"cream cheese" news and stories

Looking for an enticing alternative to cream cheese? Try the Belle and the Bees Breakfast Cheese from Fromagerie Belle Chèvre in Elkmont, Ala. Its lusciously creamy, fluffy texture and its tangy, floral and fruity flavor make this cheese spread taste like rich goat's milk ice cream drizzled with honey. And, the cheese's mild approachable taste and smooth consistency mean that it's ideal for spreading on all sorts of breads, including bagels. To find out more about the tanginess and sweetness of this cheese spread, we spoke to Tasia Malakasis, owner of Belle Chèvre.

The addition of tupelo honey from a Savannah beekeeper gives this cheese a delicate taste of rosewater and a distinct pear-like aroma. The combination is similar to the experience of tasting tangy yogurt with syrupy honey or to that of eating sliced pears with fresh goat cheese. "I like to play with the cheese to enhance the sweetness," says Malakasis. Thanks to her mixing of flavors, the spread has just the right balance of sweet and tangy.

More on the Belle and the Bees Breakfast Cheese after the jump.

Cream cheese is certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking "artisanal" cheese. However, where there are bagels, and sometimes lox, this fresh, creamy spread is ubiquitous. It usually comes in a plastic container with the name of a large industrial brand name, like Breakstone's Temp Tee and Philadelphia (in Spanish "queso Filadelfia" is translated as "cream cheese"). With that kind of supermarket pedigree, it's hard to believe cream cheese could be artisanal. And yet, after tasting Champlain Valley Creamery's denser (it's not whipped) and richer organic cream cheese, we now know that yes, indeed, it can -- and it makes a big difference in flavor and texture.

What exactly makes the production of Champlain Valley Creamery's cream cheese distinct from its industrial counterparts? To start with, the organic milk used to make the cheese comes from Journey's Hope Farm, a neighboring dairy. Using organic cow's milk from crossbred Jerseys and Holsteins that yield milk with high butterfat produces a tastier milky flavor in the cheese; a slight tang that can also be enjoyed with the creamery's other cheeses (try Champlain Valley Triple Cream).

Salty, creamy, chewy, smoky --a bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese and caviar pretty much fulfills all promises. But, and here's where a little rain falls on the brunch parade, it's a poor choice unless you select your fish with an eye on sustainability.

Salmon and sturgeon are both on the least-sustainable seafood list (they've been overfished), so, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, an easy-to-use buying guide, choose wild-caught Alaska salmon instead of Atlantic salmon, and caviar (roe) from U.S.-farmed sturgeon, or those that are wild-caught from Oregon and Washington.

A classic combination simply becomes a classic with a conscience.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot of having photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

I love the variety of cakes that you all add to the Slashfood Flickr pool. We get birthday cakes and cupcakes, heart-shaped ones and ones decorated with animals sculpted from fondant. This particular cake uses deviled food cake, cream cheese and crushed Oreo cookies to achieve this fluffy effect. It looks like an easy one to assemble and would be perfect for those of you who struggle getting your frosting just right.

Thanks ginnerobot, for adding your photo to the pool!

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These cream cheese penguins are clearly taking a death march to someone's mouth. They are so cute that there is no way that that they wouldn't be the hit of any party. They were made by blogger Sweet & Sticky who proudly says that they were the only dish that everyone completely finished off at her family get-together.

To further raise the level of cuteness of these little guys, commenter Karly said that she made these penguins with a cheeseball igloo!

These would be a perfect way to cool down on one of the remaining hot days of summer or to complete a winter scene during the holidays.

For complete instructions on how to make the penguins, visit Sweet & Sticky.