The Pinwheel Situation

I tried making my own pinwheels a few days ago, in an attempt to recreate the ones I get at the Country Mart deli.

I used a big flour tortilla. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on it. Put four slices of wafered Honey Ham on it. Then two slices of provolone cheese. The ham and cheese only covered one half of the tortilla. I started on that side, rolling it up tightly. Then I cut that log into six sections, and set them on their ends in a container to refrigerate overnight.

The next evening, I eagerly took my pinwheels to the table, along with a ramekin of green olives. AND a mini bag of BBQ potato chips. That's what I like at the end, the peeled-off sections of plain tortilla and cream cheese, with the chips.

I proceeded to feast upon those pinwheels. Hmm... not quite the same. As I peeled off the outer layer of the tortilla to save for my chips, the cream cheese flaked away in places. Oh, well. I DO think my cream cheese was past the best-by date, and not the best.

The taste was not quite the same as my storebought pinwheels. These had an almost sour taste. Not the cream cheese, because I had licked the knife after spreading it, and it was fine. So it must have been the provolone cheese. The store version uses Colby Jack, that mottled yellow and white cheese.

Also, my tortilla seemed a little stiff. Not dried-out, but not moister than a normal tortilla, like the store version gets. Granted, the store version includes a bit of lettuce and tomato in the wrap, and mine did not.

Oh, and my mini bag of chips seemed kind of flat, and when I went to open the top, I saw that there was already an opening! Like it didn't get sealed, or had been squooshed and popped open during shipment.

Not a grand pinwheel banquet as I had anticipated. Back to the drawing board.

I bought some Colby Jack cheese. And new cream cheese. I prepared my pinwheels the same way, but I first put down a leaf of romaine lettuce on the cream cheese. Then the Colby Jack. Then the ham. No tomato, because I only had cherry tomatoes, and didn't think I could slice them thin enough. I rolled it tight again. Cut into six sections. Put them in FRIG II overnight.

Last night I tried my second pinwheel experiment. IT WAS DELICIOUS! Tasted exactly the same as the storebought pinwheels. The only difference was the tortilla being very slightly less moist, though it was much better than the first time. I think the lettuce worked its magic. The cheese was perfect. That was the taste I was looking for. Also, my bag of chips was fully sealed this time.

Now I know I can make my own pinwheels!!! Though I'll probably buy them if they're available. It seems like more of a treat that way!