With giant sporting events coming up like the Superbowl and the Winter Olympics, we naturally turn our thoughts to delicious and fun snacks. In other words, we think of cheese dips. While there’s lots of cheese dips on the market, Cheese Professor talked with cheesemongers and cheesemakers to learn about their favorite cheese dips and discover any helpful hints on how to make your cheese dip more luxurious.
Widmar’s Brick Cheese Dip by Beautiful Rind
Don’t Overlook Spreadable Cheeses
While people can buy nacho cheese or other pre-made cheeses on the market, several cheesemakers offer quality cheese spreads. Randall Felts, owner of Beautiful Rind in Chicago, recommended Widmer’s Aged Brick Spread, which the store also featured in their weekly Cheese Club. For Felts, it “reminds me of the ‘cheese’ that I had as a kid in the little packs with crackers and a red plastic spreader.” Felts noted that Widmer “traces its lineage back generations to the inventor of brick cheese!”
Alise Sjostrom, president and co-owner of Redhead Creamery, suggested their Pimento cheese as a great alternative to regular cheese dips. People tend to be surprised that a Minnesota creamery makes its own pimento cheese, which people tend to associate it with the South of the US; Sjostrom has put her own spin on the recipe with different peppers. It’s a regular favorite at the creamery; they tend to have it for lunch! She also likes to melt it and eat it with pork rinds.
Redhead Creamery also makes a garlic cheese dip that can also be eaten straight or melted.
Mix Cheeses Together
A good dip can also be made by combining a few cheeses. Ken Monteleone, owner of cheese shop Fromagination, likes a lot of spice so he uses Deer Creek Cheese’s The Rattlesnake, which is infused with tequila and Habanero peppers. Since not everyone may not love spice as much as him, he recommends combining it with other milder cheeses like a Hook’s 5 Year Sharp Cheddar, and add some creme. The result goes well with Mexican beers, sangria, tortilla chips, and even melted on a burger. He’ll pair it with pineapple and mango to soften the spiciness as well.
For folks wanting some bite without the heat, Beautiful Rind makes their own bleu cheese dip in the shop. Felts explained that they use “a rustic, crumbly blue like Stilton or Felix from Caves of Faribault. We mix roughly equal parts blue cheese and softened cream cheese with a bit of house-made shallot vinegar.” They pair it with fresh pretzels or even on a roast beef sandwich.
Quark photo courtesy Milton Creamery
Go with Quality
One of the first ways to elevate a cheese dip is using artisanal cheese. That’ll take it to another world from the “cheese food” found in many nacho cheeses. But that’s not all. Felts recommended using high quality complementary ingredients as well. He said, “For instance, most cheese dips use cream cheese or a soft cheese base. Rather than using mass produced grocery store brands, use Gina Marie Cream Cheese from Sierra Nevada Cheese Co or even Quark from Milton Creamery.” He also added that given his time in the South, he knows “the importance of good mayo. At Beautiful Rind, it’s Duke’s or nothing.”
Monteleone said that he likes to take a traditional cheese dip from the grocery store to use it as a base and “grate in some of these small batch cheeses.” It allows the best of both worlds: a delicious cheese that doesn’t break the bank. He also suggested pairing the dip with small batch charcuterie including Nduja Spicy Spreadable Salami that’s made in Madison, WI.
Add Spice or Crunch
Pairings can also elevate a cheese dip. Sjostrom recommends adding pickles (or pickled items in general), fun toothpicks, crackers or even fresh dill that can make a cheese dip look even more appetizing. She noted, “my thought is just to add a little something fun, small and pickled to it, because it adds to the look because we eat with our eyes.”
Prioritize Creativity!
Like anything in the cheese world, there’s a lot of different ways to enjoy cheese dip. Dip is social, it’s casual, and sometimes even mess. What it’s not is serious. Making cheese dip offers the opportunity to break the rules and let your imagination run wild. Is your favorite sandwich a Reuben? Turn it into a dip. Want to include an ingredient in your cheese dip that represents your favorite team? Go for it. Sjostrom summed it up best: “There is a time and place for all cheese types. It’s okay to eat what tastes good but it’s a lot more fun to have something that has a story to add to the conversation.”