The year is 1996. Pogs fill school cafeterias, Mariah Carey’s Daydream occupies my Sony Walkman, and USA’s “Magnificent Seven” have taken the Gold at the Olympics. 
Cue cheesy flowing hair-ed Fabio commercial for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!. It claimed to be a butter substitute with the same great taste as regular butter. 70% less saturated fat, so you could still indulge at Burger King without as much regret.
Still to this current day, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! has utilized cheesy commercials with A-list stars to gain recognition and dominate the butter substitute sector. Ok, fine. All hail butter substitutes!
I don’t mind a nice piece of toast with some margarine once in a while, but to be honest I prefer to use a cheese that I believe combines the salty taste of butter with the consistency of cream. You’re probably thinking “duh, it’s creamcheese!”
Wrong. It’s the runner-up of Italian cheeses: mascarpone. I say its the second best because mozzarella supercedes any cheese in my opinion. And no, in moderation it won’t go straight to your thighs. Used traditionally in baked Italian goods, it can also double as a bread, breakfast, or yogurt topper.Here’s a small recipe tip: Instead of using sour cream or other full-fat cheeses in dips such as Spinach-Artichoke, substitute a tablespoon or two of mascarpone. It will liven up the texture, keep your waistline at bay, and have your taste buds dancing!
Peace, love, and cheese!
~C.C.D.
