Sticky Toffee Cheese and Mac & Cheese with Bacon, Onions, Chard, Gouda and Manchego
Standing in line at the Co-op deli this morning I zeroed in on a new little sign stuck into a leopard-print wheel of cheese in the display window. It read: Sticky Toffee Cheese. Well, OK.
SINCE YOU PUT IT THAT WAY.
I bought a chunk and took it home for my very own. Rich, salty-sweet and dense, almost like a soft cows’ milk cheddar, studded with a soft brown sugary toffee of sorts, it was not long for this world.
I was there in the queue to buy cheese for research purposes, on assignment for next Friday’s issue of Swerve (the Calgary Herald magazine). (I love it when cheese becomes a business expense.) I chose to make a mac & cheese. My capacity for the stuff is near limitless; especially when it’s made with bacon, onions, roasted garlic, kale, and old Gouda and manchego cheese, then baked with a crusty halo of olive-oily bread crumbs. I picked at the crispy edges and finished the last dozen or so spoonfuls cold, standing up at the stove.
(Since this is technically for Swerve I’m going to hold out on you – I’ll post the recipe when it comes out next Friday. You’ll just have to come on back. Sorry.)
One Year Ago: Roast Pork Loin stuffed with Onions, Apples and Apricots, Roasted Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Pie
November 04 2009 09:36 pm | pasta
Avery on 04 Nov 2009 at 9:48 pm #
When are you going to Jasper? I wanted to unload some Ginger Spice cookies on you (I made way too many for a Westjet event), but I thought you were already gone! They could be good for that road trip ; )
JulieVR on 04 Nov 2009 at 9:51 pm #
We leave tomorrow! Is there such a thing as too many cookies??
Christina on 05 Nov 2009 at 6:00 am #
Have the BEST time!!! Can’t wait to hear about it and once again live vicariously through you!
Safe travels!
PS I don’t know if there will ever be another casserole of Macaroni made in this home that doesn’t contain bacon!! YUMMMM!
Mixing Bowl Mama on 05 Nov 2009 at 6:23 am #
I have no idea what sticky, toffee cheese is but it looks, and sounds incredible.
megan on 05 Nov 2009 at 6:45 am #
I LOVE Sticky Toffee Cheese! I can only seem to get it when we visit Calistoga in the wine country. Thats only once a year but thats probably a good thing or else I would eat way to much of that stuff. LOVE it!!!
rea on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:42 am #
that mac and cheese is almost biblical with a crusty halo and such.
carol on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:50 am #
Hi Julie,
Maybe I’m an uneducated Eastern (TO)…what is sticky toffee cheese?? Looks awesome, perhaps it is better I do not know…a push over for most kinds of cheese.
Erica B. on 05 Nov 2009 at 9:40 am #
Sticky toffee cheese? *swoon* It’s a good thing (for my scale) there isn’t a Co-op near here hehe. oooh but I think it’d make a great appetizer…. make cheese “truffles” with it, cover the outside with some chopped nuts. YUM
Can’t wait for the mac ‘n cheese recipe
JulieVR on 05 Nov 2009 at 9:43 am #
Oooooh brilliant idea!!!
Beverley on 05 Nov 2009 at 10:39 am #
Okay, this post is just MEAN! “Here’s two yummy things, and you can’t have either one, neener, neener”
Looking forward to the M&C recipe Friday 2 minutes after Swerve comes out.
Fiona on 05 Nov 2009 at 10:54 am #
STICKY TOFFEE CHEESE? You’re killing me.
pauline on 05 Nov 2009 at 12:31 pm #
omg I thought at first look it as fudge. Looks to die for.
Melanie on 05 Nov 2009 at 2:16 pm #
Cheese and toffee…. how fair is that? Someone was thinkin!
Barb on 05 Nov 2009 at 3:46 pm #
It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it.
glenda on 05 Nov 2009 at 4:15 pm #
I now officially feel better about the cold mac and cheese I scarfed down while standing at the kitchen counter a couple of days ago…thanks Julie!
Carolyn on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:36 pm #
I stopped and picked up some of this cheese today. Quite yummy! I love that you’re posting so often these days — it’s my daily treat!
Vivian on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:50 pm #
Heh, heh, heh….now the only other thing you could do to *slamdunk* this over the top would be to add …wait for it…BACON! Huh, huh?!
Vivian on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:57 pm #
Oops, I guess you DID add bacon to the Mac’n'Cheese. I was thinkin’ more along the lines of just eating the cheese WITH BACON! Use a crisp bacon slice as the “cracker” and top with a sliver of that marvellous cheese. Kudos to Sobey’s/IGA for having such a wide-ranging and adventurous cheese selection. That’s where I first encountered pineapple Stilton…YOW!
Beverley on 06 Nov 2009 at 10:38 am #
Wait… NEXT Friday? Not today? ARGH!
JulieVR on 06 Nov 2009 at 1:07 pm #
Beverley, I emailed it to you! anyone else who wants it – send me an email and I’ll send it to you too – or leave a comment here!
Ashley on 07 Nov 2009 at 7:48 am #
Looking forward to the mac & cheese recipe! I tried this sticky toffee cheese recently and wasn’t a big fan of it. I really wanted to like it!
tara on 11 Nov 2009 at 12:44 pm #
Oh! I made the boys pasta for lunch the other day with gruyere, pancetta, onions and kale. I’ll be checking back for your version.
Hope you’re having a wonderful time in Jasper.