional cheese — but those who primarily purchase traditional cheese eschew "cheese products." Which camp are you in?

What's the Deal With: Rennet
calves

What's the Deal With: Rennet

Have you seen "rennet" listed as an ingredient on the package of your favorite cheese.
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Have you seen "rennet" listed as an ingredient on the package of your favorite cheese. I thought there were different forms of rennet, but wasn't exactly sure, so I did some research.

Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes produced in the stomach of mammals to help digest it's mother's milk. Inside the young animal's stomach, the rennet coagulates the milk, causing it to separate into curds and whey.

In the cheese-making process, rennet is added to the ingredients to do the same thing. The curds are separated from the liquid (whey), and it's then processed and matured to produce a wide variety of cheeses.

The rennet you find in cheese can come from 3 sources: the stomachs of calves (it's extracted after they are killed for veal), from plants, or from microbes (molds or fungus).

The word "enzymes" may also be listed in the ingredients instead of "rennet." Cabot cheese does this and when I called, I found out they use microbial enzymes (not from animals).

Fit's Tips: Just because "rennet" is listed in the ingredients, does NOT mean it comes from calves. Likewise, just because it says "enzymes," does NOT mean it comes from plants or microbes. If you are concerned with the type of enzymes found in your cheese, it's best to call the company to find out the source.

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