[Bears Armed]

I hereby declare this thread open.


The festival will be held in Urrath-am-Barrah, a former capital city of [nation]Bears Armed[/nation].


Festival Rules
1. Nations may submit as many cheeses and cheese related products as they like. Entries from previous years can be submitted again.

2. Only cheeses that are produced in nations that are members of the IDU may submit entries into the Best IDU Cheese category.

3. Cheese from nations that are not officially members of the IDU, but whom import cheese to any IDU member, must be submitted to the Best Imported Cheese to the IDU category.

4. Any product (dish or otherwise) from any nation may be submitted in the Best Cheese Related Product categories, though it is recommended that entries into the Best IDU Cheese and Best Imported Cheese categories list some of the popular food dishes that the cheeses are frequently made into. Cheese related products need not be edible, but can include tools used to prepare or cook cheese or even drinks that go well with certain cheeses.

5. No product may be submitted into more than one category; however, a specific cheese related product may be entered even if the cheese used to make it has been submitted under either of the Best Cheese categories.

6. Entries should describe the cheese, so that judges may come back to review what they tasted.

7. Up to one judge will be appointed from each nation that submits any entries, and then the judges can vote for one Best IDU Cheese, Best Import Cheese to the IDU, and Best Cheese Related Product.

8. Winning cheeses and cheese related products may use the International Democratic Union Cheese Festival logo, called the Cheese Ribbon, on their products for as long as they like, but should display the years that their cheese won on the logo.


Voting will open on Saturday, 10th June, 2017.

__________________________________________________________________


For reference, details of the first ICF (in 2006):

http://archive.nswiki.org/index.php?titl...e_Festival
&
http://archive.nswiki.org/index.php?titl...e_Festival


And the second (in 2016):

http://s10.zetaboards.com/IDU/topic/7560196/1/#new
&
http://s10.zetaboards.com/IDU/topic/7563274/2/#new


:Bear:

[Hirematia]

Nation Name: Hirematia
Home Region: Social Liberal Union
Nation Imported To: Bears Armed

Entries for Best Imported Cheese to the IDU

1. Badellagu

Badellagu is a traditional cheese from the Ishtadrupa Mountains of Southern Hirematia. Made with the unpasteruized milk of mountain lions, the cheese can be aged for as little as 4 days for a soft, fruity, and fatty taste, but the most popular aging method is 8 years inside a cylindrical granite vat, resulting in a rock-solid cheese with a nutty and lemony flavor. Soft badellagu looks like fresh butter, while hard badellagu is a brown color and not coated with a rind. with While soft badellagu is commonly served in salads, hard badellagu is most commonly eaten plain and occasionally is melted into soups. It is a key ingredient of kalavahandi, a popular stew made with wild boar, mooli (white radish), spinach, green chiles, and a generous amount of badellagu melted on top. In the rural mountain villages in which it originated, it is a common tradition for the town to hold in an annual badellagu competition, in which young men gather in the town square and try to rip apart a 10-pound block of badellagu in a holiday known as Habba Madhumaga. While this seems like an easy feat, it has been confirmed that this takes as much force as snapping a 1 centimeter-thick sheet of steel in half (due to its extreme hardness, it must be cut with a very sharp steel cheese slicer). In ancient times, the practice was used to select a husband for the daughter of the town chief, but nowadays the practice is purely for fun and tradition. Badellagu is an expensive artisanal cheese nowadays, and it is almost unheard of to eat it anywhere other than a wedding, fancy restaurant, or on Habba Madhumaga.



Hard Badellagu



Soft Badellagu



Kalvahandi



2. Muruwalith

Literally translating to "three milks", this cheese is made from buffalo milk, sheep milk, and goat milk. It is then aged for 2-3 weeks inside a round mold, resulting in a cheese with a hard, nutty exterior and a soft, fondue-like interior. This cheese is the oldest and most popular in all of Hirematia. Found in the Madhyamaidane Plains of rural Central Hirematia, this cheese is available for reasonable prices all around the country, and is eaten daily by farmers of the region. Those who live outside the region still consume the cheese regularly, and the 1 billion people of Hirematia consume over 125 million pounds (56.7 million kilograms) each day! As you can imagine, this creates more demand than traditional artisanal methods can keep up with. About 99 million lb (44.9 million kg) of what is consumed each day is Grade C, made using the standard factory method, with pasteurized, unhomogenized milk produced on large farms and aged in large warehouses. While it does not look too different from artisanal muruwalith, it does not have the same taste. 23 million lb (10.4 million kg) is somewhere in between, or Grade B. It is made using unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk, but it is still made in large factories in metal vats. Finally, 3 million lb (1.4 million kg) is Grade A, or made using artisanal methods. In order to be Grade A, muruwalith must be made on a family farm, source their milk from free-range animals, age their cheese inside traditional wooden molds, and use a 4:3:3 ratio of buffalo, sheep, and goat milk. Many Grade B and C muruwaliths will modify the ratio to include more of the cheaper buffalo milk and less of the much more expensive sheep milk. Muruwalith is usually eaten plain, with fruit as a breakfast item, or melted onto a thin, crispy rice-flour crepe called an appa. It then has onions, green peppers, and chili powder spread over it. This dish is called tihiappa, and is a common street food and comfort food all across the country.



