The season of comfort foods is on its way, and we’re celebrating with one of its all-time reigning ingredients: melted cheese. It’s the savoury equivalent of chocolate sauce — an easy-to-add topping that can transform everyday dishes. Here are seven ways to add more cheese to the menu:

Gruyère: French Onion Soup

Made in large 40 kg wheels, Gruyère is an aged, firm Swiss cheese that’s smooth-melting and creamy with mouth-popping flavour. Perfect for fondue and French onion soup, it’s a decadent fall cheese.

Appenzeller: Fondue

Fondue isn’t just for Gruyère and Emmental. This cheese, produced in northeast Switzerland, is perfect for cheese pulls, dipping and melting. A little more supple than Gruyère, adding Appenzeller to your fondue adds gooey, stretchy fun to each dunk of bread.

Cheddar: Mac n’ cheese

Up the ante on you homemade macaroni and cheese with an extra layer of cheddar baked on top. When melted, a cheese’s flavour becomes a little milder — so feel free to grab the extra-old for this final savoury punch.

Brie: Warm appetizer

Warm up guests with melty slices of brie over crostini — or crackers and a baked brie wheel covered with sauce. Since you may be adding other full-flavoured garnishes such as chutney or serving with flavourful crackers, you can buy an inexpensive wheel (vs a French Brie de Meaux), and still create an appetizer to die for.

Taleggio: Grilled cheese

A king in the world of comfort foods, the grilled cheese sandwich gets elevated with a change in your cheese lineup. So say goodbye to cheddar (for now) and try a semi-soft Italian cheese like taleggio. Made in the style of washed-rind cheese, its exterior packs a powerful aroma but the cheese itself (a gooey melter) is mild and creamy with mellow, fruity notes. (Yes, eat the rind!)

Smoked Mozzarella: Pizza

For the tastiest of cheese pulls, add some smoked mozzarella to your homemade pizza. You can completely replace your usual cheese or just add some of the smoky, sweet gratings into the mix.  Look for smoked mozzarella (it will look light brown on the exterior) or Italian Scarmozza — also smoked, it’s a little firmer than mozzarella but grates and melts just as well.

Fontina: Nachos

A buttery, nutty Italian cheese, Fontina has been made in the Aosta Valley since the 12th century. Perfect for melting, the gently sweet and slightly pungent cheese adds a touch of elegance to the standard sports-night staple.

Watch: How To Make Cranberry-Almond Baked Brie

The post It’s Fall! 7 Ways To Melt Cheese On Everything appeared first on Chatelaine.

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