Mmmmm. Cheese.

shawkins · Oct 7, 2008

A couple of years ago I went to a local restaurant that was known for its cheese courses. Having grown up in a house where swiss cheese was considered exotic, this was a real eye opener for me. Since then, I've been exploring a bit.

Here's some of my favorites. Most of them aren't going to be found in your local grocery, but there are a lot of places on the web with 1 day shipping.

Tete de Moine - A hard swiss cheese with what it traditionally described as a "nutty" flavor. The flavor is very intense. It really, really, really should be prepared with a girolle. The girolle shaves it into delicate little cheese petals that melt in your mouth.

La Tur - A soft Italian cheese with a relatively mild flavor. Made from a mixture of goat and cow's milk.

Abbaye de Tamie - Soft French cheese made from cow's milk. Interesting combination of flavors.

stormie · Oct 7, 2008

I grew up where mozzarella wasn't just used on pizzas. Grilled cheese, little stuffed bundles of dough (I forget the Italian name for them), and even mac and cheese.

So here's my new love: Brie. Soft and buttery and mild. But it has to be good Brie, like St.Andre.

Eskimo1990 · Oct 7, 2008

Ohh I love Brie. I tried it about 3 years ago on a cruise. Had noooo idea what it was, but loved it.
When I got back, I didn't know what it was called for like a year.
Now I know. I love it

Too bad my dad won't buy it very often.

jennontheisland · Oct 7, 2008

Chevre on pizza is my latest cheese adventure.

And I just picked up a cheddar made with grainy mustard. Bought it last year at Christmas and it is fabulous with pears. It's called Red Dragon and it's from Wales.

Thump · Oct 7, 2008

I looooooooooove cheese! Of course, I'm French so I don't have much of a choice

Genetics, yanno?

I love Brie but among my favorites are Tomme de Brebis (a hard, sheep cheese) which is incredibly delicious and expensive, Munster (soft, cow cheese), Mimolette (the older the better), Roquefort and Bleu among the French and most hard cheese from elsewhere. I live in England now and I'm a little disapointed at the little variety in cheeses. English cheeses are nice but they lack the character of French cheeses IMO. Still, nom!

Gravity · Oct 7, 2008

Ahh, cheese. When I was a kid my dad would bring home those little triangles of different cheeses (Laughing Cow brand?) packed in a circular box, and my younger brother and I would fight over them. Now that I'm older, I've grown fond of many kinds of cheeses, but I still look back at those little triangles with great nostalgia.

stormie · Oct 7, 2008

Some good homemade bread (or bread right from the bakery), cheese (like Brie!), and a glass of red wine. Great meal!

BenPanced · Oct 7, 2008

Havarti. I had it for the first time this year and if I'm having screaming foodgasms over cheese mass-produced for grocery store consumption, I'd hate to find out what happens if I ever have artisan.

Didn't think I'd ever like brie, but it's teh yumm.

I have some chevre in the fridge I need to break out. I've never tried it.

Don't like smoked varieties. Something about it makes me go "blech".

Really need to check out the wine store with the cheese monger.

vixey · Oct 7, 2008

OK - my stomach's rumbling ...

When Scott mentioned Tete de Moine it reminded me of Gruyere, which we had in a fondue in Lucerne. Very nutty and so yummy. We can get it in our grocery store here. Makes amazing grilled cheese sandwiches.

I love Stilton with something sweet on the side, like a chutney or apricot jam and warm french bread.

*heads to kitchen to rummage through cheese drawer*

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Oct 7, 2008

We have the most delightful Mediterranean Deli (called... for those of you near enough to partake... ahem... The Mediterranean Deli) and they have the most wonderful random selections of cheeses from all over the world. Ol' Boy and I have fun picking out a new cheese to try each time we go.

So far, we've enjoyed a Guinness Cheddar (if you like Guinness... yummo!) and a Granna Padana (like aged Parmesan only cheaper)... and fresh mozzarella... and fresh Feta (French and Italian)... and Irish Dubliner... and West Country Farmhouse Cheddar from England...

