Cheese, glorious cheese: It’s not just for munching

Don’t stew over what to serve when friends come by before or after your movie date or that impromptu meeting. Rely on cheese. Present three or four varieties, each with one or two knives or spreaders, picks, and fruit and fresh vegetables. It’s best to set the cheese out a half-hour or so ahead — except for fresh, cream-types and dips.

Cheese has been a good friend for countless centuries. It used to be — and that was only a couple of generations ago — that we depended on imports. Today America is producing cheeses that can face up to any import. California is turning out great products. One dairy that stands out is Fiscalini Farms, which was founded in the early 1900s by John Baptiste Fiscalini, son of Mateo, who came to America in the 1800s from a Swiss family with a 300-year history of cheese-making.

Its specialty is Cheddar — its first being San Joachin Gold. It also produces a Premium Reserve Bandage-Wrapped Cheddar aged at least 16 months that stands up to the best English product. It also has several flavored cheddars, such as caraway, dill, garlic, pepper, saffron, sage and tarragon. A new one is Purple Moon, a 6-month-old cheddar that’s been soaked in Cabernet Sauvignon 24 to 48 hours; and a couple of spreads: Horsefeathers and Pesto.

But cheese is not just for munching. Try these Goug?res — cheese-flavored puffs that may be eaten cold or hot. Traditionally, they are piped in a ring shape, but these are spooned out in mounds to simplify it. The second recipe is a dip that’s served warm, making it unusual in the onion-dip class.

Bandaged Cheddar Gougêre

1 cup water

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) coarsely grated Fiscalini Bandage-Wrapped Cheddar

2 tablespoons chopped parsley and chives

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In heavy saucepan, combine water and butter; heat to a boil. Immediately add flour, stirring vigorously with wooden spoon until dough comes away from sides of pan to form a ball. Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time (making sure dough comes together before adding next egg), beating well after each. Add mustard, red pepper flakes, salt, cheese, parsley and chives, mix thoroughly.

While mixture is still warm and using tablespoon measure, form mounds, spacing 1/2 inch apart, on ungreased baking sheet. Quickly smooth tops with finger dipped in water. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden brown (puffs should sound hollow when lightly tapped). Makes about 2 dozen puffs.

San Joaquin ‘Golden’ Baked Onion Dip

3/4 to 1 cup finely chopped Vidalia (or other sweet) onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup crumbled San Joaquin Gold cheese

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika, to taste

Preheat over to 350 F. Mix onion with mayonnaise, cheese and Tabasco. Spread in small baking dish or pie plate. Top with Parmesan and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 30 minutes. Serve warm with crackers, pita crisps, flat breads or raw vegetables.