Culture Magazine

72 culturecheesemag.com C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 3. KEFALOGRAVIERA Origin: Various, Greece Milk: Pasteurized sheep + SHRIMP CHIPS AND COCKTAIL SAUCE A relative newcomer to the Greek cheese scene, kefalograviera has nonetheless already earned a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. It's nutty, salty, and firm, and can be enjoyed grilled, fried, or sliced as is. We recommend it paired with cocktail sauce (preferably one that includes horseradish) on a crispy shrimp chip. The best part of this seaside-inspired pairing? No leftover shrimp tails. 4 3 2 1 ATOMIC AGE pairings and text by MARGARET LEAHY photographed by ADAM DeTOUR styled by KENDRA SMITH 4. SARTORI BELLAVITANO RUM RUNNER Origin: Plymouth, Wisconsin Milk: Pasteurized cow + GRILLED SPAM + BONNE MAMAN CHERRY PRESERVES Frankly, this pairing isn't much of a leap from an authentic mid-century bite. Spam was a staple at 1950s cocktail parties, as were rum-based cocktails like the Mai Tai and Planter's Punch garnished with fluorescent maraschino cherries. As a snackable party meat, Spam abides—serve it cooked and crispy with a dollop of cherry preserves, all atop a boozy cow's milk slice infused with North Woods Distillery's Heath Rum. Alternatively, broil a cruet of the cheese until it's dippable. 2. SKI QUEEN GJETOST Origin: Gudbrand Valley, Norway Milk: Pasteurized goat + BEYOND MEATBALLS AND RYE BREAD Scandinavia saw lots of love stateside in the 1950s and '60s. Furniture, tableware, and snacks all got the Nordic treatment. Swedish meatballs simmering in a crockpot were a common sight at cocktail parties, meant to be plucked out via toothpick and munched while debating the merits of duck-and-cover drills. To ease the cholesterol load, swap the beef for a meat alternative and enjoy with a slice of nutty, sweet-ish Norwegian brown cheese on rye. 5. POINT REYES ORIGINAL BLUE Origin: Point Reyes, California Milk: Raw cow + GIN-MARINATED OLIVES No mid-century schmooze fest would be complete without martinis: vodka or gin and dry vermouth with a cocktail onion, green olives, or a lemon twist. People practically fueled their cars with the stuff. To make this 1960s staple a bit more sustaining, we recommend flipping the proportions and serving green olives marinated in gin and topped with blue cheese. Toss 12 ounces of olives with ½ cup of gin, the slivered peel of one lemon, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and one minced clove of garlic; bake for 30 minutes in a baking dish; remove from the oven, sprinkle generously with blue cheese crumbles, and serve with toothpicks on the good Melmac plates. 1. EL TRIGAL 12-MONTH MANCHEGO Origin: Castilla La Mancha, Spain Milk: Pasteurized sheep + CHILI & SALT DRIED PINEAPPLE RINGS + RITZ CRACKERS 1950s middle-class America loved a casserole. From a 2023 perspective, it seems like there were no rules for making one: take anything canned, bake it with anything binding (likely also canned), and top it with something crunchy. To wit: the very real Pineapple Cheddar Ritz Cracker Casserole. We suggest maturing the flavor combo by keeping the crackers intact, switching out the cheddar for an aged Manchego, and replacing the canned fruit with something a little more toothsome, like dusting dried pineapple rings with salt and chili powder. Oh, and staying away from the oven. 5

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