Daily Quiz for February 3, 2020

[Mike Nolan]

What’s the difference between cream cheese and mascarpone?

[See the full post at: Daily Quiz for February 3, 2020]

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[Joan Simpson]

I knew this one from watching Giada along time ago.

[BakerAunt]

I didn't know, so I googled it rather than guessing. I don't know if I've ever eaten it, unless it was in a special dessert when I was eating out. It does sound delicious.

[Mike Nolan]

Because it is made just from cream it is pretty high in fat, and also expensive.

[Italiancook]

What makes it overly expensive for me is its short shelf life after opened. Three or four days. I can't use it up in such a short time. Maybe I've had a container that said to discard after five days, but I'm uncertain about that. Having said that, I have to say:

Mascarpone makes a wonderful tomato cream sauce for rigatoni. I add some to hot red tomato sauce and stir. If the sauce isn't as light and creamy-looking as I want, I add more mascarpone. If I have frozen peas, I toss in a few peas. Pasta tastes great that way. Mostly what I use mascarpone for is for parfaits. I prep sliced strawberries with sugar the day before. I layer strawberries, room temp mascarpone, etc. until parfait glass is full. It's a luxurious eating experience, but the mascarpone needs to be room temp. If I have angel food cake or sweet cream biscuits, I'll make them a light layer -- light in quantity, not calories.

Mike, I always develop pop quiz anxiety when you post Italian-related questions. It puts my moniker to the test.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Italiancook.

[Mike Nolan]

I prefer whole milk cheeses to part-skim ones. I can get 5 pound bags of mozzarella at Sams, but I have to go to the one on the other side of town, the one closer to us doesn't carry the whole-milk one. I divide it into 10 ounce packages and freeze it, mozzarella freezes very well.

I tend to buy 3 pound packages of whole milk ricotta there, too, and the last two times I did that I wound up throwing between a third and a half of it away because I didn't use it before it went bad. Ricotta turns grainy when frozen, according to the web.

[BakerAunt]

I am grateful for Mike's tip that mozzarella can be frozen. I buy one that is made with part skim milk, and cut it into 4 oz. chunks, wrap each in saran, pop into a bag and freeze. That way I always have cheese for pizza (just have to remember to thaw it!). For my pizza, I cut the cheese into small cubes and sprinkle evenly on top.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by BakerAunt.

[Mike Nolan]

I buy the shredded kind, you can break it up while it is still frozen and sprinkle it on pizza.

[RiversideLen]

I usually buy shredded mozzarella because it's easier (and yes, it does melt!). When I buy it in a chunk, I like to run it through my KA food grinder for pizza, I really like it that way.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I had landlords who made their own mascarpone from ricotta. I am sorry I never had them show me how to do it.

I just had a conversation this weekend about freezing mozzarella. I usually buy it 10 pounds at a time in one pound block (loaves?) and keep it in the freezer. I thaw it and use it as we need it. I have yet to find a shredded mozzarella that my wife likes but I've frozen both. The woman checking me out didn't know you could freeze mozzarella which led to a discussion of freezing cheddar (which does not work for me).

[Mike Nolan]

Lower fat cheeses apparently freeze better than higher fat cheeses.

[BakerAunt]

My mother always told me not to freeze Parmesan because "it changes character" when frozen. I often froze her turkey tetrazzini casserole, but I waited until I defrosted it and was ready to put it into the oven before I put the grated Parmesan on top.

[skeptic7]

I froze cheddar, the last time by accident, and while the taste is the same, the cheese becomes more brittle and harder to plane. It doesn't make a difference for pizza but the slices tend to break so grilled cheese sandwiches are harder to make.

[navlys]

I have frozen mascarpone before and used it in a tiramisu recipe after defrosting it. No problemo.

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