There are more than 1800 types of cheese in the world today. Global cheese sales reached $131 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2018. This number should come as no surprise since cheese has become a staple throughout the world. This versatile delicacy is capable of bringing a smile to almost anyone’s face. After 7500 years of consumption, it is incredible that we still celebrate this food item in our cultures.

There are 7 primary classifications of cheese. Fresh cheese has no rind. Think mozzarella or ricotta. Aged fresh cheese has a wrinkled white to greyish-blue rind. Think cottage cheese or mozzarella. Soft White Rind cheese has a fuzzy white rind. Think brie or camembert. Semi-soft cheese has a fine to think grey-brown rind or can be orange & sticky. Think edam, or raclette. Hard cheese is often crusty, grey, waxed, or oiled. Think cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan. Blue cheese is gritty, rough, and sometimes has a sticky rind. Think stilton or gorgonzola. Flavor-added cheese is the category that holds everything else. It also contains cheeses that have flavors added. Think gouda with cumin or Lancashire with chives.

Each of these categories brings specific flavors and profiles that work for different things. At River City Cafe, we understand cheese’s importance and flavor profiles. More than 35 of the River City Cafe menu items come with some type of cheese on them.

However, instead of creating 35 burgers with 35 different types of cheese, we choose to focus on some of the more popular cheeses and use their flavors to create many different combinations. When you look at the River City Cafe menu, you will find burgers, sandwiches, and salads with American, Cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, Smoked Gouda, Provolone, Bleu Cheese Crumbles or Pimento Cheese decorating them. Sometimes you may even find multiple kinds of cheese on a burger.

Last month we wrote about our Top 5 Specialty Burgers. You can read that here (insert a link to January 2022 blog post). This month we can look at some other burger options that are covered in the flavor that cheese provides!

First, we will start with our Black-N-Bleu Cheeseburger. This burger is cajun-spiced and topped with bleu cheese, crumbles, lettuce, and tomato. The bleu cheese provides a spicy and slightly salty taste. Not spicy like red pepper, but sharp nonetheless.

Next up is our Prime Short Rib Burger. This HUGE half-pound burger is served on a pretzel bun served with your choice of cheese and lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, and mayo. Lovingly made from a proprietary chopped prime short rib selection, this burger has the largest burger patty on our menu. It is packed full of flavor, and the cheese you choose can offer you many different profiles.

The Palmetto Cheeseburger is topped with a classic southern pimento pepper dip called pimento cheese. Our homemade pimento cheese is creamy and cheesy, tangy, peppery, and spread across the top of our delicious and juicy burger. If you like pimento cheese, you will love the Palmetto Cheeseburger.

The next feature is our Patty Melt. This delightful sandwich is topped with grilled onions and Swiss cheese on a grilled marble rye bread. The bread features a touch of sour and a deep, deep earthy flavor that pairs exceptionally well with the sweet nuttiness of the Swiss cheese, the sweet-savory flavors of the grilled onions,  and the saltiness of the burger.

The last burger we will recommend today is bathed in cheese! Our Cheese Lovers Burger features our juicy burger covered in pepper jack, Swiss, cheddar, and American cheeses! Spicy, sharp, sweet, nutty, and creamy piled on top of the juicy and salty flavors of the burger sandwiched between a bun will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

At River City Cafe, we understand the importance of cheese. Not because of a financial component to some overly large industry, but because of the flavor profiles that cheese can bring to our already delicious burgers. We love to make great food for our guests, and cheese helps us deliver that “extra.” Stop by and try one of the many items on our menu that feature cheese. We know you are going to love your food because… we do.

 

Check us out online at www.rivercitycafe.com