Hi Reader,

I’ve never met a bad day that couldn’t be partially fixed with cheese. Flat tire? Cheese. Missed deadline? Cheese. Existential dread because it’s January and you've already broken your New Year's resolution to get in shape? Double cheese.
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The One likes to remind me that cheese “isn’t a food group.” Which is adorable. Because in this house, it totally is. There’s a reason refrigerators have an entire drawer dedicated to it, people! I call it the Cheese Annex.

Manchego, mozzarella, chèvre, a wedge of something uber-stinky that I can’t pronounce but refuse to throw out. They’re my emotional support dairy. And nothing supports me more than a big bowl of pasta with cheese and a grilled-cheese anything sandwich.

There’s something deeply reassuring about melting cheese over… well, anything. It’s alchemy. An attitude reset. One minute you’ve got a sad tortilla and a questionable mood, the next—boom—quesadilla therapy, and all is good in the world.
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So yes, cheese wins. It always does. And frankly, I’m fine with that.

Rules for the Cult of Cheese

• Temperature is everything. Cheese wants a slow melt, not a cremation. Treat it gently, and it’ll reward you.
• Mix your melts. Blend mild for stretch (mozzarella) with sharp for flavor (cheddar or blue cheese). It’s a love story in a skillet.
• Don’t skip the crisp. Let the edges brown just enough to form that irresistible golden crust. That’s where redemption lives.
• Pair it like a pro. Wine, bread, pickles, honey, jam—anything that cuts through the richness and keeps you from slipping into a dairy coma.
• End with joy, not guilt. You’re not cheating. You’re surviving winter with style.
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WHAT'S INSIDE...A FEW OF MY FAVORITE WAYS TO SUPPORT MYSELF

• ​Cheddar Cheese Sauce​
• ​Gnocchi With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce​
• ​Brie Mac & Cheese​
• ​Ina Garten's Grilled Cheese Croutons​
• ​Macaroni Au Gratin​
• ​Classic Tuna Melt​
• ​Fromage Fort​
• ​Pasta With Butter & Parmesan​

​Cheddar Cheese Sauce​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.85 from 66 votes

This quick and easy cheese sauce recipe is a versatile homemade go-to to stash in your recipe repertoire. Use it to top veggies, burgers, pasta or as a stand-in for nacho cheese sauce. Here's how to make it.

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​Gnocchi With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce​

Tender, pillowy gnocchi is bathed in creamy blue cheese sauce for an easy but elegant meal. Serve it as a hearty main dish or an indulgent side.

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​Brie Mac & Cheese​

Made with three types of cheese and topped with a buttery cracker crust, this is the creamiest, cheesiest mac and cheese you're ever going to try.

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​Ina Garten's Grilled Cheese Croutons​

These are very easy to make if you have an electric panini grill but, of course, you can always make them the traditional way in a frying pan. YOU HAVE TO TRY THEM ON HER TOMATO SOUP!!

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​Macaroni Au Gratin​

This macaroni au gratin is no ordinary macaroni and cheese. Not at all. It's still pasta in cheese sauce but blanketed with a layer of ooey, gooey blend of three cheeses. Easy and on the table in less than an hour.

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​Classic Tuna Melt​

This classic tuna melt, with its toasted bread, melted cheese, and creamy tuna filling, is proof that good food need not be fancy.

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​Fromage Fort​

Fromage fort is a beautifully transformative way to use up the scraps of all those expensive cheeses that are crammed in the fridge. It's a classic, frugal, and flavorful French technique shared here by Jacques Pepin.

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​Pasta With Butter & Parmesan​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.81 from 21 votes

Pasta with butter and Parmesan appeals to nearly everyone. This pasta's brilliance lies in it's simplicity, universal appeal, and endless add-in options.

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