Cheese Dish

France

This is another one of those centuries-old dishes that were invented as a practical way to use old cheese and old bread. In this case, the dish is called fondue jurassienne. The star of this fondue is Comt&eacute; cheese, a staple in the Jura and Franche-Comt&eacute; regions. To make this cheesy fondue, highly acidic white wine is first warmed in a pan or a pot, and it is then combined with a combination of Comt&eacute; cheese and cornflour until it is thoroughly combined with the wine. Kirsch, salt, and pepper are added to the whole combination, which is then transferred to a well-warmed, garlic-rubbed fondue pot set over a flame. When all of the ingredients come together and the cheese melts nicely, fondue jurassienne is ready to be consumed, ideally with crusty bread pieces and crudit&eacute;s (sliced or whole raw vegetables).

Fondue jurassienne

Switzerland

Moiti&eacute;-moiti&eacute; (lit. half and half) is a traditional cheese fondue originating from Fribourg. The name refers to the fact that the fondue is made with equal amounts of Gruy&egrave;re and Vacherin Fribourgeois cheese, along with garlic, white wine, potato starch, black pepper, and Kirsch. The fondue pot is rubbed with garlic &ndash; the clove is left in the pot and mixed with all the other ingredients except the Kirsch and pepper. The ingredients are stirred until smooth and creamy. The mixture should not come to a boil, but it should be left to lightly simmer. Kirsch and pepper are added near the end, and the fonude is kept warm on a burner while everyone dips a piece of bread into the pot.

Fondue moitié-moitié

Fondue Savoyarde is one of the most popular dishes from the French region of Savoie, located in the heart of the French Alps. Originally a dish from Switzerland, fondue quickly rose to popularity in the Savoie region. The dish is made with a combination of melted cheeses, usually Gruy&eacute;re, Beaufort, Emmental, and Comt&eacute;. Savoie tradition says that if your piece of bread slides off the fork into the rich, hearty fondue, you must buy the next round of drinks, kiss the person next to you, or even run naked through the snow. After the dish has been communally shared and consumed, the fondue pot is crusted with toasted cheese, called la religieuse - providing some sort of a religious delight for true fondue afficionados.

Fondue Savoyarde

Georgia

Gebzhalia is a traditional dish originating from the region of Samegrelo. The dish is prepared with a combination of fresh cheese such as sulguni, cottage cheese, hot green peppers, mint, garlic, and salt. The mint and green peppers are chopped, mixed with garlic and salt, then crushed in a mortar. The cheese is cut into slices, boiled, mashed until softened, then rolled with a rolling pin. The mashed mint, peppers, and garlic are placed on the softened cheese, and the combination is rolled up, then cut into smaller portions for serving. It's recommended to serve gebzhalia with Georgian cornmeal called ghomi.

Gebzhalia

Italy

Gnocchi al Castelmagno is a traditional dish and a specialty of Cuneo. It's made with potato gnocchi, butter, milk or cream, and Castelmagno &ndash; a local DOP cheese. The gnocchi are cooked and mixed with the sauce consisting of butter, diced Castelmagno cheese, and cream. The dish is often sprinkled with pepper on top before it's served piping hot. If desired, you can replace half the amount of regular wheat flour with chestnut flour, and the result is a perfect autumnal dish &ndash; chestnut gnocchi with Castelmagno.

Gnocchi al Castelmagno

Gnocchi alla bava is a traditional dish hailing from the region of Piedmont. The dish is made with potato gnocchi, butter, and either Fontina, Swiss, or Munster cheese. The cheese is cut into slices and placed over layered gnocchi in a buttered baking dish. The last layer is dotted with butter, and the baking dish is covered with a foil. The dish is then baked for a few minutes until golden on top, and it's served immediately.

Gnocchi alla bava

Grana sott&rsquo;olio is a traditional spread originating from the Parma area. This simple spread is made with only two ingredients: lightly aged Grana Padano cheese and extra-virgin olive oil. The cheese is finely grated and mixed with a few tablespoons of olive oil. The mixture is covered and left to sit at room temperature for a week and up to ten days. After some time, the mixture will become dry, and more olive oil is then mixed into the spread. Once prepared, grana sott&rsquo;olio can be kept in sterilized jars in the fridge, and it will last for about a month. The spread is typically used as a topping for antipasti or afternoon snacks.

