Cheap cheese in the Makro

[Just Weird]

18 hours ago, Salerno said:

18 hours ago, Thian said:

Oh i see, where is cheddar from then?

From Cheddar - Somerset, England.

Originally it came from Somerset but now that's just one place that produces cheddar cheese.  There are many other countries that produce it, including the US, by using similar recipes and methods and those can also be correctly labeled as cheddar.  So cheddar cheese is from which ever country makes it.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Just Weird

[tutsiwarrior]

Mainland brand cheeses (NZ?), 3 types of cheddar, edam and gouda suit me...pretty much available everywhere, a thai concession to corrupt westerners...

 

some Rye - vita would do me as well...there's only so much rice and muu daeng that you can eat...

 

 

[SteveK]

As someone who has lived much closer to Cheddar than Melksham (nothing wrong with Melksham, liked working there but wouldn't want to live there), and has enjoyed their cheeses for a lifetime, I have to say that those "Mainland" cheeses are garbage. I bought a chunk for about 200 baht in Big C and made a cheese and ham toasted sandwich - the cheese tasted of nothing. I was so looking forward to getting some real cheese but it was tasteless.

 

If posters on this forum could taste some real, cave-aged Cheddar from the UK, I think they would be surprised at how amazingly tasty it is. Same with German Black Forest ham, real Italian prosciutto, and a proper filet mignon steak. If you're living here I suppose you need to get used to Champ or ChaySee noodles.

 

Chances of getting any of these things in Thailand are close to zero unless you want to pay thousands of baht.

 

It's the only real regret I have of moving to Thailand. You just can't get good quality international foods. I am constantly amazed at how bad the beef is here; they charge 300 baht for a kilo and it takes an hour in the pressure cooker with lots of herbs and veggies to be edible.

 

I'm not a "foodie" type person (I hate that terminology), but when you can't get anything of decent quality as in my situation in a small Isaan village, it starts to get you down.

Edited January 20, 2020 by SteveK

[Bruno123]

20 minutes ago, SteveK said:

As someone who has lived much closer to Cheddar than Melksham (nothing wrong with Melksham, liked working there but wouldn't want to live there), and has enjoyed their cheeses for a lifetime, I have to say that those "Mainland" cheeses are garbage. I bought a chunk for about 200 baht in Big C and made a cheese and ham toasted sandwich - the cheese tasted of nothing. I was so looking forward to getting some real cheese but it was tasteless.

 

If posters on this forum could taste some real, cave-aged Cheddar from the UK, I think they would be surprised at how amazingly tasty it is. Same with German Black Forest ham, real Italian prosciutto, and a proper filet mignon steak. If you're living here I suppose you need to get used to Champ or ChaySee noodles.

 

Chances of getting any of these things in Thailand are close to zero unless you want to pay thousands of baht.

 

It's the only real regret I have of moving to Thailand. You just can't get good quality international foods. I am constantly amazed at how bad the beef is here; they charge 300 baht for a kilo and it takes an hour in the pressure cooker with lots of herbs and veggies to be edible.

 

I'm not a "foodie" type person (I hate that terminology), but when you can't get anything of decent quality as in my situation in a small Isaan village, it starts to get you down.

 

 

Agree. Many appear happy to get any kind of cheese at all. 

I import my own, as the products found in Thailand are often the lowest common denominator.

 

Halloumi in Big C for 285 baht, for instance, is equal to the cheapest of the cheap in Europe, costing less the 50 baht and using cow's milk. 

Halloumi should have ewe's and goat's milk.  The cheap stuff substitutes cow's milk. 285 baht for that??

 

 

 

 

 

[SteveK]

My wife and her family eat the most awful quality, chewy and sinewy pork I have ever tasted, and really seem to enjoy it. Bowls of cold, grey chunks of meat floating in a disgusting, fetid soup. I quite often cook Tom Kha Gai and Gaeng Kiaow Waan using the best ingredients that I can get my hands on and they can't get enough of it. I also cook a lot of fish and chips, cutting the potatoes myself and using what they call "dory" but is in fact Pangasius or Vietnamese river cobbler (fried in a beer batter)- I rarely get a taste before it is finished.

