Southern Living magazine claims that cheese straws are like deviled eggs–every Southern cook wants to make great ones. I’m happy to simply eat great cheese straws, and Janis & Melanie Original Cheese Straws make me very, very happy! First, they have the perfect crisp texture. In my humble opinion, some cheese straws lean a little too far toward crunchy rather than crisp, but not so with J&M. Second, their cheddar is better. I’ve had cheese straws with the pronounced taste of artificial cheese products, but the Original Cheese Straws are the real deal. Finally, the spice is just right. Cayenne pepper provides the pivot point between flat, fabulous or fiery flavor, and J&M found the balance. Now that I love Original Cheese Straws, I’ll have to try their Asiago, Bleu and Jalapeño flavors!
The holiday season provides many opportunities to enjoy and share Original Cheese Straws. They are great on an appetizer buffet, or with wine and cocktails. They are super complements to soup or salad, and they are addictive straight from the box. Jamie Parham, the creative baker behind J&M, even suggests trying Original Cheese Straws with jams and chocolate sauce! I’ve noticed them in upscale gift baskets, so keep them in mind for business gifts, or as a perfect partner to a bottle of wine for a host gift. Check out the gift tins available on their website.
Janis & Melanie is a family-owned business started with the recipe for their Original Cheese Straws. Jamie’s daughters, Janis and Melanie, are involved in the company that bears their names. The family also makes delicious cookies, and we shared their key lime cookies with you in an earlier post. J&M’s gourmet food line has become one of our favorites!
Foods We Love 
Where can we buy the cheese Straws in Dallas, Texas?
Myrtha, I buy Janis & Melanie cheese straws at Central Market in Plano. They may have them in all the Dallas area locations. Check out Janis & Melanie tea cookies while you are there. They are great, too. Thanks for reading!