I'm not quite sure if this is just a Southern thing, but just about every party I have ever attended in Georgia has had Rotel Cheese Dip there. Basically, all you do is get a block of Velveeta cheese (scarily enough it is shelf stable) and a can of Rotel tomatoes. Melt the two together, put out a bowl of tortilla chips and voila! the perfect party dip.
Well you definitely can't find Velveeta here. I have actually known a few people who have brought it back in their suitcases from the States, but for as much as I love it, I don't love anyone else enough to haul it back here and then bring it to a party so 20 other people can enjoy it (very Christian huh?) Well I can't believe I have been here for three years and have never discovered this, but there is a close second to Velveeta right here in Beligum! It is even made by Kraft. Thanks to some chit-chatting at the American Women's Club I found this out.
For those people in Belgium looking for a Velveeta substitute, you can sometimes find it at Carrefour or at the cheese man in your local market. What you are looking for is called Chester Cheese by Kraft. It is orange cheese in silver or white paper and sold in a big, long block. However, I just did the calculations and think it might be cheaper to buy a flight back to the States to just get some Velveeta. One pound of this cheese here was 9 euros, which with the current conversion rate equals about $13!
7 comments:
With all that wonderful European cheese available to you, why would you ever even thing about Velveeta?
Velveeta isn't even cheese!
The point is not the cheese...
Velveeta and Rotele dip bring back wonderful memories of 7th grade parties and college tailgates. Someday European cheeses will bring back fond memories of time spent in Brussels.
No, the point is, enjoy what you have when you have it. You have you're whole life, when you're back in the States, to enjoy childhood memories. This stage in your life is for making NEW memories. Unless of course, you'd rather be thinking of 7th grade.
"To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward." ~ Margaret Fairless Barber, The Roadmender
Beautiful quote with the operative portion "for a while"
Obsessing over a processed cheese food product is certainly not to "refresh the eye."
It was ONE BLOG, for Heavens sake! Where is the obsession? She had a fleeting thought, back to a pleasant memory, and wrote about it.
Do you know Emily? If you do know her, than you know that for three years she has thrown herself into their European adventure, savoring every experience. Have you not read her blog?
My guess is that you don't know her. All of us who know her well KNOW she has been known to be obsessed with food!
I'd be interested to know how you were introduced to Emily's blog.
Hey EM,
As one that will PROUDLY eat Velveeta -- in ANY country ---, I thank you for the heads-up on Chester Cheese! I can't wait until Cinco de Mayo to make the Rotel dip with my new Belgian version. I think I am even inspired by your anonymous' comments and ask that everyone come to the party ready to share their best 7th grade memory.
Cheers,
Cindy
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