Culture

3 days ago | culturecheesemag.com | Rachel Robey |Josie Krogh

My perfect dessert is probably pavlova, but Eton mess—a mix of crushed meringue, whipped cream, and fresh berries—is much less work for a similar payoff. This trifle-like dessert, which my family calls “eatin’ mess,” really belongs to Victorian England’s wealthy elite. Its earliest written record dates to 1893, when it was served to Queen Victoria at a garden party. Today, it’s a great make-ahead dessert for a large gathering. Like shortcake, Eton mess’ simplicity lets fruit shine.

1 week ago | culturecheesemag.com | Janet Fletcher

| Whipped Feta Spread with Roasted Red Peppers and ScallionsThe spicy Greek Feta dip, htipiti, usually comes with the ingredients already mixed together, but this “deconstructed” version, originally served at Apiri Greek Eatery in Heraklion, Crete, is just as delicious. Serve with crusty bread or pita, cucumber spears, and kalamata olives.

1 week ago | culturecheesemag.com | Janet Fletcher

Going to Greece? Don’t miss these cheesy dishes. On vacation in Greece last spring, I figured I would consume more than a few Greek salads. I had to feed my Feta addiction, after all. What surprised me was that most of those lovely, crunchy Greek salads I devoured didn’t include Feta at all. On the three islands I visited—Crete, Naxos, and Sifnos—Feta had a competitor. I’ve visited Greece multiple times, but this trip held so many cheesy surprises.

1 week ago | culturecheesemag.com | Janet Fletcher

| Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta, Pine Nuts, and MintI had this dish at Omega3, a beachfront taverna in Platys Gialos, Sifnos, where it comes with a complimentary view of the Aegean. You can lay the zucchini slices flat on a platter rather than rolling them; the presentation isn’t quite as dramatic but the flavor is the same.

1 week ago | culturecheesemag.com | Hannah Howard

| When I was an 18-year-old college student in New York City, I found a job on Craigslist. It happened to be at a Michelin-starred, old-school French restaurant called Picholine with a magnificent cheese cart curated by Maître Fromager Max McCalman. Each afternoon, just as I started my shift, he would share a taste of a new or beloved cheese with the staff. I wasn’t expected to attend those meetings, but I didn’t want to be anywhere else. The cheese lit up something inside me.