FOOD INTERNATIONAL

“Oh, I’m sorry I definitely can’t fix your loo, service your car or fit you in for a pedicure between now and Christmas.” Oh dear, it’s started already and suddenly the whole place goes mad building up to December 25^th.

Hey, don’t get me wrong – I adore Christmas and all the celebrations that go with it. But, it’s this struggle to get normal services for about two months in advance and it’s all those worried, stressed faces that surround it that concern me. And let’s not start on the traffic and parking at the malls.

So this year, my advice to you is to have a jolly YOLO Christmas. You can YOLO your gifts, YOLO your Christmas spread and generally make this season of joy really stress-free.

Start with your gift list now. With the possible exceptions of small children and a few friends who are vegan or going dairy free, a wonderful basket, platter or tray of YOLO products all tied up in gorgeous cellophane, tinsel and ribbons (with some mistletoe thrown in) is a great present.

And it doesn’t just have to be presented in a basket or on a platter or tray, your YOLO Christmas cheeses can be trussed up in an old wooden crate, on antique china, or in a rustic wire basket. If you are buying for the entire family, you could go all out with a big selection of cheeses in a cane picnic hamper or if it’s for one special individual you could personalise a wooden tray with a special message. 

You really can let your imagination run wild – and it’s all very affordable.

A basic gift could be a small basket with three varieties of YOLO cheeses (such as YOLO Goat’s Chevre, YOLO Danish Creamy Blue or YOLO Gouda Cumin Slices) along with a special cheese knife and some delicious Spanish YOLO fruit paste. To add to this you can pack an assortment of crackers (even make your own – see our Recipe Page for Cynthia’s Aged Cheddar Biscuits), special jams for sweetness or go nutty with a selection of fresh nuts such as pistachios, walnuts or pecans. You can also throw in a festive t-towel for good measure.

You can base your gift on YOLO Cheeses and make a really special gourmet treat with other fine foods. Don’t forget that ‘marriage made in heaven’ and match a good bottle of wine (or two) with your YOLO cheeses.

On Christmas Day, finish off the feast with a big platter of cheeses and crackers with nuts and fresh fruit. You could even replace the traditional old Christmas Cake with a quirky YOLO cheese cake.

Just don’t let the prelude to the festive season stress you so much that you are tired out before the festivities begin. Take it easy and make it a YOLO Yuletide.

There is an army of well-meaning parents out there who seem to be over-policing what their children eat. Unfortunately, their rules around what the kids can and cannot eat are often misguided and cheese is often sidelined as one of the bad boys on the block.
But, cheese really is a superfood for children with calcium so important for building bone mass. Cheese and other dairy products are among the best sources of this mineral. It can be a part of a healthy diet for most children as long as fat and calories are taken into consideration.
You know, the old chestnut about moderation being the key!
And let’s face it, being a parent trying to get your children to eat healthy food can be a daily and dastardly battle. But, most kids to do like cheese – if it’s grilled on toast, in macaroni and cheese, a cheese pizza or just a piece of cheese. In whatever form, this serving of cheese can make it easier to get your child to eat the calcium and protein he/she needs.
Dietary protein helps to build children’s bones, muscles, organs and other tissues. While it can be difficult to get some children to eat meat, a cheese dish can compensate for this.
High in calcium to build strong bones and teeth and in protein for muscle-building and fat burning, cheese contains no sugar and generally has only low levels of salt.
.
Try it for breakfast: melted on toast (Emmental, Danish Havarti, Dutch Gouda or Dutch Maasdam), added to omelette (Dutch Smoked Cheese, Fecotta, Spanish Goat’s Chevre) in cheesy muffins (Aged Gouda, Italian Granadano Parmesan, Italian Pecorino Romano, Swiss Gruyere or Cow’s Feta); soft cheese on bagels (Spanish Goat’s Chevre or Labneh) or Halloumi with vegetables.
Lunch: toasty sandwiches (Emmental, Dutch Gouda etc), grated over baked beans or spaghetti; in lunchboxes as cubes or slices or as a cheese dip made by soft grated cheese with a little bit of hot water to form a whipped texture.
Dinner: Cauliflower cheese, tacos topped with cheese, fish coated with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan, meatloaf topped with tomato relish and grated cheddar then baked off, quesadilla filled with chicken and smoked cheese…even mashed potato tastes better with some grated cheese stirred through it.
Party food or snacks: Aged cheddar crackers, cheese straws, mini pizzas, cubed cheese on toothpicks with cherry tomatoes or apple, cheese and fruit balls made by combining soft cheese and a little grated cheese with diced dried fruit and rolled in coconut to form balls…

Yes, cheese for kids is awesome at any time of the day!

In the month Kiwis were celebrating 125 years of women’s suffrage in our country, it was appropriate the Food International team welcomed two multi-talented women to the staff. You’ll hear lots more about Desere and Cynthia soon and we are so happy to have these dynamic women on board.

See Cynthia’s recipe for Aged Cheddar Crackers in our recipe section. Ideal for those children who adore cheese.