While shopping at the grocery store for Super Bowl related food items, as well as doing our weekly shopping, I stumbled across Yancey’s Fancy Hot Wasabi Horseradish Cheddar. Apparently not remembering that aside from the peppers I really did not much care for Yancey’s Fancy Buffalo Wing Cheese, I picked up a package and brought it home.
While I originally intended on eating it while watching the Giants stomp the Patriots, I ended up not having it until last night when a cheese craving hit me full force. While the rind is a bright green, I thought the cheese was simply white. However, when I unwrapped the cheese I found that it had a greenish hue. While I get the fact that a cheese loaded with wasabi powder is likely to turn green, I have to admit the color was a big problem for me. I don’t know about you but green cheese = moldy cheese in my mind and I can’t say I was a big fan.
After getting over my initial shock at the color I sliced off a piece and put it in my mouth and let it do its thing. While I’m very accustomed to heavy doses of horseradish and reconstituted wasabi powder, the first thing my body did when it was in my mouth was sneeze…and sneeze…and sneeze. Weird. It’s not that the horseradish/wasabi flavoring was all that strong, because it wasn’t. Perhaps it was just a coincidence; we may never know.
The cheese itself has a strong wasabi/horseradish flavor. While I have traditionally enjoyed horseradish infused cheeses (processed ones obviously) I can’t really say that this one worked for me. I don’t know if it was the greenish color or the sneezing fit I had but the flavor was just a bit too much for this horseradish loving guy. I really can’t see anything that this cheese could possibly work with as it’s not good by itself and I imagine it would overpower anything else you were to put it on.
Overall I lost a few bucks buying this one to try. Comparing Yancey’s Hot Wasabi Horseradish to the Buffalo Wing Cheese places the wing cheese way above the competition but neither are really my thing. I suppose I shouldn’t allow marketers to capture my attention by putting “hot” in the title but I just couldn’t resist. To be perfectly honest, this cheese was foul. I really don’t know what possessed someone at Yancey’s to say, “you know what? I think this will be a huge hit.” I love horseradish and I love horseradish cheeses but this one is wrong. Yuck.
Have you ever had Yancey’s Hot Wasabi Horseradish Cheddar? If so what did you think? Have you had other cheeses infused with wasabi? What were they like? Did they take on the same greenish hue? Would green cheese turn your stomach? Do you like cheeses infused or mixed with horseradish? Are there other cheeses you have seen lately you think I should try instead? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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February 8th, 2012 at 8:40 am
Your first clue should have been that they used both Wasabi and Horseradish as descriptors. I doubt it actually had wasabi root. Either way, it sounds disgusting. I like associating those flavors with raw foods like sushi and oysters and the refreshing feeling you get when eating them as opposed to eating a hunk of fat. I do love cheese, but maybe not in the way this cheese manufacturer would have me eat it.
Byerly’s sells a habanero gouda that I grab once in awhile when hankering for a spicy cheese. It tastes a whole lot better than this review sounds in spite of the fact that it is only a little bit spicy.
February 8th, 2012 at 8:41 am
lefty, I guarantee you that 99.9% of the wasabi you’ve had isn’t the root either.
February 8th, 2012 at 8:45 am
I won’t argue with that. I am pretty sure the only authentic wasabi I have ever had is the stuff I picked up from Penzy’s a few years ago. I like the fake stuff better actually.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:28 am
I agree with Lefty on only eating whatever it is we call wasabi only on raw food that has a Japanese name. I think plain horseradish isn’t used in as many things because it doesn’t sound as marketable (it has horse in the name!) but definitely is one of my go to tastes for heat.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Most wasabi in the US is actually horseradish, food coloring and a couple other things. Real wasabi is super expensive, I’ve only had it in Japan.
The cheese sounds interesting but I think the green hue would turn me off too.
Bill have you ever tried kaki no tane? Its peanuts and rice crisp flavored like soy. Might not sound good but it is, and its addicting! Its a snack in Japan like popcorn is here. Good with beer too. I got some wasabi flavored at United Noodle(japanese snack section) the other day and they were pretty durn good.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Would you eat it in a car?
Would you eat it at the bar?
Would you, could you on the phone?
Would you, could you all alone?
He will not eat green cheese and ham,
He will not eat it Sam I Am!
February 8th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Horseradish is no friend of mine, so I wouldn’t try this cheese. Maybe I’ve just ingested too much of the stuff whenever I’ve tried it, because on both occasions I thought my head might explode and I could still taste / feel it hours later. No thank you.
February 9th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Different strokes for different folks, but I think this cheese is pretty good, either on its own or sliced thinly on crackers. My only (mild) complaint is that I would’ve preferred a bit more heat. As it is, there’s only a hint of horseradish or whatever they’re claiming is horseradish. As for the color, it’s a rather pale green, not unlike many other cheeses, particularly some from the UK.