A few words on dairy, part one.

I love Indian food. My favorite dish, hands down, is matar paneer, or curried peas and cheese. It's not the traditional overpowering yellow curry that some might think of; the fresh peas and mild cheese are wonderfully balanced with just the right note of fragrant spices, fresh tomatoes, and yogurt. It's available where I live in canned (Jyoti brand) or frozen (Amy's Kitchen) form, but as with anything, homemade is much better. The only obstacle in making matar paneer, really, is the paneer (mild, firm Indian cheese). It's not the sort of thing you can buy, unless you're very lucky. A former coworker of mine had made paneer from scratch for a potluck once, and she described the process to me. Having since forgotten the details, I looked around online and found a plethora of sites giving pretty much the same instructions. I won't go into details here, because if you Google "how to make paneer cheese" you'll be inundated with results. Or you can just go here for the best (illustrated) instructions I found. Also great fun to make with young children - my daughter, Maya, loves 'helping' in the kitchen and had a blast with this one. Makes a very cool science lesson for school-aged children as well, and company will always be impressed that you made your own cheese. And all it takes is whole milk, and a little lemon juice or white vinegar.

But what to do with your homemade cheese? There are the traditional Indian dishes, but I know enough people who really don't care for Indian food (two of them live in my house). So for the less Asian-inclined, here are a few creative uses I've discovered myself:

• Use in place of fresh, whole-milk mozzarella in lasagna and other recipes. Just keep in mind that paneer does not melt, so if it's gooeyness you're after, stick with the mozzarella.
• Slice and layer with fresh sliced tomatoes, basil, and a little olive oil, salt and pepper for a delicious first course, light lunch, or summertime snack.
• Chunk up on a salad. Goes great with baby field greens, cucumber, avocado, and even a few shrimp if you like, tossed with a light vinaigrette (balsamic is a bit strong - try something with red wine vinegar instead). Avoid creamy and/or strong dressings, which overpower the delicate flavors of the cheese and avocado.
• Cube and add to a homemade tomato bisque. The light, creamy taste perfectly complements tomatoes, and the nonmeltingness (is that a word?) is ideal for hot dishes that need a little more texture.
• Grilled cheese sandwiches. Brush bread with olive oil and stack with sliced paneer. Grill on an actual grill for best flavor, or in a heavy skillet til golden. Particularly good with Jewish rye or another strong-tasting bread, as the cheese lets the flavor of the bread shine through while adding a marvelous note of sweetness. Slip in a couple fresh basil leaves before serving if desired.
• Just eat it. My three year-old's favorite way to enjoy paneer; chunk it up and enjoy.

I'm sure there are a thousand more things you could do with it, but I'm out of ideas for now. Come up with a few yourself, and let me know what they are!