Cheese #8: Juusto Baked Cheese with Jalapeño Peppers

Fellow cheese lovers I have heard your cries and after a long hiatus I am here to ponder my next cheese. Don’t call it a come back because who knows when I will feel such a deep desire to ponder again. Over Memorial Day weekend I was given a block of Pasture Pride Wisconsin made Juusto “Baked Cheese” with Jalapeño Peppers. As soon as I received this gift from our dear friends Megan and Matt I knew this was a cheese I needed to ponder. Now the cheese has sat in the fridge for two American patriotic holidays and the day has final come where I am ready to ponder again (don’t worry – the expiration date was checked).

I have a confession to make before I start a full review of this Wisconsin classic. Juusto and I have a history; I was introduced to Juusto not long after my last post in the summer of 2012. I was introduced to Juusto for the first time by the same couple that reintroduced us this summer. They say first impressions are everything and Juusto and I had a less than stellar first meeting. Juusto must be served warm (more on that later), and I did not give the cheese the proper warming time required due to a less than coherent state of mind after dancing and celebration at a friend’s wedding. If my memory serves me correctly, I ravenously devoured Juusto without cutting or taking the time to properly enjoy its flavors. For that, Juusto, I owe you my most sincere apology.

Now that I have taken the proper time to savor Juusto the way it deserves I will happily give it a proper review. I must address what I see as Juusto’s biggest flaw first; to enjoy it must be warmed. We warm and melt cheese all the time on food and I, like every other sane person, love melted cheese with almost every dish. What makes this a problem with Juusto is that the warming makes the cheese so it cannot be immediately snackable at a moments notice. When I want to enjoy cheese as an appetizer or anytime snack I have no desire to work for it, I want to be able to cut it with a knife and pop it in my mouth. As I mentioned in Juusto’s introduction it is a “Baked Cheese” and sections of the outside have the delightful look of a perfectly cooked pizza. When I saw the darker baked sections of the cheese I expected some of that same roasted cheese flavor but that flavor wasn’t present as expected. On the brighter side of Juusto because of its warmth it squeaks in your teeth. To some a squeaking cheese may sound strange but for anyone who has enjoyed a fresh Mid-western cheese curd you know how delightful that squeak is.

Fellow ponderers and readers you may be wondering about Juusto’s overall taste. As I mentioned the cheese was without the expected roasted cheese flavor, the overall flavor was very mild. The most distinct flavors in this particular cheese were the Jalapeños in combination with the natural oils from the cheese. This combination gave the cheese, when properly warmed, a similar flavor to fajitas. Overall I enjoyed the cheese but would love the opportunity to try other varieties of Pasture Pride Wisconsin made Juusto, as I feel that the Jalapeño flavor may have taken away from my full ability to review this cheese.

Now the moment you have all waited and wondered about. In comparison to Colby Jack, the pride of cheese, I would give this cheese one thumb up for two simple reasons; one being that I would like to try the original Juusto and give it a proper review, and the second reason being its low level of snackablity.

Until next time Readers!

Peace, Love, and Cheese