Mama's Cheese Straws

Of all the delicious food I enjoyed when I went home to Alabama, these cheese straws are the only thing I took photos of. I mean, I ate delicious and tender pork loin, squash casserole, fresh butterbeans and okra, fresh green beans, cornbread, cedar plank grilled beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, freshly sliced summer tomatoes, broccoli salad, homemade yeast rolls, watermelon, pulled pork barbecue sandwiches, cantaloupe, pineapple, blueberries (organic and hand picked by my Mother), blueberry muffins, morning glory muffins, cherry pie, chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake topped with chocolate ganache, which I ate for breakfast one morning, and these cheese straws.

I didn't photograph all those foods, except with my eyes, because for one, I'm not as familiar with the lighting in and around my parents home as I am my own, and also because I did not want to disrupt the flow of Mama's entertaining. And I was there to visit. I took these photographs hastily. I grabbed one of Mama's pretty Spode China plates, stacked up some of her exquisite Cheese Straws, and vamoosed for a few minutes.

My Mother has made these Cheese Straws as long as I can remember. She has a battery operated cookie press now and grates her cheese in the food processor. But I remember, as a girl, sitting in the kitchen with her while she hand grated the cheese and twisted out those beautiful and perfectly straight rows of cheese straws with a hand cranked press.

Everybody loves these and Mama willingly shares her recipe. But I don't know another soul who has made them. Even me.

Cheese Straws

One pound extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 stick (real) butter

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste

Grate cheese. Cream grated cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper. Gradually blend in the flour. Put mixture into a cookie press and extrude onto ungreased cookie sheet. Cut to desired length. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes until lightly browned.