 

I guess if you are brought up eating garbage and that is all you know then it is probably tasty to you. If there's no demand in Thailand for international delicacies then I guess it's no surprise that nobody wants to import them.

 

But my thirst for good quality food, combined with the current situation with immigration, is seriously denting my love for this country.

 

The supposedly Oz-imported steaks from Makro cost a fortune and are very poor quality. I suppose if I am going to stay here forever I need to suck it up and just keep eating local foods. I do enjoy most of food I buy when we go out, but not the stuff the family eats in the house.

Edited January 20, 2020 by SteveK

[BritManToo]

21 minutes ago, SteveK said:

My wife and her family eat the most awful quality, chewy and sinewy pork I have ever tasted, and really seem to enjoy it. Bowls of cold, grey chunks of meat floating in a disgusting, fetid soup.

My lot too and chickens feet (what's there to eat on chickens fee, and sliced pig intestines.

And when I get a joint of pork (no fat) they can't understand how I can eat that either.

[CharlieH]

Just tried the 24 month Cheddar by Mainland from Makro, I found it really nice, stronger than I have had before and probably the best I have found here.

 

470g = 260 baht represents good value in my book.

[LomSak27]

The Grated Parmesan in the plastic jar?! It's not bad, good price. And yes we know where 'Schreiber' is from.  ????

 

 

 

 

[sirocco]

So CharlieH, the kg of Cheddar, in Makro, is on average 17 euros per kg?
However, in Europe, it is around 49 euros per kg

[CharlieH]

13 minutes ago, sirocco said:

So CharlieH, the kg of Cheddar, in Makro, is on average 17 euros per kg?
However, in Europe, it is around 49 euros per kg

what price it is in Europe or anywhere else is actually irrelevant really. Its what the cheese costs here that matters and if you want to buy it or not. Price is not always the first consideration or was there another point you were trying to make ?

Vintage cheddar in the UK is around Eu12 kg

[sirocco]

But I didn't blame you for buying the cheese at the price you want, but I was surprised by the price difference between a country where this cheese comes from and Thailand. That's all.
Don't take the lead for that.  

[pgrahmm]

We use the Aro white cheddar for sandwiches, pizzas - light cheese use @ 329 per half a brick....Does fine for that....

 

I'm from french/italian/german background & they loved their different cheeses & wines....It didn't rub off on me much....

[CharlieH]

25 minutes ago, sirocco said:

But I didn't blame you for buying the cheese at the price you want, but I was surprised by the price difference between a country where this cheese comes from and Thailand. That's all.
Don't take the lead for that.  

Mainland cheese, the brand of the cheese is actually from New Zealand. ????

[sirocco]

Well, you see, without getting angry, we can get along. ???? ????

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Mainland cheese, the brand of the cheese is actually from New Zealand. ????

Mainland Vintage is really good, too expensive for me to buy though.

Beston Cheddar at 350bht/Kg from Rimping is good enough for me.

Though I'll got for Gekko's Cheddar/Gouder/Danish Blue when he has a sale on.

Edited January 27, 2020 by BritManToo

[vogie]

In the Macro in Sattahip I bought 2 kgs of cheddar for 510 baht, cut it up into 8 pieces and vacuum packed it, then froze 7 of the pieces, also boughtsome Portobello mushrooms and garlic and herb butter. Put a knob of butter in the mushrooms cook for 10 minutes then stuff the mushrooms with the grated cheese, cook for another 10 minutes and you have a meal fit for a king.

[Chrysaora]

On 1/19/2020 at 9:05 PM, Thian said:

Any of you tried those cheeses?

It's the only place I buy cheese.  I buy the 2-3 kilo size and not just American Cheese, there are all kinds of cheeses.  I wouldn't buy cheese anywhere else.

[tutsiwarrior]

today I made mac and cheese using grated Mainland 'Epicure' and not half bad...interesting to note that all the Mainland cheddars (3 types) cost the same from mild to aged...the Epicure (oldest) is tip top...

 

 

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, tutsiwarrior said:

today I made mac and cheese using grated Mainland 'Epicure' and not half bad...interesting to note that all the Mainland cheddars (3 types) cost the same from mild to aged...the Epicure (oldest) is tip top...