Grana sott’olio

This khachapuri variety hails from Guria, a province in the west of Georgia. Unlike other khachapuri pies, this one is crescent-shaped and it's prepared for Orthodox Christmas. The dough is filled with a combination of grated Imeruli cheese and hard-boiled eggs before it's baked until golden-brown. The shape of this pie was associated with celestial bodies, and for ancient Gurians it was a symbol of strength, so nowadays there is a superstitious belief that each family member should get at least one Gurian khachapuri during the festive Christmas season.

Guruli khachapuri

Handi paneer is a traditional dish consisting of paneer and creamy gravy cooked in a handi, a shallow Indian pot with a wide bottom. The gravy is made with cashews, ghee, onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, yogurt, and a variety of herbs and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, garam masala powder, and fenugreek leaves. The gravy is prepared first, while the paneer is added near the end of cooking. This spicy curry is usually served with piping hot parathas, butter naan, or rice on the side. If desired, it can be garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Handi paneer

Spain

Idiaz&aacute;bal marinado al romero is a traditional appetizer that's usually served as a tapa or pintxo. It consists of marinated Idiaz&aacute;bal, a sheep's milk cheese that's usually smoked. The dish is made with cubes of Idiazab&aacute;l, garlic cloves, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, black peppercorns, and extra-virgin olive oil. All ingredients are mixed in a bowl so that the cheese is coated with the oil and herbs. The bowl is covered and left to sit overnight a room temperature. In tapa bars, the juicy cheese cubes are speared on toothpicks and served on a plate.

Idiazábal marinado al romero

Imeruli khachapuri is a traditional bread filled with melted cheese. Unlike traditional khachapuris, the imeruli variety is circular in shape. The dough consists of flour, salt, sugar, yeast, water, and sometimes yogurt, while the cheese filling is usually enriched with the addition of eggs. It is recommended to glaze imeruli khachapuri with butter as soon as it is out of the oven and serve it while it is still hot.

Imeruli khachapuri

Kadai paneer is a traditional dish that's cooked in a unique wok called kadai, hence the name. The dish is made by cooking paneer cheese and bell peppers with freshly ground spices called kadai masala. There are two main versions of the dish &ndash; wet (with gravy) and semi-dry. The kadai masala spices contain red chili peppers, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and coriander seeds. Other ingredients in the dish include onions, ginger, and tomatoes for the thick gravy. Before serving, it's recommended to let kadai paneer rest in order to absorb flavors. The dish is usually accompanied by rice or paratha on the side.

Kadai paneer

Germany

K&auml;sesp&auml;tzle is a simple noodle dish that combines sp&auml;tzle noodles with a creamy mixture of melted cheese. The noodles are also called kn&ouml;pfle, meaning little buttons, and are made with eggs, flour, milk or water, and seasonings such as salt, pepper and (sometimes) nutmeg, while k&auml;se refers to the melted cheese mixture, which is usually a combination of two or more types of cheese such as Edam, Gouda, Fontina, Gruy&egrave;re, Appenzeller, or Emmental cheese. The noodle mixture is typically pressed through a specially designed spoon or colander directly into boiling salted water and cooked until done before it is mixed with the melted cheese. Also referred to as k&auml;skn&ouml;pfle, the dish is typically enjoyed with additional grated cheese and caramelized onions on top, and typical accompaniments include apple sauce, potato salad, and fresh green salads. Versions of this dish are traditionally consumed in Southern Germany, Swabia, Austria, and Liechtenstein, and it's also a typical dish in Switzerland, Hungary, Alsace, Moselle, and South Tyrol.

Käsespätzle

Austria

Kasspatzln is a traditional cheese-based dish in several regions of Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Most notably a favorite in the western Austrian state of Tyrol, this variety of kasspatzln uses strong-flavored local cheese varieties such as Bergk&auml;se or Grauk&auml;se. The recipe is simple - a soft and slightly runny dough is gently pressed onto a special grater (sp&auml;tzlehobel), creating small noodle shapes that are boiled until firm. The noodles are then mixed with saut&eacute;ed onions, followed by generous heaps of grated cheese. The mixture is left to cook until the cheese has completely melted, and it is then garnished with chopped parsley and fried onion rings. Depending on the location, the dish can be accompanied by fresh green salads, potato salad, or applesauce on the side.

