Of all the great food duos of the world – PB&J, spaghetti and meatballs, burger and fries – spicy cheese is definitely on the shortlist. After all, cheese and heat are a perfect couple. The kick of black pepper, horseradish or habanero complements a cheese's buttery goodness, and cheese is a natural antidote to the burn of spicy foods. It's no wonder that Americans can't get enough spicy cheese. Sales of varieties like Ghost Pepper Jack cheese, Habanero Cheddar and Pepper Colby Jack are through the roof, and cheesemakers produce new types of spicy cheese every year. So, hats off to whoever first popped a pepper in a vat of warm cheese curd - our taste buds salute you!
Wisconsin cheesemakers make more flavors, varieties and styles of cheese than anywhere else in the world – and that includes barnloads of spicy, savory cheese. Jalapeno juustoleipa, habanero jack, jalapeno muenster, pepper jack habanero cheddar, ghost pepper jack, sriracha gouda and horseradish cheddar are just a few of the spicy cheeses that hail from the State of Cheese.
Spicy cheeses are usually based on creamy, milder varieties of cheese that benefit from the extra punch that pepper or horseradish provides. Common Spicy cheese varieties include horseradish cheddar, pepper jack, sriracha gouda, jalapeno muenster and habanero cheddar.
No one really knows who first put peppers in cheese. It might've been the New York farmers who, in the 1870s were making the first versions of cream cheese at the same time that Spain was first shipping canned red peppers – pimientos - to the United States. Or perhaps it was Mexican immigrants in California who experimented by adding chili peppers to monterey jack, creating the world's first pepper jack cheese.
Spicy cheese is usually made by adding ingredients like chunks of pepper, horseradish, powdered peppers, mustard seeds or peppercorns to the cheese curd before it's pressed into a mold, or by rubbing spices like black pepper or cayenne on the rind.
When it comes to spicy cheese, it's good to know your limits! A spicy pepper jack cheese will leave your mouth with a warm glow, while a ghost pepper cheese may positively set it on fire. With peppers, heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) – it's the number of dilutions a pepper needs to no longer taste hot. At roughly 5,000 SHU, jalapenos are among the mildest peppers, while at 22 million SHU, the Carolina reaper is the world's hottest pepper – and is featured in a Wisconsin Cheddar!
Spicy cheese shines when paired with sweetly acidic foods that balance the creamy heat – think grapes, strawberries, honey, raspberry jam or caramel. Alternately, go with savory ingredients with bold flavor profiles that can match the heat of a spicy cheese kick for kick – green olives, cured meats, pickles and savory chutneys.
Spicy cheese is the perfect way to add some kick to melted cheesy dishes like mac & cheese, cheeseburgers and egg strata. Serve it cubed on cheese trays, melted on burgers and in broiled dishes, or sliced on sandwiches with deli meats for an explosion of flavor.
When you're drinking wine with spicy cheese, you'll want something big and punchy that can hold its own – a big red Zin will do. Or you can balance the spice with the sweetness of a Moscato. If your heart's set on beer, an IPA or wheat beer will offer a cleansing contrast, while an Imperial Stout will boost the burst of flavor from your spicy cheese.
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