"cheeseballs" news and stories

Happy National Cheeseball Day!

For having the potential of being a highbrow gourmet treat, cheeseballs have long been the subject of some seriously irrelevant humor, perhaps best exemplified by Alec Baldwin peddling his holiday balls as Pete Schweddy on Saturday Night Live. But for those that can overlook its comedic potential for some culinary clout, the crusted cheese orb is a holiday favorite.

Count on Giada De Laurentiis for a dainty Herb-Coasted Goat Cheese, or if you're feeling more adventurous, opt for Amy Sedaris' Lil' Smoky Cheeseball. This Sausage-Cheeseball recipe from Epicurious combines lean sausage, Bisquick and cheddar into baked mounds for an easy nibble, or this Teriyaki Cheeseball recipe spices cream cheese with soy sauce and ginger, rolling it in a sesame-seed crust. And of course if you're feeling particularly nutty, there's always the Cheese Ball Goblin recipe courtesy of (who else?) Paula Deen available for the amusement of your guests.

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Risotto tastes more savory with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Rice and cheese can be a rich and lusciously creamy combination. For this reason, Supplì al Telefono, fried rice balls stuffed with mozzarella, is one of my favorite Roman dishes. Its rich taste and mouthwatering texture are an intense culinary delight.

Supplì al Telefono is often made with both Parmigiano and mozzarella. I first tried it at a restaurant in Piazza del Popolo, in Rome. I was pleasantly overwhelmed with cheese and rice. I would hardly compare these balls of cheese to American mozzarella sticks. The addition of rissoto and oregano creates a totally unique aromatic milky texture. In his book Molto Italiano, Mario Batali states "These suppli' have a cult that is all their own; you will find us strutting down the streets of the Eternal City, stretching strings of mozzarella from our hands to our gluttonous mouths."

While you can find this Roman gastronomic treat at several Italian restaurants, it's easy enough to make on your own. And, you can make several different variations. Gourmet has a recipe that uses mushroom risotto. Mario Batali's recipe calls for porcini mushrooms, prosciutto, and San Marzano tomatoes. Supplì al Telefono are the perfect appetizer when entertaining. Next time, you're thinking of eating a melted cheese dish, take out your leftover risotto and concoct these stuffed rice balls.

While I'm sure some foods of the past will stay firmly in the galleries of regrettable foods, or so I hope, some wrench themselves out of the tacky and make a new gourmet place for themselves. Cheese has already gone back to the fondue, but what about the cheese ball?

They're still available in stores, they have their own special day, Amy Sedaris digs them, and they pop up here and there at parties, but as the AP/Dallas Morning News says: "this classic party food earned an ugly reputation it's been mostly unable to shake – an orange softball filled with garish industrial cheeses, smacking of an untraceable sweetness, and coated with stale, often soggy, nuts." The piece goes on to discuss the intricacies of a cheese ball and how to make your own globe of cheesy goodness. But their best bit of advice: use a tablespoon and make bite-sized balls.

Think of the party possibilities! You can make a variety of outer layers and they're much easier to grab by guests -- no trying to hold a drink while cutting cheese and trying to slop it onto a cracker. You can have nutty outsides for the nut-friends and other outsides for the allergy-laden. There are tons of options.

Are you ready to open your arms to the cheese ball?

Amy Sedaris is one of my favorite performers, and she also happened to write one of my favorite cooking/entertaining books, I Like You. She was on Martha Stewart's show earlier this week (her second visit) and I unfortunately missed it. But thank God for the internet! Martha has posted (well, I doubt she posted it - I really can't see her sitting down and working the HTML and uploading pictures) a video of her appearance, where Amy and Martha each made cheeseballs.

Amy's was from her book. Lil' Smoky Cheese Ball sounds like the perfect appetizer for your guests, and very easy to make. Here's the video from Martha, and after the jump the full recipe.

Those of you who read our TV Squad blog know that I have an obsessive, unhealthy need to keep track of everything that Amy Sedaris is up to completely normal respect for Amy Sedaris' work. Not only is she independent, only taking the roles and working on stuff that she wants to work on, how many fairly well known celebrities do you know that still wait tables? (I also happen to find her very cute, but that's a different post for another day.)

And there's another reason to love her: she runs a small business out of her apartment, making cheeseballs and cupcakes for New York City bakeries and shops! Here's the recipe for her cupcakes, from the new issue of Venus magazine:

Amy Sedaris' Vanilla Cupcakes

In a large bowl, cream together:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups of sugar
Add in:
 2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
Alternate:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups of milk
Stir until batter is smooth. Fill cups, bake in a preheated, 375F oven for 18-20 minutes.

For the frosting, whip together 1 box of confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup half and half, and 1 tsp pure vanilla until smooth and fluffy.