 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline .(August 2021) |
| Alternative names | Club cheese |
|---|---|
| Type | Cheese spread |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Wisconsin |
| Created by | Hubert Fassbender |
| Invented | c. 1930 |
| Main ingredients | Cheese |
| Ingredients generally used | Spices, fruits, vegetables, or nuts |
Cold-pack cheese, also known as club cheese or crock cheese, [1] is a type of cheese spread that is created by blending natural cheeses without the use of heat.
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Cold-pack cheese was first made by a Wisconsin tavern owner for snacking [1] during the height of the Great Depression. [2] It is often made using Cheddar or Swiss cheeses as a base, using added spices, fruits, vegetables, or nuts as flavoring. [3] Common flavorings include almonds, port wine, horseradish, and smoked flavor. [2]
Being made without heat, cold-pack cheese is not shelf-stable and requires refrigeration. Compared to cheese spreads made with heat, cold-pack cheese better preserves the taste and texture of its constituent cheeses. [2]
The FDA has standards of identity for the production of "cold-pack and club cheese", "cold-pack cheese food", and "cold-pack cheese food with fruits, vegetables, or meats." Any cheese except "cream cheese, neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, creamed cottage cheese, cook cheese, skim-milk cheese for manufacturing,[...] semisoft part-skim cheese, part-skim spiced cheese, and hard grating cheese" may be used. The added flavor(s) must not mimic the flavor of cheese. [4]
As with most cheese spreads, cold-pack cheese is a soft spreadable blend of cheeses that can be used in a variety of applications. It can be used as an ingredient in sandwiches; on top of hot foods, such as potatoes; as a base for a cheese sauce; or simply on its own, served with crackers as an appetizer.[ citation needed ]
