Specialty Cheeses Add Cachet

Asiago is also hitting chain menus with increasing force—as noted in the Food Beat data—particularly in Italian-styled offerings. Applebee’s menus a Veggie Patch Pizza, described as an “ultra-thin pizza topped with mushrooms, creamy spinach with Asiago cheese, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, and a rich blend of Italian cheeses and herbs.” Atlanta Bread’s Asiago Cream Pasta doubles up on Asiago via “a choice of pasta with Asiago cream sauce topped with Asiago cheese.”

Goat cheese is also finding a home in some novel spots, including Italian fare. Buca di Beppo serves a Baked Ravioli stuffed with “goat and ricotta cheeses and then baked to perfection with homemade marinara, feta and Romano cheeses, then complemented with a hint of our bruschetta tomato blend.”

Cheese is a natural for appetizer platters, as seen at the upscale steakhouse chain Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Wine Bar & Grill, which menus a Chef’s Artisan Cheese & Charcuterie described as “an assortment of artisanal cheese, premium cured meats and pâté, whole grain mustard and marinated olives.” Russell Skall, corporate executive chef for the chain, says the selection currently includes a French goat cheese, Montrachet, a white Cheddar from Ireland, and a Shropshire made in England, which he describes as a “beautiful orange-colored cheese, and not your typical blue, but with blue veins running through it.” Along with the cheeses, the platter holds finocchiona, a fennel-flavored salami, as well as a prosciutto di Parma and a country pâté.

“Since we opened, we’ve always had a cheese board on the menu,” says Skall, “but we’ve started to do the charcuterie with the dried salamis (and other meats).” Originally, the cheeses and meats were offered on separate boards, but he says they have done particularly well since Fleming’s started offering them on a combined platter.

AMERICAN CLASSICS

Given the incredible available selection of imported and domestic cheeses, product and menu developers have plenty of opportunity to get beyond the simple slice of American. For instance, Ruby Tuesday tops its burgers with “Tillamook artisan Cheddar,” a distinction that goes beyond basic Cheddar. “People are looking for a rich and cheesy flavor, and also they are interested in products that are purer and a little more wholesome,” says Rick Johnson, senior vice president and spokesman for the casual-dining chain. “They want artisan-made products with fewer additives.”

Pat Peterson, director of culinary operations, Ruby Tuesday, describes the Tillamook as “a sharp Cheddar with a nice, aged flavor.” He says the chain selected the Tillamook because it’s a hand-crafted, artisan Cheddar with a consistently excellent flavor and “a unique little punch.”

Peterson says Americans are ready to appreciate a fine cheese, and have begun seeking out specialty and artisan cheeses. “I think they are looking for something a little different from the mainstream, even in small things like cheeses that accent bigger dishes. There are a million Cheddars out there, but what people are attracted to is a unique flavor.”

And people are interested in the story behind the cheese, notes Peterson: “People are getting more savvy about the history of products—about where they come from and what do they stand for. I think having a nice story behind Tillamook has been a nice enhancement, because as our service teams talk about what Tillamook is, they can share that it’s a community of farmers who come together and make a certain number of products in the artisan style. They don’t make a lot of it, but what they make is premium. They use all-natural ingredients and control the environment—the cows and how they treat the animals. It’s kind of a neat story.”

For cheese lovers, fondue is a taste of heaven, and The Melting Pot is just the place for a divine dip. Schaibly says the menu offers a regular selection of fondues made with various blends of Cheddar, Swiss Emmenthaler, Gruyère, butterkäse and Fontina.