One of the biggest complaints about the original Star Wars trilogy is that the Stormtroopers can’t shoot. No, let me take that back, they can shoot… they just couldn’t hit the side of a barn if their lives depended on it (which, of course, it often does). Looking back though, it is also one of the (many) things that makes the series so fun and special.
There is of course a reason the Stormtrooper don’t hit much of anything. Star Wars is a FAMILY film series. Not in the way Avengers or Ironman are family series – which the Hubby and I enjoy tremendously, but our 9-year-old daughter would be way too scared to watch, and our 4-year-old son would love… if we Iet him. No, Star Wars is different. It deals with death, but it is not particularly violent. It has bad guys and gals, good guys and gals, and then there are guys and gals who are redeemed by the choices they make in the end. It is about family, friends and loyalty. It is about inclusion and diversity. It is about trust and love. It is about taking responsibility for your actions. But most of all, it is about being brave under adversity, and being the best person you can possibly be.
So even though the Stormtroopers might look a bit cheesy by today’s bad guys’ standards, remember this: If you are a kid just starting to learn how to deal with a pretty scary world, it is much easier to imagine yourself being brave if you know the Stormtroopers are bad at shooting.
Needed:
- Stormtrooper Silicone Tray
- Parmesan & Gouda Mélange Cheese from Trader Joe’s
- Large Microwaveable Bowl
- Red Grapes
- Crackers (we used Multigrain Pita Bite Crackers from Trader Joe’s)
How To:
- Cut the cheese into 0.5″ cubes.
- Put cheese in large microwaveable bowl and microwave until a soft gooey glob. DO NOT microwave until it is all melted!
- Press cheese into the silicone mold, making sure you get all the nooks and crannies. Smooth the bottom.
- Pat the back of the cheese with a paper towel to get rid of any excess grease.
- Cover the mold with plastic wrap, and put in fridge.
- Take the mold out of the fridge an hour or so before serving (cheese usually tastes better at room temperature), turn upside down on platter and press cheese out from the back.
- Serve with grapes and crackers.
Tips:
A “bendable” semi-hard cheese works best for molding. Mozzarella works great, but not cheddar. Swiss is OK. Brie works pretty well to, just don’t heat it too much. MOST cheeses do not hold up well to the melting and molding process – they separate and become greasy or gritty and chalky, and taste very different once they re-harden. The hard, but slightly “rubbery” and flexible cheeses tend work best.
The BIG trick is to not let the cheese liquefy. It should be a soft gooey lump, which you then press into the mold. If it is microwaved too long and melts entirely, even mozzarella cheese will separate and not mold nearly as nice.
Make sure you get the Kotobukiya Stormtrooper Silicone Tray. They are a little bit more expensive, but they are much sturdier and have much more detail.
We have lots of other GREAT cheese dishes, check them out here:
R2-D2 Cheese
Pepper Encrusted Death Star Blue Cheese Ball
Carved Death Star Cheese Ball
Downloadable “Tosche-ese Station” Sign
May the Fourth be with You Party 