FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Food

This Recipe Magically Makes Cheese Even More Delicious

Think of it as a Japanese version of queso. It melts like a Kraft single, but with the multicultural flavor sensibilities of a so-very-seasoned chef.

Is cheese the best, or is cheese the best?

OK, rhetorical question. It's the best. The reason we love cheese so much is because it's creamy, melty, salty, umami goodness in one of its purest forms. It tops our pizza, it fills our sandwiches, and it coats our macaroni.

But sometimes, even the best can be made better.

One of the best things about cheese is that it comes in so many delicious forms. Somehow, nacho cheese that comes out of a stainless steel pump can be just as luscious and enjoyable as the priciest of French triple crèmes, depending on your mood.

Advertisement

This recipe is a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll. The country being American, and the rock 'n' roll being Japanese.

The stuff comes from Ernesto Uchimira of LA's Plan Check Kitchen + Bar, and it starts with kombu, a.k.a. seaweed, and bonito flakes, which impart the cheese with the savory, mouthwatering saltiness of the sea. A touch of je ne sais quoi rather than a blast of ocean air.

Melting salts—chemical name: sodium citrate—add silkiness and tanginess, while good old Parmesan and Cheddar make it, well, cheese.

Really good cheese. Think of it as a Japanese version of queso. It melts like a Kraft single, but with the multicultural flavor sensibilities of a so-very-seasoned chef.

RECIPE: Americanized Dashi Cheese

And oh, yeah—you can put it on pretty much everything.