Goat Cheese is a huge crowd pleaser among us crows but when we cook for larger groups, not everyone is a fan of this tangy cheese…yet.

My man-crow was one of those goat cheese haters, always asking if it was included into my dish.  If I answered yes he would skip over it calling it “goat cheese raunch”, if I answered no- he would dive right in.  I debated lying about the ingredient but quickly came up with ways in which I could warm him up to the taste.  Flavors can be blended and morphed so easily by either combining them with other ingredients or simply by the way they are cooked that it is hard to rule out an entire food product without first trying it in many ways.  I was once a fennel hater, but quickly changed my mind once I tasted it roasted with chicken; after that experience I began to warm up to the taste of it raw and now I actually enjoy fennel in any which way!  If my taste buds can do a 360 with fennel, I am determined for people to try it with all of their self-proclaimed dislikes, starting first with Goat Cheese.

Tips for warming up to Goat Cheese:

• If you are trying Goat Cheese for the first time and are afraid of disliking the tangy flavor, I would suggest buying a mild brand such as Trader Joe’s Chevre.  This variety tastes more creamy than tangy but still allows you to become familiar with the distinct flavor.  From this point you can begin to branch out to more artisanal varieties at your local cheese store.
• Combining it with other cheeses is a crafty way to incorporate it into meals.  Last time I made Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, I used a combination of Gruyere, Parm and Goat Cheese in my bechamel.  Even my weary man-crow gobbled it up.  I may never see him spread it on a cracker but seeing him enjoy a dish that contained Goat cheese is still a victory in my book.

Tips of using Up Leftover Goat Cheese:

• Goat Cheese is great on Pizza.  A crow favorite pizza topping is roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions and goat cheese.  Last time we made this we added chopped chicken apple sausage, lets just say we were too busy mowing to take any pictures of this winning pie.
• Have leftover pumpkin puree from making pies from scratch??  Recently Mo had a ton left over from making pumpkin creme brulee and pie so we combined it with goat cheese and toasted walnuts to make a delicious filling for home made ravioli.
• If you want to jazz up your quesadilla, rather then use cheddar or monteray jack, try spreading goat cheese on your tortilla and adding sauteed mushrooms, spinach and poblano peppers.
• Simple way to use up some remaining Goat Cheese is to sprinkle it on top of your ordinary salad.

Its easier to enjoy friend and family food gatherings if you have little on your dislike list.  Challenge yourself this holiday season by re-tasting some of those flavors you have previously written off.  Rediscovering foods is the perfect way to reward yourself with a present.