20 culturecheesemag.com I N N OVAT I O N 202 3
C H E F ' S D I S H
the side—but instead of long-stewed marinara, the chef buzzes
tomato, jalapeno, onion, and garlic with lemon juice and
tamarind puree to make a dip that brightens up each bite.
"I tell tables to treat it like mozzarella sticks," Tewfik says.
"It's really fun to see how people deal with the cheese pull,
because it's intense. You can stretch that thing a full arm's
length and it won't snap."
McCormick's skillful use of cultured dairy runs throughout
Mish Mish's menu, whether he's shaving pecorino on a salad
with apples and puffed farro or serving pomegranate-lacquered
chicken atop labneh and soft leeks. "Cheese is so versatile. It's
my go-to when I need to add a little bit of depth and savoriness
and complexity," he says. That talent extends to dessert, too.
"A Cheese Plate, Kinda Sorta" is a fluffy blanket of finely shaved
L'Amuse Gouda over swirls of brandied cherries and rich
hazelnut praline, served with a spoon so that the elements must
be enjoyed together, bite by bite.
But the lure of that cheese pull is strong. The fried Armenian
string cheese has become one of the most popular dishes on
Mish Mish's menu, a flagship small plate that sums up Tewfik's
vision: easy, simple, fun.
McCormick can look out from the open kitchen and watch
guests delight at the hot, molten cheese. "Nobody's confused by
it. They're just like, 'Oh, this is fried cheese, but it's so good,'" he
says. "And that's perfect. That's what we want." c
"Cheese is so versatile. It's my go-to
when I need to add a lile bit of depth and
savoriness and complexity,"
"It's hard to be mad while you're eating [the
string cheese], which I think sums up what we're
trying to do here," McCormick says
FRIED ARMENIAN STRING CHEESE
WITH TOMATO-TAMARIND SAUCE
AND NIGELLA POWDER
P. 55
