322265 Thu Aug 31 16:20:49 -0700 2006 8 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1845868 That's what it is called in Genova, Italy ... testa in cassetta, literally 'head in a box'. OK, I have a couple of questions here ... 1. What are different styles of headcheese? What is the most delicious you've tried. I'm not such a fan of the red Vietamese version in banh mi because often the meat is too cartilidge like. I can't really say which I like best because I never thought of it before. I don't like too large pieces of the head, more of a finer, tender cut. 2. Why cheese? I don't see any reference why it is called cheese? It doesn't look or taste like cheese? It's not made like cheese. At first I thought it could be some take off on the German name for it Sülze. That might sound like cheese. However, the French call it "Fromage de tete" and Latinos call it "Queso de Cabeza". In Brazil, it is called "Queijo de Porco" (Pig Cheese).So scratch that theory. Here's different version of headcheese mentioned in Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_cheese Funny trivia fact in the wiki article. The character 'Leatherface' in Texas Chainsaw Massacre was originally named headcheese, but was changed because they didn't think the name was scary enough ... I don't know ... some people think headcheese is pretty scary ... and yikes ... 'head in a box' that's a pretty scary thing to call it, eh? This link (scroll down) says "History: This dish was created in the Middle Ages when bits and pieces of meat and gelatin were enclosed in the head skin of the animal cooked and served that way." http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/Glossary/H.htm That's kind of too real and scary too. Thu Aug 31 16:20:49 -0700 2006 10264 rworange 1 1846163 I've long assumed the term "cheese" is by analogy: pressing and forming together into a solid mass from "curds" of scraps, as it were. The rennet aspect is missing, of course, but the analogy is intuitive to peasants making maximum use of useable bits of dairy or flesh, as it were. Thu Aug 31 17:58:10 -0700 2006 1845868 13819 Karl S 1 1846260 RWOrange- The reason the red Vietnamese type is so cartiledge like is because that is what it is, cartiledge and tendon. Thu Aug 31 18:27:55 -0700 2006 1845868 10732 JMF 1 1846579 I think that cheese in head cheese comes from the good old days when the cut up pieces of meat were pressed in a cloth of some sort, making it look like a farmer's cheese production. That crunchy cartillage was the very reason I liked head cheese as a child (not sure my dentist would appreciate it these days). My favourite type has slight infusion of vinegar. Google is a gold mine of delicious head cheese photos. Here is a selection of Polish "salcesons": http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=Salceson Thu Aug 31 19:49:57 -0700 2006 1845868 19229 Bigos 1 1846675 funny, I was just thinking about head cheese. While at the supermarket deli counter (here in NYC) I noticed there was no head cheese and wondered why? Aside from my opinion that it always looked kind of vile <s> Still, I was wondering if supermarkets still carried it 'cause growing up in the 70s in the burbs of Philly, head cheese was always prominently displayed. Thu Aug 31 20:17:40 -0700 2006 1845868 12455 was_bk 2 1849322 Try a Polish deli. Fri Sep 01 21:22:09 -0700 2006 1846675 12858 Covert Ops 1 1846767 I always thought the "cheese" name referred to the shmaltz that ends up holding the whole thing together. Thu Aug 31 20:43:26 -0700 2006 1845868 16490 Bostonbob3 2 1846937 Long simmering of the head parts and often feet produces broth containing gelatine - that's the holding agent. But one could always spread some shmaltz on a crusty baguette, add a slice or two of head cheese, some pickles - and as long as shmaltz is made from pork fat, I'm in hog heaven just thinking about it! Thu Aug 31 21:38:20 -0700 2006 1846767 19229 Bigos 3 1849332 I love the stuff, too. Fri Sep 01 21:25:20 -0700 2006 1846937 16490 Bostonbob3