 

The Epicure packs always used to be smaller at 200gm.

Same price but less cheese.

[Thian]

On 1/28/2020 at 7:19 AM, BritManToo said:

The Epicure packs always used to be smaller at 200gm.

Same price but less cheese.

I didn't see epicure cheddar though, i bought a vintage cheddar now but i also like the other one...

 

I'm happy that i can buy cheese in thailand now, fresh cheese is better than frozen.. But it's the makro so i 'll make sure i have my own stock. With the coffee it was always a gamble if they had stock in the makro and now they even stopped selling my brand (douwe egberts coffee) so there was no need to go to makro anymore.

[Thian]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:21 PM, sirocco said:

But I didn't blame you for buying the cheese at the price you want, but I was surprised by the price difference between a country where this cheese comes from and Thailand. That's all.
Don't take the lead for that.  

Well real parmigiano costs 10 euro in Italy in the supermarket while in Holland it costs double...And that's without borders in the EU where they can just bring a full trailer to Holland since we eat loads of cheese.

 

But what i noticed about this cheddar is that we can store it for 6 months, great.

 

When i buy vacuum packed Gouda in Holland the expiry date is about 2 months later....how can there be such a difference in expiry dates? Do they add something to that Mainland cheddar?

 

 

[Seismic]

On 1/19/2020 at 9:52 PM, Thian said:

It was this one for 260 baht iirc...

 

 

 

But look at the flavour strength slider, it's only halfway and that for a 18 months old cheese? Old amsterdam is about the same age and sure has a strong taste.

You need to go for the Vintage Tasty or the Epicure, both are reasonable, although they are not up to the standard of a good English aged mature Cheddar. 

[Thian]

29 minutes ago, Seismic said:

You need to go for the Vintage Tasty or the Epicure, both are reasonable, although they are not up to the standard of a good English aged mature Cheddar. 

Yes i have the vintage in stock now but i also like this one...the price is 260, i checked it.

The epicure i haven't seen yet..was sold out i guess.

[scubascuba3]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:45 PM, pgrahmm said:

We use the Aro white cheddar for sandwiches, pizzas - light cheese use @ 329 per half a brick....Does fine for that....

 

I'm from french/italian/german background & they loved their different cheeses & wines....It didn't rub off on me much....

I just bought a 1kg block of Aro cheddar for 290 baht and it's nice in a cheese and onion sandwich, much better than expected

[pgrahmm]

8 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I just bought a 1kg block of Aro cheddar for 290 baht and it's nice in a cheese and onion sandwich, much better than expected

We make our own dough & use it for pizzas - it also does well....

Of course some nice salami/cheese sandwiches help along the way....

[userabcd]

On 2/10/2020 at 2:18 PM, scubascuba3 said:

I just bought a 1kg block of Aro cheddar for 290 baht and it's nice in a cheese and onion sandwich, much better than expected

Just bought this cheese could not eat it, had to give it away.

[scubascuba3]

50 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Just bought this cheese could not eat it, had to give it away.

Stomach problems?

[BritManToo]

On 2/10/2020 at 2:31 PM, pgrahmm said:

We make our own dough & use it for pizzas - it also does well....

Of course some nice salami/cheese sandwiches help along the way....

Why not buy the proper Mozzerella from Makro?

Already shredded in the freezer for around 300bht/Kg.

[pgrahmm]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why not buy the proper Mozzerella from Makro?

Already shredded in the freezer for around 300bht/Kg.

Some that I've tried before pooled & got oily (horrid) - almost waxy making some hot dishes, pretty much run me off....Found 1, not much quantity from the already shredded, 2, the quality really varied - badly....

Instead of chasing the cheese counter around I found this one & the family likes it + at 580 a brick it lasts well...Can get about 5-6 good sized pizzas + other servings....

I'll mix in others at times....I'm a Monterey Jack guy & this is ok....If/when we get back to the west coast we'll make up for lost time....

[BritManToo]

Just now, pgrahmm said:

not much quantity from the already shredded

it's sold by weight, 1Kg in a chunk or shredded is the same quantity.