The cheese stands alone: tastes, tips, and trends for '04.

Sarah Stegner, executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, sees cheese as one of the hottest trends to hit ... desserts? "Chefs realize that adding flavorful cheese to classic sweets brings desserts to the next flavor plateau," she said. "And it gives diners what they crave." America's pastry chefs are increasingly thinking outside the box by bringing bolder cheese flavors to the dessert course. "Diners will always love traditional desserts, but today they're demanding more adventurous tastes," she added.

This philosophy is embodied in such creations as roasted pears sprinked with Blue cheese and Petite Creme citrus bread pudding. At the Ritz-Carlton, Stegner uses cheeses like rich Gouda, nutty Asi-ago, and creamy Brie to update traditional recipes. With its variety of tastes and textures, it seems, cheese adds complexity to the simplest of sweets, creating non-traditional desserts out of classic favorites.

Gale Gand, executive pastry chef at TRU restaurant in Chicago, showcases the rise in popularity of using American-made cow's milk cheeses in her dessert creation, Cheddar Cheese Ice Cream with Towering Apple Tarts. Restaurant chefs are increasingly using cheese as a stand-alone course in the European tradition of after-dinner cheese. Combined with fresh or dried fruit, roasted nuts, or even a slice of bread, cheese can fit into most any setting.

According to the Midwest Dairy Association, here are a few of the other hot cheese trends this year:

1. "Born In The U.S.A."--Domestically produced American-made, cow's milk cheeses are experiencing a renaissance, much like California wines did in the 1970s. These cheeses are competing in taste and quality with European cheeses, and their popularity will continue to soar in 2004.

2. "True Blues"--Creamy, robust Blue cheeses offering big, bold flavor, and they are showing up in everything from pizza to sandwiches. Amablu St. Pete's Select, which is manufactured by Faribault Dairy Company, Inc. in Faribault, MN at the world-renowned "cheese caves," is ideally suited for the curing and aging of Blue cheese.

3. Flavored and Small-Batch Cheeses--Having distinctly flavored ingredients blended into the cheese during the cheese-making process. Small-batch cheeses offer a direct connection to the craftsmanship of cheesemaking and the source of the product itself. Eichten's Wild Rice Gouda, an all-natural sweet-curd cheese with a nutlike flavor, from Eichten's Hidden Acres Farm in Center City, MN, is a prime example. Other new flavor sensations include Morel and Leek, Chipotle, Horseradish, and Cranberry.

4. "Quest for Queso"--Hispanic, or Latino, cuisine is moving its way north, and with it a rise in the popularity of Hispanic-style cheeses. These cheeses, which provide unique combinations of flavors, textures, and cooking properties, are found in an array of culinary delights from tamales to tostados. One example is Cotija, also known as the "Parmesan of Mexico." This cheese is strongly flavored, firm, and perfect for grating and is often used to add a lively garnish to common dishes.

5. The Low Fat Craze--The obesity crisis will continue to spur interest in low-fat options. The technology is now there to produce low fat cheeses to match consumer preferences. For example, Cabot Creamery in Vermont produces light cheddar cheeses, both 50 percent and 75 percent reduced fat, that are an excellent addition to a health-conscious diet, combining great taste and texture in a reduced fat cheese.

Artisanal Options

Handcrafted American artisanal cheeses have flourished on the international scene, reclassifying "American" cheese and winning worldwide acclaim for quality and taste. With U.S. cow's milk cheeses riding a wave of popularity, artisanal cheesemakers from coast to coast are experiencing a new surge of popularity.

"People are starting to recognize and celebrate the history and craftsmanship behind U.S. artisanal cheeses," said Laura Werlin, author of The New American Cheese. "Many American cheesemakers are third and fourth generation families that are still working with the original recipe their ancestors developed more than a hundred years ago.

"Cheese made in this country now has as much flavor, depth, complexity, and pure artistry as cheese made in parts of the world with age-old traditions. Domestic artisanal cheeses are redefining 'American' cheese."

While the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast are the nation's primary cheesemaking regions, more than 300 varieties of delicious cow's milk cheeses are produced in every state except Alaska. Varieties range from zesty Blue, sharp Cheddar, and mild Colby to unique American originals like creamy Pleasant Ridge Reserve from the Uplands Cheese Company and robust Serena from Three Sisters Farmstead. European-style cheeses developed from old-country recipes, such as mellow Gouda and smooth Gruy6re, are also popular.

Cheese Caves

For the truly serious cheese lover, there is nothing better than having your own cheese cave. Much like a wine cellar, cheese caves are temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms that simulate the atmosphere of a cave--the place where cheeses were historically stored and aged. At the restaurant level, cheese caves are beginning to catch on as a means to ensure top-quality cheese service, not to mention adding a trendy flair. As a result, it's likely that many commercial cheeses will carry the stamp "cave aged" in the near future, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

With hundreds of varieties to choose from, there is literally a cheese for every occassion.

Cheddar Cheese Ice Cream with Towering Apple Tarts

By Executive Pastry Chef Gale Gand of TRU

Serves 8

For the Cheddar Cheese Ice
Cream:

2 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
9 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the half-and-half, milk, vanilla, and black pepper, whisking occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat and let the flavors infuse for 10 minutes. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. In a thin stream, whisk half of the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan containing the rest of the cream mixture.

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. At 160 degrees, the mixture will give off a puff of steam. When the mixture reaches 180 degrees it will be thickened and creamy, like eggnog. If you don't have a thermometer, test it by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. Run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the stripe remains clear, the mixture is ready; if the edges blur, the mixture is not quite thick enough yet. When it is ready, quickly remove it from the heat and whisk in the grated cheddar cheese.

Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice cubes and add cold water to cover. Rest a smaller bowl in the ice water. Pour the cream mixture through a fine sieve or chinois (to remove the vanilla bean pieces) and into the smaller bowl. Chill three hours, then continue according to the directions of your ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer instructions.

For the Apple Tarts:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
thawed in the refrigerator
6 to 8 Granny Smith or other
tart, firm apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

Unroll or unfold the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out, pressing lightly, until very thin, less than 1/8-inch thick. (If the pastry seems to be getting too soft and delicate, transfer to a sheet pan and chill 30 minutes, then return to the work surface:) Use a biscuit cutter or a down-turned glass to cut out eight 3 1/2-inch disks. Line a sheet pan with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper, or use a heavyweight nonstick sheet pan. Arrange the disks on the pan. Keep refrigerated.

Peel, core, and halve the apples. Slice the apple halves very, very thinly (if you have a Japanese mandoline, use it). Toss the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Cut the butter into 16 reasonably equal chunks. Place a chunk of butter in the center of a pastry disk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Stack the apple slices in an overlapping spiral pattern around the butter, starting with the larger slices and working your way up with smaller ones. Every inch or so, sprinkle the apples with cinnamon sugar. Each finished tart should be about three inches high and be shaped like a beehive or igloo. Place another chunk of butter on the top. Repeat with remaining apples and pastry disks and sprinkle all the tarts liberally one more time with cinnamon sugar. Keep refrigerated until ready to bake.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tarts until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ched-

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