296254 Tue Feb 24 11:38:23 -0800 2004 4 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1631282 I am trying to re-create a Tom Valenti Macaroni and Goat Cheese - any suggestions on the best type of Goat Cheese to use for this dish? I was thinking of using a Garrotxa but am wondering if it might be too sharp. Tue Feb 24 11:38:23 -0800 2004 0 bj 1 1631364 I think Garrotxa is too pungent and the wrong texture. I would use a goat's milk cheddar as my first choice, perhaps mixed with some fresh goat or a gently ripened buche type, or instead of the cheddar, a goat gouda. Someone recently gave me a half dozen different goat cheeses, and I was planning on trying a mac-n-goat cheese myself this weekend. I have some leftover goat's milk in the fridge, and am thinking I will use that rather than cow's milk. I hope my kitchen doesn't smell like a barnyard. Tue Feb 24 19:27:50 -0800 2004 1631282 0 Pat P 2 1631405 Thanks for the suggestion, I used what I had and it wasn't too pungent at all, but it was terribly bland. I used a whole pound of cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan to 2 lbs. of pasta (is the Tom Valenti recipe in his new book), and now I have 2 pounds of bland, yucky mac 'n expensive cheese. Ugh. I will use your suggestions to try again though. Wed Feb 25 09:49:04 -0800 2004 1631364 0 BJ 3 1631429 Here's a bit of a "secret twist" on MacNGoat cheese... use a "pesto macaroni" or add pesto to the goat cheese sauce... THEN serve with a sauvignon blanc... If you want to be even more genius, serve this as a side dish alongside crab claws AND/OR, dice up some crab chunks and throw it in the mac... Serve with glass of SB and your diners will be amazed. Wed Feb 25 16:13:45 -0800 2004 1631405 0 Chicago Mike 1 1631512 I'd use a goat gouda. I like the one from Cypress Grove. Don't know how well this - or any hard goat cheese - melts, though. Thu Feb 26 14:31:08 -0800 2004 1631282 0 brooklynmonkey