Cheese has been around for at least 7,500 years. I am not talking about the single sliced process cheese that many of us use in sandwiches from cheese and tomato to grilled cheese.

I am talking about extra old white cheddar, blue, brie and gouda to name a few. I do, now and then, use sliced cheese to make cheese melts but I find mozzarella, the cheese best know as a pizza topping, even tastier.

Cheese melts:

Ingredients:

4 slices whole wheat or 7 grain bread,

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 medium onion (optional)

Red or green pepper sliced

Preparations

Place cheese on bread slices

Add onion, pepper slices and if you like it hot

Crushed red chilies.

Place in toaster oven and toast.

A quick and simple treat when you want soemthign cheesy but do not want to send out for pizza or are tired of ordinary sandwiches.

Grilled Cheese:

Ingredients:

Sliced extra old white cheddar cheese

2 slices whole wheat bread

2 tablespoons butter

Preparation;

Put the cheese between the slices of bread.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet or grill and when melted add the sandwich. Gently press down with a spatula once or twice during the grilling.

When one side is golden, add the remaining tablespoon of butter,

Turn the sandwich over, and brown.

To vary this sandwich you can add one of the following, bacon, ham, or onion. I am fond of cheese and onion together so this is the choice I make when I am looking for something a little more.

Cheese Platter

The cheese platter is commonly found at wine and cheese affairs or served at home as an appetizer before dinner. You have a number of choices and which ones you make depend on your guests and your personal favourite cheeses.

I enjoy trying cheese that I do not normally buy, so when I go to a wine or cheese or a similar event I look for something different, but at home stick with a blue cheese, Gouda and white cheddar (cubed). Instead of crackers, which are a fine choice, I use radishes, apple slices, celery and carrot sticks to complement the cheeses.

You do not need to put out plates, serviettes are ideal for this type of fare. Make sure you have several knives handy so that you guests can spread the brie and blue cheese and if you cube the cheddar before serving and provide toothpicks, everyone can enjoy their snack and serve themselves.

You do not need a special occasion; we set out a cheese platter for ourselves before settling down to a movie,