I see a trip to the MD coming up this weekend...

sheadakota · Oct 7, 2008

I once served a salad with feta cheese in it and my SIL was appalled- "How can you eat THAT? it comes from a goat!" :Wha:

As if the kind that comes from cows is somehow cleaner??

vixey · Oct 7, 2008

Not being a fan of goat or sheep's cheese, I LOVE Feta! Sharp and salty, just a tad bitter. Add to that salad some dried cranberries and/or sugar coated pecans with a balsamic vinaigrette - heaven!

*salivating now*

stormie · Oct 7, 2008

Yep, good thread.

MaryMumsy · Oct 7, 2008

I like most any kind of cheese except the blue varieties. The best chile con queso I ever had was in El Paso and made with fresh roasted green chiles and Mexican goat cheese. With tortilla chips made from white corn tortillas. Yum and nom.

MM

zenwriter · Oct 7, 2008

Mmm. I love Rougette cheese. I've been experimenting, buying new types of cheeses at the farmer's market each week. It's a great way to try out new cheeses.

nicolen · Oct 7, 2008

Mmmm cheese.

There's a cheese shop about 10 minutes walk from my house. I don't dare go near there too often because it's too easy to walk out with a massive bill.

I bought Shropshire blue from there a few weeks ago - very nice. Stilton is always a favourite, and a decent brie is a thing of beauty.

What am I saying? Just about every cheese is a thing of beauty.

chevbrock · Oct 8, 2008

I had some Gjetjost (sp) cheese for breakfast once when I was in Norway. It was so sweet and creamy, it was almost like caramel - but not - and it was sooooo yummy!

Reckon I can get any here? I think not

vixey · Oct 8, 2008

chevbrock said:
I had some Gjetjost (sp) cheese for breakfast once when I was in Norway. It was so sweet and creamy, it was almost like caramel - but not - and it was sooooo yummy!

Reckon I can get any here? I think not

You can get it here (US, don't know about Australia) at a specialty cheese shop. Some of our grocery stores carry it. My huband's family lived in Norway in the early '60's and fell in love with that cheese. (I don't care for it.) They'd slice it thinly and serve with flat bread. Said it tasted like peanut butter.

shawkins · Oct 8, 2008

chevbrock said:
I had some Gjetjost (sp) cheese for breakfast once when I was in Norway. It was so sweet and creamy, it was almost like caramel - but not - and it was sooooo yummy!

Reckon I can get any here? I think not

With the internet, all things are possible:

http://www.gourmet-food.com/gourmet-cheese/gjetost-cheese-100414.aspx

Thanks for the recommendations, everybody.

auntybug · Oct 8, 2008

Mmmmm...cheese...it's all good

JLCwrites · Oct 8, 2008

^ I agree with AB! It is all so yummy!

I just made a waldorf salad with apples, celery, Miracle Whip, sour cream, raisins, pecans, and crumbles of blue cheese. YUM!

JLCwrites · Oct 8, 2008

I want to buy some Cheese!!!!!!

LaurieD · Oct 8, 2008

I like softer cheeses best - 'Jack, and just about any combination of 'Jack, cream cheeses, Munster, cheddars, mozzarella...
Something my husband brought home from the deli once was really good, I have no idea what it was - came in a small wheel of red wax, creamy yellow/gold cheese. Mmmmmmm...
I'm thinking tart apples, crackers, cheese, and a bottle of wine are sounding pretty good for dinner...

stormie · Oct 8, 2008

With all this cheese-y talk, tonight I shredded some Cabot cheddar cheese and sprinkled it over each bowl of chicken soup I made. (Have to serve it right away.)

MaryMumsy · Oct 8, 2008

LaurieD said:
Something my husband brought home from the deli once was really good, I have no idea what it was - came in a small wheel of red wax, creamy yellow/gold cheese. Mmmmmmm...

That might have been gouda. Here in AZ all the groceries have it, in varying prices.

MM

Mmmmm. Cheese.

Ahhh. Sweet.

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