Still, when they aren't busy laughing at all the tourists who are trying not to gag on the local cheese, a lot of Australians are busy chowing down on yummy foreign cheeses. Halloumi is a great example of something I first sampled in Australia, and now I can't live without it. Also, I sincerely believe gamers everywhere would appreciate this cheese.
Why?
For starters, its melting point is so high that you can grill it. It's like fried cheese sticks but from a grill instead - yum!
![]() |
χαλούμι, cooked ancient style |
It was great on military campaigns, too. At some point it was discovered that wrapping Halloumi in mint preserved it - allowing it to be taken with troops over long distances and eaten as part of rations. That's why you see little green flecks in a lot of Halloumi packaging these days - it's mint.
So basically, if you eat some Halloumi while roleplaying a great adventure, you're closer to simulationism than you might realize.
The Recipe
The best way to cook Halloumi is simple. Put a little EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in a skillet and heat it up on medium-high. Throw in pieces of Halloumi not more than a half inch thick and saute till slightly browned. Serve it on a bed of arugula (Aussies: this is called "rocket" in we-never-really-learned English). Add some sun-dried tomatoes and squeeze some fresh lemon all over the whole plate.
It is entertaining that they get confused as to why US cheese is yellow. American Cheddar is a specialty cheese only sold on rare occasions.
ReplyDeleteAlso cheese from a can horrifies them, and to tell the truth, now that I am older, it does me too. ;-)
I find your comments regarding Australia incredibly insulting and true.
ReplyDeleteAnd if this cheese is so great, why wasn't it mentioned in the Cheese Shop sketch?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_Shop_sketch
*plans a fondue party for this weekend*