Turophiles (connoisseurs of cheese) and gourmands nowadays need to look no further than the city to get their platter of cheese. From Blue cheese to Gruyere and everything in between, many different varieties of cheese are now available at select supermarkets and stores in Thiruvananthapuram.
Dreams at Kowdiar, for instance, has an exotic selection of cheese from across the world besides those made in India, available as spreads, slices and/or dips.
A touch of spice
A brand named Kodai Cheese (produced by Kodai Dairy Products Limited, Kodaikanal), which is available at the store, has some 20 varieties of cheese such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Feta, Edam, Emmental, Gouda, Mascarpone, Cream cheese, Ricotta, Gruyere, Smoked and Plain Mozzarella, and Smoked Edam, to name a few.
Says Sujaya George of Dreams: “We have some interesting flavours in cheddar cheese such as red chilli and pepper, great for those who like a bit of spice in their cheese. We also have slices of cheese infused with jalapenos peppers, garlic, and green chilli, to name a few. Another speciality is triple layer cheese that has chilli and pepper. Cheddar is great for sandwiches.”
A selection of cheese from Le Ferme Cheese, Auroville, is also available here and it includes popular varieties such as Gorgonzola, Swissly, Lofabu, and Goat's cheese.
White feta cheese from Germany is perfect for salads, especially Greek salads and for grills. It's priced at Rs.385 for 200 gm. “Brie and Camembert are imported from France. Camembert is great as a topping for pasta and lasagne and Brie is tasty by itself,” explains Sujaya.
If French brie is the ‘Queen of cheese,' then varieties of blue cheese such as Danish blue and Gorgonzola are the Kings of cheese. “Blue cheese is ideal as a spread for sandwiches or burgers, or as a topping on salads, pasta, and popcorn. It also tastes great with figs. However, it is an acquired taste, and is quite popular among connoisseurs of cheese,” says Sujaya.
Red Leicester (a good alternative for cheddar cheese and ideal for toasted sandwiches, jacket potatoes and many a hot snack), Gorgonzola from Italy (great as a pasta-pizza topping), and Gruyere from Switzerland (fantastic for fondue) are other varieties to choose from. Then there is Gouda cheese from Holland, which is best eaten by itself or paired with wine.
According to Sujaya, the best-sellers are feta and different types of cheddar cheese.
The Nilgiris outlets in the city too stock a wide variety of their own branded cheese. “Among the 15 or so varieties we have, cheddar cheese and plain varieties have more takers. The flavoured types aren't very popular, though,” says Prince Vinod, who runs the franchise of Nilgiris at Thycaud. While the cheese spread cup comes in natural, tomato, pepper, and chilli-capsicum varieties, you get flavoured cheese in natural, tomato, pepper, onion, and chilli-capsicum types. All of them have a shelf life of 90 days. Mozarella cheese, with a 30-day shelf life, is another popular Nilgiris product. Say cheese to cheese!