Grade A Muruwalith



Grade C Muruwalith



Tihiappa served with coconut chutney





Entries for Best Cheese Related Product

1. Rasamul

Rasamul is a popular dessert made from chhena, a traditional cottage cheese made from cow's milk. Originating in our capital city of Hiremath 800 years ago, rasamul is made by pan-frying chhena until it becomes dry but still soft and crumbly, forming it into small balls, and adding sugar, nuts, and honey. It is then served in a sauce made of chhena, milk, sugar, and shaved coconut. It is common both as an everyday dish, and it also has a religious use. Hindus offer it to Lord Shiva as dakshina, and both Hindus and Buddhist brides and grooms will eat rasamul before exchanging vows at their weddings. There are many different variations of the dish, some with lots of mango, some with lots of pistachio, and some with nothing but sugar.

Easy Recipie for 1 Serving of Plain Rasamul

You Will Need:

4 ounces of chhena
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons of cane sugar
2 tbsp of pistachios
1 teaspoon of coconut shavings
Butter (for pan)
Dried fruit (optional)

Steps

1. Form the chhena into 3 balls, each weighing 1 oz
2. Set your burner to medium-high, add butter, and wait for your skillet to warm up
3. Put the chhena on the skillet, and pan fry each ball for 15 seconds on each side
4. Take your chhena out of the skillet and place on a separate plate
5. In a blender, mix 1 oz of chhena, 1/2 cup of milk, 4 tbsp of cane sugar, and 1 tsp of coconut shavings
6. Carefully place the balls of chhena in the sauce, and add pistachios and as much dried fruit as you would like




Fresh Chhena





Different Variations of Rasamul



2. Hurida Idhraiita

A popular fried street food originating in Northern Hirematia, Hurida Idhraiita is a staple of the diets of farmers and businessmen alike. Made by frying idhraiita, a soft goat cheese made in the mountains of Northern Hirematia, with legume flour (urad daal flour), spices, and vegetables, and is arguably the most popular street snack in the entire nation (although not the healthiest). The origin of the dish is still unknown, but paleontologists have found evidence that the dish was prepared in Hirematia as far back as 6000 BCE, around the same time at which Hirematia became first inhabited, making it the oldest Hirematian dish. However, the recipe was modified when Dutch sailors brought green and red chiles to Hirematia. There are several variations of the dish, some having meat, others being loaded with vegetables, and some with just idhraiita and urad daal flour. However, the recipe presented here is the most traditional recipe.

Easy Recipie for 1 Serving of Hurida Idhraiita

You Will Need:

6 oz of idhraiita
6 tbsp of sambar powder
6 tbsp of urad daal flour
1/4 cup of vegetable mix (corn, okra, and mooli)
Butter (for pan)

Steps

1. Mix sambar powder, urad daal flour, and half of the vegetable mix thoroughly in a bowl
2. Heat up a skillet to medium-high, put butter on it, and wait for it to warm up
3. Form 6 patties of idhraiita, each patty being 1 oz, and mix the other half of the vegetable mix into the patties
4. Grill the patties on the skillet until the idhraiita turns a pale yellow with brown singe marks (about 45 seconds on each side)
5. Heat up a deep frying pan, fill it 2-3 inches deep with oil, put burner on medium-high, wait for oil to bubble
6. Coat the patties in the flour mix until none of it is left
7. Fry the patties for about 10 minutes. When they are done, they should be a medium reddish-brown



Hurida Idhraiita

[Comhar]

Best Cheese Entry


Comharan Sharp White Cheddar

Comharan White Cheddar Cheese is the pride of the country's dairy farmers. This sharp, tangy, and flavorful cheese is aged for a minimum of 12 months. This special Cheddar cheese has a rich, full-bodied taste that adds a distinct flavor to any dish. Our white cheddar cheese is often enjoyed with a glass of one of IDU's outstanding regional wines. It is best paired with a bold pinot noir or cabernet. Most of Comhar's cheddar cheese is made in farmer-owned cooperatives, using sustainable farming methods.

