Friday, April 8, 2011

1980s Cheese Ball Revival

Before there were fancy cheese boards, there was the Cheese Ball.

Probably they weren't available, and probably they were too pricey. But brie, blue vein, Camembert, goats cheese, feta and Gouda were not found in our fridge when I was growing up. Now my mum's fridge is positively bulging with nice cheeses.

I hadn't thought of this Cheese Ball until a reader - an old friend from high school - made a special request. In fact she had to ask twice. I confess I was a little ho hum at first.

However, my mother and I dug out this Cheese Ball recipe on my recent visit back to New Zealand. And I'm very pleased Kura sent me on this treasure hunt.

The Cheese Ball had a fabulous revival at an afternoon tea I hosted in Auckland. Several guests requested the recipe. It was notably gobbled up ahead of other dips and cheeses.




The recipe is adapted from a New Zealand Play Centre cook book.

CHEESE BALL


250g cottage cheese
250g cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cheddar, grated
3 Tablespoons chopped gherkins
2 T tomato sauce/ketchup
3 T finely chopped onions
3 T finely chopped parsley - or other herbs such as oregano and basil
1 T Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (other nuts and seeds can be used: sunflower, sesame, almond)


Mix all together except for nuts. Shape into a ball, or if too soft refrigerate for 30 mins or longer. Shape into ball and cover with nuts. (You can toast the nuts first but make sure they're cool before putting on cheese ball. Toasting is purely optional). Place in fridge until ready to eat. Serve with crackers.


Next up, another foray back in time: Melting Moments. Not just any, my Nana's melt-in-your-mouth versions. Stay tuned.


Afternoon Tea Party: Billie and her Kiwi mates

16 comments:

  1. hola Sarah,

    we really enjoyed this -- made a double recipe to take to two parties.

    xo

    Clare and fam(+3 now!) in California

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey Clare,
    Great to hear, I love to be useful.
    Congratulations on your expanded family. I have been wondering how it's all going. Good to hear you managing to devote some time to food.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Sarah,

    Love the new blogspot - looks great which matches your continually fabulous recipes. Never a disappointing outcome - even for me whose cooking is not my strong point

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Cath,
    Lovely to 'see' you here. Thanks for the great feedback.
    So is Willow digging into cheese balls yet?! Must see you in the real world soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. rocking out a cheese ball to share with Rach, Will and whanau tomorrow. One of Rach's daughters is helping me...I like the symmetry of it all. Thanks again for hunting it down. We'll be thinking of you and all those celebratory occasions that included cheese ball on the menu. xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ohh wow, the new extended whanau and all. I love that I can kinda be there via food and recipes

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am extremely impressed with your writing skills as smartly
    as with the structure in your blog. Is that this a
    paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up
    the excellent high quality writing, it is uncommon
    to peer a great weblog like this one today..

    Feel free to surf to my page hemorrhoid treatments

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any problems with hackers?

    My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing months
    of hard work due to no backup. Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?


    Feel free to visit my web blog - Best diet Plan

    ReplyDelete
  9. of course like your website however you need to check the spelling on several of your posts.
    A number of them are rife with spelling problems and
    I in finding it very bothersome to inform the truth nevertheless I will certainly come again again.


    Look at my website - rimbeccandoti

    ReplyDelete
  10. When I initially commented I clicked the "Notify me when new comments are added" checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three e-mails with
    the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
    Many thanks!

    Here is my blog; status testosterone booster reviews

    ReplyDelete
  11. When I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added-
    checkbox and from now on every time a comment is
    added I receive four emails with the exact same comment.
    Is there an easy method you are able to remove me from that service?
    Thank you!

    My blog post: payday loans online

    ReplyDelete
  12. There's certainly a great deal to know about this subject.

    I really like all the points you have made.

    my webpage; low cost seo

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm excited to find this web site. I want to to thank you for your time for this particularly wonderful read!!
    I definitely liked every part of it and I
    have you saved to fav to see new things in your web site.


    Feel free to surf to my blog; anti aging foundation

    ReplyDelete
  14. excellent issues altogether, you simply gained a new reader.
    What may you suggest about your publish that you just made a few days ago?
    Any sure?

    Also visit my website; www.israelnews.co

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good article. I certainly appreciate this site. Keep it
    up!

    Here is my webpage bmi chart men

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog loading?
    I'm trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it's the blog.
    Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

    Here is my web blog: best laser printer 2014

    ReplyDelete

Followers