Grammy's Famous Cheeseball
All families rely upon certain recipes to make the holidays feel special. Without these dishes, the holidays simply wouldn’t be complete. Sometimes, it’s the appetizers set out on counters and kitchen tables that are the real stars of the show. My mom has always made the best snack mix. I’ve been told I make a pretty mean toffee. But my Grammy, the late Hazel Treece, was the queen of the cheeseball. Grammy’s cheeseballs were so good that Crescent Market in Nichols Hills Plaza sold them at the deli counter for the public to enjoy. Everyone loved it and begged for the recipe, but she shared her secret with no one. She always served it with buttery crackers, and during Christmas, our family would go through several cheeseballs in one day. Any time I tried another cheeseball, it left me disappointed. I’ve tried others, and they all pale in comparison.
Grammy’s cheeseball was so famous, that during her funeral the minister mentioned how much people loved it, and that she refused to share the recipe. He also noted that it was now gone forever. After the service, while my sister and I stood in the receiving line, a little old lady walked up to us and said, “You know, that was MY cheeseball recipe.” This, of course, sent shock waves through the family. Could Grammy’s secret recipe have been a lie? Thankfully, after a little research, we discovered that lady was referring to an orange cheese log. As if...
My sister and aunt, being the most adventurous cooks in the family, made it their mission to figure out the recipe for the best cheeseball that has ever existed. My aunt, Tammy Toelle, had a slight advantage, as she remembered helping her mother make it as a teenager. Memories of teaspoons of this and tablespoons of that popped back into her head as she determined just how many chopped black olives were actually in there. After years of fine tuning their efforts, we have what we believe to be Grammy’s Famous Cheeseball Recipe. From our family to yours...you’re welcome.
