This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14. April 2006 @ 18:35

Head cheese

i eat it all the time,with vinegar salt and pepper

Head cheese (AmE) is in fact not a cheese, but rather a terrine of meat from the head of a calf or pig (sometimes a sheep or cow) that would not otherwise be considered appealing. It may also include meat from the feet and heart. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature as a luncheon meat.

Historically the cleaned (all organs removed) head was simmered to produce a gelatin (which would form from the bone marrow) containing any incidental meat which came off the head. The more modern method involves adding gelatin to meat, which is then cooked in a mold. In England, head cheese is referred to as brawn, in Scotland as "Potted Head", and in France as fromage de tête, which translates as "cheese of the head". In Louisiana, the highly seasoned "Hog's Head Cheese" is very popular as a cold cut or appetizer. It is also something of a staple of soul food, and may also be known as "souse meat" or simply "souse". In Croatia a rather strongly seasoned version of this meal is called tlačenica or ?vargla (the latter being a corrupted loan-word from German). In Germany, variations of this dish are known as Sülze.

In Genoese cuisine a similar preparation goes by the monicker testa in cassetta, literally 'head in a box'.

In Latin America Head Cheese is very popular and is usually referred to as "Queso de Cabeza".

how about pickle pigs feet


Pickled pigs feet are a food preparation associated with soul food and Southern country, cuisine, as well as Irish cuisine.

In this preparation, the feet of hogs are salted and smoked in the same manner as other pork cuts, such as hams and bacon, can be prepared. They are then placed in jars and covered with a solution of hot brine containing vinegar, much in the manner of pickled vegetables such as cucumbers. This method allows them to be preserved without any need for refrigeration until the jar is opened.

Pickled pigs feet are ususally consumed as something of a snack or a delicacy rather than as the primary focus of a meal as its meat course, although this is not a universal rule. If proper refrigeration is available, any unused portion can be kept in the jar for several days after it is opened.

Although long available commercially, particularly in grocery stores catering to consumers who are likely to have a preference for them (largely African Americans and poor whites), it seems that consumption of this product has declined in recent years due to changing tastes, health concerns, and the ready availability of other snacks. Purists have always preferred those which were "put up" as the result of the home butchering of hogs in any event. To the uninitiated, the somewhat gelatinous nature of the product can be rather off-putting.

This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 15. April 2006 @ 07:08

No respectable cheese thread should be lacking a mention of Colby cheese or it's close relative Colby Jack (AKA CoJack)

This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 15. April 2006 @ 23:24

I thought i'd just say hello,
Im not a big cheese fan but



i love cheese cake!

This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 16. April 2006 @ 00:54

This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 16. April 2006 @ 09:06