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Menu Place
May/June • 2009
Go Green

In This Issue:

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Wisconsin Cheese Builds Brunch Success

Update weekend brunch offerings with comfort and flavor...

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Beverages and Cheese Pairings

Cheese-friendly menu items offer the ideal opportunity to pair beverages...

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Freshen Up Your Menu

Cool, creamy flavors for warmer weather cuisine...

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cheese

Grilling Flavor Gets Boost with Wisconsin Cheese

Restaurant menus have long seen a rise in offerings coming straight off the grill. Providing grilled items on the menu allows customers to savor the summer season all year long.

According to a 2006 Mintel’s Menu Insights study, “Innovations in smoked wood flavoring, sauces, and rubs are all heating up restaurant grills. These brighter tastes and innovative flavors are providing more versatility to barbecue on national menus. This evolution of new tastes makes grilling one of the most popular preparations on restaurant menus.

”Wisconsin cheese offers the ideal accompaniment to capture that “just off the grill” flavor year-round.

Cheese is Top Choice for Versatility
Virtually any main dish can be prepared on the grill – from steak to chicken, pork to lamb and tofu. With so many options, choosing various cheeses to complement the dish can add myriad menu uses.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) offers tips and ideas for adding cheese to your grilling repertoire.

Variety Kicks Grilling Up a Notch
Think outside the box and use Wisconsin Cheese to add interesting flavor profiles to your menu. For instance, instead of topping a burger with a slice of cheese, try stuffing it with Feta or Blue Cheese. Your customers will be delightfully surprised with the new twist on an American classic. Top a burger or grilled chicken sandwich with a pungent Limburger, a washedrind cheese that adds a lot of flavor and an excellent Cheddar alternative. You can also try flavored cheeses such as Jalapeño Monterey Jack or Salsa Cheddar. Both add wonderful spice to an otherwise bland chicken breast.

Another option to create a diverse grilling menu is to top burgers with a cheese spread. Cheddar or Brick Cheese spreads add a creamy texture to juicy burgers. Or, serve them as a condiment.

Side Dishes Deserve Grill Time Too
Grilled side dishes also benefit in flavor when cheese is added. Prepare a fruit kabob paired with Juusto Leipa, or Bread Cheese, and serve as a new twist on the fruit platter. Shredded Parmesan beautifully tops grilled veggies, such as peppers, squash and onions. Instead of baking potatoes, wrap them in foil and cook on the grill, then top with Cheddar, Provolone or Blue Cheese. Or, add Fresh Mozzarella to skewers of grilled olives and tomatoes.

Not All Cheeses Melt Equally
Cheese performance can also impact its usage on the menu. Some cheeses, such as Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gouda and Swiss melt exceptionally well, enhancing any hot sandwich or burger. Other cheeses, such as Feta and Queso Fresco, have a crumbly texture and tend to hold their shape better when grilled, making them the perfect topper for steaks.

For recipes, application ideas or additional
information on grilling, visit the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board at
www.EatWisconsinCheese.com.


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