Freezing Cheeses

I have yet to find a grocery store here that sells fresh Gorgonzola cheese. We found it in a Jaco Supermarket catering to tourists, but the cheese was so ripe. There are limited choices to fresh cheese in the Jungle, and it is also very expensive.

Our solution is to buy a lot in Panama, and freeze some to enjoy for many weeks after the trip.

BEST PRACTICE: Before freezing cheese, first try it on a little bit to see if it freezes well, and does not compromise the texture after it is thawed.

• Gruyère passes the freeze/thaw/texture test
• Cheddar is okay to freeze but becomes crumbly when thawed making it hard to shred. So, shred what you want before freezing.
• Swiss - still frozen and in the middle of testing
• Feta TBD
• Edam - still frozen and in the middle of testing

RECIPE: Mexican Straw Hat with Chili Seasoning Mix

This a a variation of a very easy dish.

• Cook spaghetti sauce from scratch. Ragu or other bottled sauces are three times as expensive than the US, the choices are limited, and why not use really yummy fresh and cheap tomatoes (when they are in season, which is not during the very wet months of September - October).
• McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix: you'll need to buy this in the US, Panama, or some grocery store that caters to Americans.
• Cheddar Cheese
• Sabemas "Hojuelas de Maiz, Sabor a Barbacoa" instead of Fritos Corn Chips. Barbacoa is BBQ flavor and it works well.

McCormick: http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes.aspx