Soups: Evil Potato Soup Quesa-Question

Subject: Evil Potato Soup Quesa-Question
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: CJ Jones (catheb at peoplepc.com)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 03:49:18 GMT
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My recipe for potato soup, (white house cook book) was followed to the letter, but I think the cheese we got has oils in it. I thought he bought mild cheddar. I used a slow cooker to make the recipe, and the cheese just curded up after the second hour or so. Does anyone have a fix for this? I have provolone and jack in the house. Should I use these or milk or??

thanks
CJ
From: King's Crown (qoe at earthlink.net)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 07:20:59 GMT
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I've found cheese to be the last thing you put into a soup shortly before you serve it as heat will make it curdle. No help for now, but something to think about for your next batch.

Lynne
From: Bubba (nospamPepper44 at se.rr.com)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:50:49 GMT
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CJ Jones wrote:
> cheese just curded up after the second hour or so. Does anyone have a
> fix for this?

You could try a fairly stiff beurre manie but it'll be iffy in any case.
From: Doug Kanter (ancientangler at hotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 18:18:30 GMT
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CJ Jones wrote:
> cheese just curded up after the second hour or so. Does anyone have a
> fix for this?

You cooked the cheese for too long. Cheese soups are kinda disgusting anyway. Try using pureed beans to thicken potato soup, and spices to add some zing.
From: kevnbro (kevnbro at sbcglobal.net)
Date: 6 Jan 2006 10:36:04 -0800
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> My recipe for potato soup, (white house cook book) was followed to the
> letter, but I think the cheese we got has oils in it.

White House Cookbook!? Of course there'll be oil in it!! (yet another drum crash!) Kev
From: Doug Kanter (ancientangler at hotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 18:38:29 GMT
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kevnbro wrote:
> White House Cookbook!? Of course there'll be oil in it!! (yet
> another drum crash!) Kev

Are you writing for Letterman, too? :)
From: Mr Libido Incognito (not at invalid.not)
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:33:55 -0600
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Doug Kanter wrote:
> You cooked the cheese for too long. Cheese soups are kinda disgusting
> anyway. Try using pureed beans to thicken potato soup, and spices to add
> some zing.

Strictly in my Opinion.

In any Soup recipe...The Cheese in Question should be added in the last 15 minutes and never ever be brought past a slow simmer. In Fact if the cheese has melted fully then serve the soup. Cheese has butterfat in it and just like cream it too will curdle if boiled too long.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 21:43:27 -0600
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Doug Kanter wrote:
> Cheese soups are kinda disgusting
> anyway.

I disagree. I love a good cheddar cheese or beer-cheese soup. For a potato soup I'd have added the cheese at the last minute or used it as a garnish and stirred it in the bowl until it was all melty. Top with some crumbled bacon, snipped chives, sour cream, you have Loaded Baked Potato soup :)
From: aem (aem_again at yahoo.com)
Date: 6 Jan 2006 11:03:35 -0800
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CJ Jones wrote:
> cheese just curded up after the second hour or so. Does anyone have a
> fix for this?

Here's a suggestion for the New Year: let's stop putting cheese in everything. American consumption of cheese was 11 pounds per person in 1970, 31 pounds per person in 2003. Is this the only reason Americans are so much fatter than they used to be? Of course not. But it's a "thing that makes you go hmmmm." Who says broccoli and cauliflower need to have their taste overpowered by cheese? What don't you like about potatoes that makes you want to disguise them with cheese? Why are you using hamburger meat that's so bad you want to mask it with cheese? Okay, I make an exception for pizza.... -aem
From: Bubba (nospamPepper44 at se.rr.com)
Date: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 09:55:23 GMT
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aem wrote:
> Here's a suggestion for the New Year: let's stop putting cheese in
> everything.

> Okay, I make an exception for pizza.... -aem

You can keep a pound for your pizza and send me the other 30!!!
From: ~patches~ (noones_home at thisaddress.com)
Date: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 10:04:07 -0500
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aem wrote:
> Here's a suggestion for the New Year: let's stop putting cheese in
> everything.

Sorry, can't do. Cheese is a staple in our home. I will admit to liking my veggies undressed though with the exception of a wee bit of butter. I seldom serve cheese on broccoli or cauliflower if eating either as a veggie. As a soup, cheese really makes the soup for either of these veggies even though plain cream of broccoli soup is pretty good. I like sour cream on baked potatoes. In fact I can think of only a couple of dishes where I use some type of cheese with potatoes. Now cheese just goes very nice with burgers and dishes containing ground beef.

BTW, years ago and I can't remember where I heard it, someone said the easiest way to lose weight was to undress your veggies. That means leave the sauces and toppings off your veggies. Since I don't dress them in the first place, it makes no difference. When you consider salads, almost all of the calories are in the dressing. IMO, the very best salad topping that brings out the flavour with almost no calories is fresh squeezed lemon juice.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 21:41:53 -0600
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CJ Jones wrote:
> cheese just curded up after the second hour or so. Does anyone have a
> fix for this?

As others have indicated, cheese should only be added at the last minute until it melts. I didn't realize they used slow cookers in The White House Cookbook ;) I'd have gone with the milk and tried to smooth it out, but that's just me.
From: CJ Jones (catheb at peoplepc.com)
Date: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 08:00:31 GMT
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Jill wrote:
> As others have indicated, cheese should only be added at the last minute
> until it melts. I didn't realize they used slow cookers in The White House
> Cookbook ;) I'd have gone with the milk and tried to smooth it out, but
> that's just me.

Thanks! Yep I used the "kettle soup and cheddar recipe"... the slow cooker was the closest alternative I had at the house at the time.

And thanks to everyone.. lesson learned!! Cheese is a last minute thingyamabob!!