For some, savory doesn't just come before sweet in the dictionary; it also comes first in life, period. If you belong to that segment of the population, consider doing something different at your wedding or next big bash: serve a tower of cheese instead of a traditional cake. Depending on the size of your event, offer one that's elaborate and grandiose or smaller and more manageable. To get Read more

Winter's prime time for comfort foods, and what could be more reassuring on a bleak day than truffle mac and cheese? Cooking in Pajamas expounds. You could go to a restaurant and pay $15 for a bowl of this decadent pasta, or simply make it at home for a fraction of the price. That's right. You can make this at home for a surprisingly reasonable price. The secret is truffle oil. The use of Read more

All Winter long, I've been on a relentless hunt for Vacherin Mont d'Or, the oozy, ripe cheese that's made from the Winter milk of Swiss Gruyère cows. But it soon became clear to me that it wouldn't be so easy to track down a version of the alpine cheese in tip-top shape; when I asked cheese fanatics for advice over Twitter, many of them urged me to try American alternatives. A quick trip to San Read more

Pulling together a cheese platter for your next holiday soiree seems like an übereasy task — and it should be, if you know the few basic fundamentals of cheese pairing. Take a few tips from Cathy Strange, cheese buyer from Whole Foods Market, before you stock up your party pantry, and you'll be sure to have a cheese plate that's as dynamic as your Christmas party conversation. Your Read more

Napoleon loved it, and Jean Brillat-Savarin, a famous French epicurean, dubbed it the "king of all cheeses." Époisses de Bourgogne is a creamy, semisoft white cheese with a runny interior and a distinct wrinkled orange rind that was created in the 16th century by a group of Cistercian monks living in Époisses, France. Women in the region learned the unique method, and carried the tradition Read more

In my family, the holidays mean one thing: cheese diablo wafers. This is a longstanding family recipe that we make every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the whole family inevitably ends up fighting over them. They're spicy, crumbly, and irresistibly rich, and they set the stage for a decadent holiday feast. Another bonus? They're a cinch to make, meaning you can make several batches (which Read more

When thinking of an appetizer to serve at upcoming holiday parties, skip processed, premade food and serve something fresh and whole instead. We love this idea from FitSugar reader CheesePlease; she posted it in the Snack Attack: Healthy Snack Ideas community group. Think of Grana Padana as Parmigiano Reggiano's high-maintenance cousin. This cheese is less nutty and salty; a much more delicate Read more

Mother Earth surprises us with plenty of naturally colorful foods, from blueberries to squid ink, and everything in between. So have you ever been stumped about why, given that cow's milk isn't orange, certain cheeses have such a shockingly bright color? I asked our resident cheese expert, Laura Werlin, what the reason is behind that. Turns out there are several possible historical explanations. Read more