I am a Cheese Novice. The Reluctant Foodie. Remember I don't do goat and I don't like the idea of anything made from sheep's milk. I realize that Roquefort cheese is a sheep's milk cheese and it is supposed to be a superior blue cheese....sorry but it's a mental thing for me and I don't think I can get passed it! As I have said before in previous posts, I am a cow's milk cheese kind of girl!
I am very new to the world of cheese and I find it fascinating. It is very much like wine and has a depth and character similar to wine in that it is deeply affected by the surrounding conditions that it comes from. The type of animal. What that animal was fed. The time of year and the time of day the animal was milked. Then there is the recipe and how that cheese was actually made. And don't get me started on the ageing process! All of it affects the quality and taste of the final product. And so many cheeses have an interesting story attached to them. People of the world have been making cheese for thousands of year. Everyone has to start somewhere...I have a lot of catching up to do. :)
My favorites in no particular order are:
1. Parrano- it is an aged Gouda. I love it. I have to admit it is probably my favorite.
2. Bayley Hazen Blue. I sample this a few months ago at Southern Seasons in Chape Hill and I wrote one of the first posts on my blog about it. It comes from a creamery in Greensboro, Vermont. I love this one with sliced pears....apples are good too.
3. Boursin. I like the original with Garlic and Herb. Great on crackers. Click here for the recipe I posted for Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms....incredibly good!
4. Brie. I like it baked with brown sugar, dried cranberries, butter and pecans. Great with apples and pears and really good french bread. I like to have this in the winter time. It is just the right thing to eat when it is cold outside.
5. Parmesan Reggiano. There is no substitute. Well, maybe Grana Padano...that comes close. And I have really used all of those tools to crack one of those 75 pound babies open!
6. Yancey's Fancy Champage Cheddar. There are lots of other flavors I like as well. The horseradish is very good but I have to say the Champagne is one of my favorites. And what girl doesn't like Champagne?
7. Ridder. This is a Norwegian cheese. Mild and almost sweet. Creamy yellow color.
8. Prima Donna is another aged Gouda. Very nice.
9. Gruyere, nothing better on top of a bowl of French Onion Soup. This is the one to pick when you wanted melted wonderfulness. Do you Fondu? Emmentaler is good for Fondu as well.
10. Sage Derby has a wild marbled green look to it and an unusual but delicious taste. It is a Cheddar with sage and it is pretty to look at.
Believe me when I say I know there is a lot more cheese out there to discover and this list is a starter only scratching the surface. Viva la fromage! Do you have a favorite????