[Trive]

Nation: Trive 38
Best Cheese
Entry: Trivian Cheddary Creamy Yellowy Spicey Cheddar was the main meal of soldiers while aided by the United States in the Glorious Revolution against the USSR. It apparently got popular among citizens, being a common meal around the cities of Trive 38. Pizza Hut in Trive 38 has made a special Trivian Cheddar Pizza.

It's what Trivians like to call "the flavor nuke", the Trivian Cheddary Creamy Yellowy Spicey Cheddar is a part of the culture of the Trivian people. It has became popular in the international community. Reviews are normally above the 10.

[Laeral]

Nation: Laeral
Home Region: International Democratic Union
Category: Best IDU Cheese

Laeralian Seiliu Grey

While Laeral is not known for it's cheese production due to a general lack of dairy cows and little cheese-making tradition, some cheeses, such as Seiliu Grey, have become popular. Seiliu Grey is a form of low-fat traditional cheese similar to Gouda, based on cow's milk. It's firm, dry, and yellow, and tastes buttery and slightly tangy.
Made with roughly 5% buttermilk, Seiliu Grey is generally aged for only a short time before being served. What makes Seiliu unusual is that small seeds of cumin and caraway are also added, giving Seiliu Grey a flavorful and varied taste. It is commonly sold very affordably to Laeralites, and used for light snacking. It is rarely served as a part of other dishes, due to its distinctive flavor.

[Nova Sodor]

Nova Sodor entry for Best IDU Cheese category

Parchetta

Parchetta is made with skimmed milk, giving it a fairly firm texture, with a sweet/sour taste and just a hint of heat as favoured in the Crown dependency's cuisine.

In traditional markets, this cheese is often sold in baskets in which it has been molded.

It is often served cold as part of an appetizer on snack trays or in sandwiches. It is also found throughout the world since it firms part of Nova Sodor's booming cheese export sector.

Parchetta is a white fresh milk cheese which in keeping with the Nova Sodorian penchant for healthy living possesses little fat or cholesterol.

The origins of this cheese can be traced back to the Golden age of exploration but remains just as popular today.

[Bears Armed]

Category: Best IDU Cheese.

Bears Armed has decided to give Bison Brii, which was last year?s ?Best IDU Cheese?, a chance to retain its title.
More specifically, we are submitting just the smoked version of ?City Brii? for this because ? with hindsight, OOc ? I probably shouldn?t have been allowed to get away with submitting the whole range of sub-types as one single entry last time around.

:Bear:

[Bears Armed]

The period for submitting entries is now closed.
Let the voting begin!

:Bear:

[NewTexas]

NewTexas Cheese



Come and get you some!™

Nation: NewTexas
Home Region: Texas
Entry Category: Best Imported Cheese to IDU
Entry: Quesadillas
Nation Imported to: The Free Bears of Bears Armed


Introduction

In NewTexas, we have a very, very versatile cheese dish that is only two ingredients in its simplest form and upwards of dozens of ingredients in its most complex form. It is a dish simply called a "Quesadilla" (pronounced kay-sah-dee-yah from Spanish). A5 quesadilla is a flour tortilla (usually, but could be corn) filled with cheese and heated until the tortilla is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. It is kind of like a Mexican Melted Cheese sandwich. It is so versatile that it can be served anytime, all the time, in everywhere from homes to sporting events to restaurants to lunchboxes. Quesadillas are as NewTexan as the cowboy hat.


Ingredients and Preparation

As we said in the introduction, a quesadilla only requires a tortilla and cheese, any cheese. Typically, a quesadilla is made with Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese. The typical method of melting the cheese is to place the tortilla and cheese in a cast iron skillet although a non-stick will do as well. There is some debate over whether the tortilla should be heated in oil or not. Generally, we do use oil, a neutral one like Canola. We heat it until just shimmering before we put the tortilla in the pan. There is also some debate as to whether the tortilla should be filled and folded or filled and topped with another tortilla. While the two tortilla method makes a prettier quesadilla, it is not practical because it is nearly impossible to flip without the ingredients falling out. We prefer the fold method.

The keys to kickass quesadillas are mixing the cheese in with the fillings so that all ingredients are distributed evenly. This ensures that the quesadilla fillings stay intact. Also important is to use enough oil to get the tortillas to puff and crisp up to a beautiful golden brown.


Accompaniments

The traditional accompaniment for a quesadilla is salsa. Salsa comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be thin and smooth. It can be thick and chunky. It can be made from raw ingredients. It can be made from cooked ingredients. It can contain fruit, vinegar, salt, sugar or herbs. The "traditional" salsa is made from tomatoes, onions and hot peppers. But, salsas made of mangos and habanero peppers are quite popular. Basically, any type of sauce you would put on a taco, you can put on a quesadilla. Last year's Best Imported Cheese to the IDU, NewTexan Queso, can be put on a quesadilla for double-cheese goodness!


