Thursday’s column: On the hunt for ‘liver cheese’
Photo by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times
Stephanie Smith is 60 years old, and she’s not feeling too chipper these days.
The Northwest Roanoke resident has a trifecta of autoimmune diseases. She also has end-stage renal failure, congestive heart failure, lung cancer and she recently lost one eye and has a cataract in the other.
For all of that, she speaks with surprising vigor. Her voice is loud and clear. Her mind seems that way, too. She has old-fashioned manners, and a keen sense of humor.
Somehow, she can still read this humble column. She says if her one good eye ever gets so bad that she can’t, she’ll hire someone to read it to her.
God bless you, Miss Smith.
She called recently to sic me on a story, about the recent disappearance of liver cheese from grocery stores in the Roanoke Valley.
“What on earth is liver cheese?” I asked Smith. I had never heard of the stuff.
“It’s older than dirt,” Smith told me. “It’s been around forever.”
READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE.
Shot by Dan
April 19, 2012 - 6:00 AM
Good job, Dan! I’ve never had any desire to try the stuff, but you made a lady happy and it’s the little things in life that matter to us.
My husband used to love that stuff! I don’t, though. I haven’t bought any in quite awhile.
Fantastic column Dan! And I agree, God Bless Her.
It is hard to let go of the things you like or can no longer do. Becoming and staying a vegetarian in a world of meat consumption has not been an easy road. Missing things I used to “count on” and acquiring new tastes for something I can no longer have is a challenge and some days I wax nostalgic too.
Montano’s has a liver cheese sandwich with onions and mustard that’s delish.
Liver cheese is a part of old school Southern cuisine. I’m sure it’s popular elsewhere, but I don’t know I’ve ever met anyone who grew up around here that was NOT at least aware of it. It was always a good lower middle class substitute for deli sliced turkey or salami, etc.
I would have to question the ‘research’ that virtually couldn’t produce any liver cheese. Perhaps part of the problem is expecting the butcher to have it, when it is a packaged pre-processed lunch meat. One that, just like the picture, hangs with all the other prepackaged lunch meats.
I haven’t looked this week, but I know I have noticed it in multiple Food Lions and Krogers in the NRV in the last couple of months. I don’t know about Roanoke, but an actual trip to a store and a chat with the manager, if it seemed THAT impossible a task, wouldn’t take very long or expend very much compensated fuel mileage.
Anyway, I always enjoyed my liver cheese while growing up in the same format as Ms. Smith – on white bread with mayo (Hellman’s for us). And make sure to pull the ring of fat off. It was always a contest to see if you could pull it off in one continuous loop.
Thanks to Ms. Smith for providing a nice reminder of gentler days (possibly) gone by. It has been decades, but I used to eat the stuff 2-3 times a week. Liver cheese, Grilled cheese, Peanut butter, and Baloney sandwiches were a staple.
Dan, when I click the link to the read the rest of the column, I’m brought to your archives.
Elena,
It’s fixed now; thanks.
The reason that happens sometimes is set up the blog post and sked it before the actual link to the column becomes available. So I link the the column archive, and often I forget to change the link in the morning.
That day’s column should always be the top-listed link in the archive.
So far, everything at Montano’s is “delish”. I wanted to lick the plate when I had their pasta primavera! I ordered the Tomato and Mozarella Bruschetta and my husband said, “I don’t think I want any”. I took one bite and said, “oh yes, yes you do”. He agreed it was delicious! Looking forward to my next visit there.
The best thing about Montano’s is that extremely handsome new waiter named Ron.
And the food’s great, too.
I am embarrassed to say this but this was a great read. But then, I am from North Carolina and we grew up on strange meat.
And if you tell anyone I said this, I’ll deny it.
No 13 Suns, I haven’t given up my day job.
Ron @ #11:
LOL! Oops! I meant the OTHER handsome Ron.
Ms Smith seems like a very interesting and cool lady. But after reading the article I can’t help but wonder if she would be so badly off health-wise if she hadn’t spent a lifetime eating that spooky liver cheese and the like? Sixty is not that much of an age these days and I feel badly for her…
“Sixty is not that much of an age’
Depends on one’s genes. Count your blessings.
Alas 13 Suns, I thought that was probably the case
This where Dan and his column shine….helping people.
Henry@10
Could you possible be referring to liver mush?
“Could you possible be referring to liver mush?”
It’s called Liver Pudding and it comes from Neeses.
Great, now I want some and I live in a food desert.
Henry,
North Carolina was one of my favorite places to live other than my homestate. Where did you live in NC?
Where Neeses is made!
So that would be the Greensboro area Henry?
Henry and I finally agree on something. Neese’s has the best pig-parts on the planet.
http://www.neesesausage.com/default.htm
“In the 1920s “Miss Annie” stirred up another famous Neese recipe for Liver Pudding. She ground pork livers and other choice pork cuts and seasoned them with herbs and spices. She added just enough corn meal to hold it together.”
It says you can order on the website. I would love to know what “C-loaf” is.