Kasspatzln

Keshi yena is a traditional dish born in the midst of the slave trade in the 17th and the 18th century, coming from the Caribbean islands of Cura&ccedil;ao and Aruba. The dish is served either steamed or baked, and consists of a large portion of cheese that is hollowed out and stuffed with spiced meat (usually chicken). It was invented by the slaves of this former Dutch colony. As the Dutch masters traditionally consumed Gouda or Edam cheese from the center, hollowing it out until only the waxed rind remained, it found its way to the slaves' kitchens. The slaves would fill the center of the cheese with leftover meat and vegetables, and baked it until the cheese melted. Keshi yena was created as a result, its name springing from the Dutch word kase, meaning cheese. Today, raisins, capers, olives, and Scotch bonnet peppers can be added to the stuffing in order to enhance the already delicious flavors of the dish.

Keshi yena

This simple cheese bread known as khachapuri is the most famous dish in Georgia. It is traditionally topped with melted cheese, eggs and butter. There are different types of khachapuri, and even though some new cheese varieties such as mozzarella and feta have been incorporated in the dish, the most common additions still include traditional Georgian Sulguni or Imeretian cheese. It is shaped into different forms, and depending on the baking procedure and its form, it can be consumed individually or shared. Two of the most common varieties include the Imeretian khachapuri, shaped into a circular form, and Adjaran khachapuri, the open-faced version topped with butter and a raw egg on top. Although it is considered a snack, khachapuri can often be consumed as a full meal. It can also be bought at numerous kiosks located alongside Georgian roads. Khachapuri is also often prepared in Russia, in the whole area of the former Soviet Union, and throughout the world.

Khachapuri

Kraft Dinner is Canada's national dish and the most popular grocery item in the country. These inexpensive blue-yellow boxes of macaroni and cheese started to rise in popularity in 1937, during the Great Depression, with the promise that you could feed a family of four for just 19 cents per box. The meal was invented by a salesman who attached grated cheese to boxes of pasta. Eight million boxes were sold in the first year, each one containing instant, bite-sized tubular noodles and a briny, orange-colored, sweet and sour cheese sauce. Kraft Dinner or KD (also called macaroni and cheese in the USA) is cheap, fast, and easy to prepare - and perhaps that is the reason why it stood the test of time.

Kraft dinner

Slovakia

Described as a simple, paprika-spiced cheese spread, liptauer is one of the classic dishes that usually consists of different type of fresh or cream cheeses, blended with ground paprika and a variety of fresh herbs and spices. Even though there has been a long dispute over the true origin of this classic Central European spread, its name certainly derives from the German term used for the Slovak Liptov region. Due to its presence in traditional Hungarian and Austrian cuisine, it is believed to have been created during the period of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Today, it appears in numerous variations throughout many European countries, and it is usually enjoyed as a dip, a spread, or a creamy, spicy accompaniment to grilled meat.

Liptauer

United States

Mac and cheese&mdash;a seemingly simple combination of macaroni and melted cheese&mdash;is one of the most popular dishes in the United States. The preferred American combination consists of curved macaroni pasta and Cheddar cheese, but modern varieties include vegetables, breadcrumb toppings, or gourmet ingredients such as crab, lobster, or truffles. Although it is an American staple, the dish was probably inspired by similar pasta dishes enjoyed in Italy and France. In the United States, it was popularized by none other than Thomas Jefferson. He fell in love with the combination of pasta and cheese during his European travels, and soon after returning, he started importing macaroni and had the pasta machine shipped to Virginia. Jefferson's chefs prepared macaroni and cheese and served it at his lavish banquets, and his distant cousin Mary Randolph published the first mac and cheese recipe in 1824. The dish was further popularized when Kraft placed the boxed variety on the market. Mac and cheese is a cheap, no-frills dish that could feed the whole family, and it is no surprise it has become a mainstay in American kitchens. It is the ultimate comfort food and is often listed as one of the most iconic American dishes.

Mac and Cheese

Traditional Romanian-style cornmeal porridge called mămăligă is combined with white cheese in this simple Romanian dish. To make mămăligă, a mixture of cornmeal, salt, and water is gradually poured into boiling water and cooked until it has obtained a thick and smooth texture. Once prepared, the cornmeal porridge is typically served with different types of Romanian soft white cheeses such as telemea or br&acirc;nză de burduf. Generous amounts of grated cheese can go either on top of or on the side of the steaming hot porridge, although the porridge is also frequently mixed with the cheese or even layered with it before being baked. Mămăligă cu br&acirc;nză is often finished with additional grated cheese on top before serving, and it is usually accompanied by a dollop of sour cream on the side.