Varieties

The varieties of quesadillas are as plentiful as the stars in the sky. Queso is completely versatile when it comes to add-ins. Quesadillas really run the gamut. As long as you have tortillas and cheese, you have a quesadilla. Anything else is just "icing". There are "plain" quesadillas; there are meat quesadillas; there are vegetarian quesadillas; there are seafood quesadillas; there are spicy quesadillas; there are breakfast quesadillas; there are desert quesadillas; there are "kitchen sink" quesadillas. You can literally add just about anything you can think of that goes well with cheese. The sky is the limit to the things you can add to a quesadilla.


Expert Tips

* Mix the fillings with the cheese. Make sure everything is cut into bite-size chunks. And make sure the cheese is always grated; never sliced. Sliced cheese does not melt nearly as well and does not incorporate with your other ingredients.
* Make sure the fillings are bright and flavorful. Flour tortillas are somewhat plain in flavor and some cheeses are bland (heaven forbid). So, when you are adding toppings, you need to make sure they shine.
* Fold them to cook them. Do not sandwich them because all your stuff will fall out when you try to flip it.
* Use plenty of oil and keep it moving around in the pan. Canola or any neutral oil is best. Moving it makes sure it doesn't stick and is browned uniformly.
* Salt the exterior. Do it right after you flip it so the oil will make the salt stick. It really adds that last little kick of flavor.
* Always, always cut them in triangles! Triangles taste better. 'Nuff said.


Recipes ([small sampling)

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

3 ounces (85g) shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon (12g) minced pickled jalape?o
1 tablespoon (12g) minced fresh cilantro leaves
4 ounces (115g) shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
Salt

Method

1. Grate the Pepper Jack into a medium bowl, mix with the shredded chicken, jalape?o, and cilantro to combine. Spread half of mixture evenly over half of one tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold tortilla over. Repeat with remaining filling and second tortilla.

2. Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add both folded tortillas and cook, swirling and moving tortillas around, until golden brown and puffy on the first side, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip quesadillas, season with salt, and continue cooking until golden brown and puffy on the second side, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Transfer quesadillas to a paper towel to drain. Cut into triangles and serve immediately.



Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (12g) minced pickled jalape?o
4 ounces (115g) Rosarita? Refried Beans (Spicy or Traditional)
4 ounces (115g) Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
Salt

Method

1. Finely dice pickled jalape?os, mix with grated Colby Jack Cheese. Take a knife and spread half of refried beans evenly on each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top the beans with half of the cheese mixture evenly. Fold tortilla over and press to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and second tortilla.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons (10ml) oil in a 10-inch cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add both folded tortillas and cook, swirling and moving tortillas around, until golden brown and puffy on the first side, about 2 minutes. Using a flexible metal spatula, flip quesadillas, season with salt, and continue cooking until golden brown and puffy on the second side, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Transfer quesadillas to a paper towel to drain. Cut into triangles and serve immediately.



Images



The Cheese Makers - The Cheese People - 2017 Version




The Ingredients




The Method




Basic Quesadilla




The Meaty Quesadillas




The Seafood Quesadillas




The Veggie Quesadillas




The Funky, Yet Yummy, Quesadillas




Quesadillas, come and get you some!™[b]
[/b][b]

[Bears Armed]

Okay, we'll add that entry too, although as it's a cheese-based recipe rather than the cheese itself I'm exercising hosts' discretion and moving it from 'Best Imported Cheese to the IDU' to 'Best Cheese-related Product'.


______________________________________________________________________


Voting Thread.


:Bear:

[Bears Armed]

?All of the participating nation?s judges have now voted, and here are the results:

?In the category ?Best Cheese-related Product? we have a clear winner: Quesadillas, from NewTexas, which received five votes as against one vote each for Hirematia?s Rasamul and HuridaIdhraita.
?In the category ?Best Imported Cheese to the IDU? we also have a clear winner: Muruwalith, from Hirematia, which received five votes ?again ? as against two votes for the same nation?s Badellagu.
?Competition in the ?Best IDU Cheese? category, however, was much closer: Two votes each were received both for ?Bison Brii, smoked ?City? variety? from Bears Armed and for ?Seiliu Grey? from Laeral, as against one vote each for each of the other three entries. I therefore declare ?Bison Brii, smoked ?City? variety? and ?Seiliu Grey? to be joint-winners in this category and entitled to say so on their labels and publicity.

?Congratulations to all of the entrants.?

:Bear: