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Favorite Cheese


AzRaeL

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Not all raw milk cheese is as strong as what CharityCase is describing--I've had quite a number of mild ones. It's hard to recommend specific ones though, because for legal reasons they are almost always local products.

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

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You might like to check out Cougar Gold, produced by the WSU Creamery. They're not shipping right now due to weather conditions but, when they are, their cheese usually has the lactic acid in it.

Looks wonderful - I'll keep an eye out for when they start shipping again!

Marcia.

Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted...he lived happily ever after. -- Willy Wonka

eGullet foodblog

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My local Whole Foods always has a basket labelled "Cheese for One", which has small pre-wrapped portions of cheeses that are a more manageable commitment for someone shopping only for themselves.  When I'm in the mood, I always buy a couple of small pieces and make myself a nice cheese platter for dessert with no waste whatsoever.  Like I'm planning to this evening!  :smile:

What a great idea!

I'm sure a lot of people are slightly put off buying cheese due to it either being prepackaged in far to large amounts or not wanting to ask for small amounts at the counter, or even the 'don't know how to pronounce it' dilemma.

My old favourite cheese shop has shut down now, I have had to start buying it from the supermarket, which is just not the same.

There is a french cheesemonger on the market who is ok though - always VERY ripe cheeses, handy for improptu lunches. I do like to support local cheesemakers when I can though. If you can get hold of some, try some Britich cheeses (Jennahan mentions a few good ones) - We do go beyond cheddar and Stilton, although of course good ones of them are excellent.

In addition to all the advantages you already mentioned, the best part is that most of the smaller pre-wrapped pieces are quite inexpensive. The cheeses I had last night included a nice ripe piece of Robiolo (about $2.00), a Parmesana Fresca (.90 cents) and a small wedge of "Dry Jack" (.65 cents). So for three dollars and some change I put together a cheese plate for one that would have cost three to four times that at a local restaurant. A nice glass of Lancaster Red (a lovely California Meritage I'm quite fond of) and I was a very happy girl. :smile:

And I'm quite fond of the British and Irish cheeses that I've had the pleasure of trying (love the Sage Derby and Cashel Blue). Wish they were more readily available and less expensive. That exchange rate is killing me! :angry:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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My local Whole Foods always has a basket labelled "Cheese for One", which has small pre-wrapped portions of cheeses that are a more manageable commitment for someone shopping only for themselves.  When I'm in the mood, I always buy a couple of small pieces and make myself a nice cheese platter for dessert with no waste whatsoever.  Like I'm planning to this evening!  :smile:

Do you shop at the same Whole Foods Market I do?

I think that basket is called the "under $3 section" at the South Street store. The sign attached to it reads "Afraid of commitment? Try these--everything is under $3."

I've sampled some pretty tasty stuff from this basket.

I still prefer foraging at DiBruno's, though. Bought some very good tomme from Georgia there a few weeks ago.

Sandy Smith, Exile on Oxford Circle, Philadelphia

"95% of success in life is showing up." --Woody Allen

My foodblogs: 1 | 2 | 3

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My local Whole Foods always has a basket labelled "Cheese for One", which has small pre-wrapped portions of cheeses that are a more manageable commitment for someone shopping only for themselves.  When I'm in the mood, I always buy a couple of small pieces and make myself a nice cheese platter for dessert with no waste whatsoever.  Like I'm planning to this evening!  :smile:

Do you shop at the same Whole Foods Market I do?

I think that basket is called the "under $3 section" at the South Street store. The sign attached to it reads "Afraid of commitment? Try these--everything is under $3."

I've sampled some pretty tasty stuff from this basket.

I still prefer foraging at DiBruno's, though. Bought some very good tomme from Georgia there a few weeks ago.

Sandy:

Yup - we're shopping at the same store. Maybe they vary the sign so the customers don't get bored? I've definitely seen it listed as "Cheese for One", which is why it caught my eye the first time. But now that I know where to look I confess I don't pay much attention to the sign anymore. The basket is always in the same spot, on the southside of the cheese case. Maybe it was a former cheese manager's idea that has gone by the wayside? :shrug:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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My local Whole Foods always has a basket labelled "Cheese for One", which has small pre-wrapped portions of cheeses that are a more manageable commitment for someone shopping only for themselves.  When I'm in the mood, I always buy a couple of small pieces and make myself a nice cheese platter for dessert with no waste whatsoever.  Like I'm planning to this evening!  :smile:

Do you shop at the same Whole Foods Market I do?

I think that basket is called the "under $3 section" at the South Street store. The sign attached to it reads "Afraid of commitment? Try these--everything is under $3."

I've sampled some pretty tasty stuff from this basket.

They had this same basket in the Whole Foods in Albuquerque, where I spent the last 3 months. I started trying some new-to-me cheeses there...

I am trying to figure out which wines go best with different cheeses now...

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I adore cheese...in fact, half of my dinners consist of a cheese plate, a glass of wine, some chutney, and bread.  Here are some of my favorites (I've added some "withs" as I think they enhance the flavour of the cheeses):

Blues: Stilton (Colston Bassett) with red onion jam, Gorgonzola Dolce with figs and honey, Cashel Blue (fairly mild and with a tang of sweetness, so I have this one just with some fruit)

Hard:  Linconshire Poacher (a flavour which is a marriage of gruyere and cheddar), Comte (actually, this cheese is better to cook with than eat)

Rinded: Vacherin Mont d'Or (warmed in the oven and eaten fondu style with apples, potatoes and kielbassa sausage!), Wigmore (a british sheeps milk cheese which is runny even in the fridge)

Peculiar: Stinking Bishop (smells like the sneaker of someone with athlete's foot, tastes georgeous)

Goat:  Purple Haze (a California aged goat...I like this even better than it's Loire Valley counterparts!)

Fresh:  Mozzarella di Buffala di Campagna (with basil, salt, olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes of course)

Glad to see a fine line-up of UK cheeses among these suggestions.

For another soft, runny cheese [liquid at room temperature] with a UK pedigree: How about Bishop Kennedy? I find it a pleasing sibling to the exalted Stinking Bishop -- and it's about $8 less per pound round these parts. [Last winter, Stinking B was about $23, whereas B Kennedy ran somewhere around $15.]

As a point of interest, I might note that the "bishop" portion of these cheeses' nomenclature alludes to the bishop pear, the juice of which is used to rinse the rind of said cheeses. There's a double-whammy embedded in the B Kennedy imagery in that, historically, Bishop Kennedy was a founder of the University of Edinburgh -- though I don't know whether the man's culinary reputation ties in with the marketing scheme. [by all means enlighten us all if I'm wrong on this.]

Edited by Gaius (log)

Jamie M. Forbes

"Everything I know about life I learned in the kitchen."

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Ricotta salata diced into a green salad.

Gruyere by itself or on crackers, or on gratin

Mimolette, which is like a French edam--very hard and orange; excellent flavor

He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise. --- Henry David Thoreau
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My favorites today (because they'll change tomorrow) are. . .

Taleggio. This is a cow's milk cheese with a washed rind. Made from milk from cows that are fatigued from traveling in the mountains, or that's how I seem to remember it. It's a comarative strong-flavored cheese, and a tough one to find a wine pairing for.

Explorateur. This is a triple creme cow's milk cheese that is about 75% fat. Yum! Terrific with Champagne, and totally addictive.

Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. Aged goat cheese with an ash layer.

This is an okay web site for someone wanting a beginning primer on cheese: http://www.foodsubs.com/Cheese.html

We cannot employ the mind to advantage when we are filled with excessive food and drink - Cicero

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I am loving the Humboldt Fog that I bought at Fairway this morning. I'm thinkin' it'd go great with some sour-rye bread and a little red onion.

-- Jeff

"I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." -- Groucho Marx

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  • 1 year later...

I just read thru this entire thread...quite good - question is "Why did it stop?"

So I figured I would get it started again....I have soo many fav's, But I def have a soft spot for:

epoisess (sp)

Fresh Goat Chevre

Niels Yard Stilton Blue

Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheddar (a big award winner)

More too...I will think of them and post as they drift into my memory. I buy cheese so often that I do not remember many of the names of my favorites, I just go to the shop and know them by their look and description, and where I shop for cheese they are in huge wedges that they have to cut fresh for you so I can taste whatever I want before I purchase. I love living in chicago...so many cheese shops (soley cheese) and many specialty shops with huge, wonderful cheese selections from ALL over

"One Hundred Years From Now It Will Not Matter What My Bank Account Was, What Kind of House I lived in, or What Kind of Car I Drove, But the World May Be A Better Place Because I Was Important in the Life of A Child."

LIFES PHILOSOPHY: Love, Live, Laugh

hmmm - as it appears if you are eating good food with the ones you love you will be living life to its fullest, surely laughing and smiling throughout!!!

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BTW, new to me this order was the St. Nectaire and St. Marcellin, and the Gouda aged 6 years.  Gouda wasn't new to me, but that aged was.  I think maybe I need to acquire a taste for that.  It surely tastes of caramel...  quite sweet.  Does anybody have any ideas to share of your favorite uses for it?  Certain fruits or drink you enjoy it with in a cheese course?

A reply 2.5 years late, but gouda this old is great with scotch! or, it should be enjoyed last in the chese course as it is so powerful.

Lisa K

Lavender Sky

"No one wants black olives, sliced 2 years ago, on a sandwich, you savages!" - Jim Norton, referring to the Subway chain.

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  • 1 month later...

My Canadian husband recently introduced me to sharp Canadian cheddar and I'm seriously addicted. It's like Heaven in my mouth. Of course, I also love Parmigiano-Reggiano. I also love a good basic Swiss.

Edited by Donia (log)
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Okay, I'll weigh in with my favorites.

The short answer is All of them, except Brie, for some strange reason -- quite likely overdosing on it in college.

But forced to choose three, I will pick:

Pennsylvania Noble (Cheddar-style cheese; distinctive in that the maker skips the salting step in the cheddaring process)

Smoked Gouda (real, not industrial)

...the third one is a toughie, there are so many that qualify...

Maytag Blue (though I use Buttermilk Blue, which is almost as good, more often)

Sandy Smith, Exile on Oxford Circle, Philadelphia

"95% of success in life is showing up." --Woody Allen

My foodblogs: 1 | 2 | 3

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Okay, I'll weigh in with my favorites.

The short answer is All of them, except Brie, for some strange reason -- quite likely overdosing on it in college.

But forced to choose three, I will pick:

Pennsylvania Noble (Cheddar-style cheese; distinctive in that the maker skips the salting step in the cheddaring process)

Smoked Gouda (real, not industrial)

...the third one is a toughie, there are so many that qualify...

Maytag Blue (though I use Buttermilk Blue, which is almost as good, more often)

I love Buttermilk Blue and prefer it over Maytag!

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
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Truly impossible for me to limit to three; my "faves" change all the time, often depending on the weather, wine we've got on board, etc.

In no particular order,

France:

Osau Iraty

Tomme de Fedou;

Epoisse de Bourgogne;

aged crotin;

laguiole

pont l'eveque

Raclette

Roquefort

Bleu D'Auvergne

Tomme de Savoie

Spain:

Garrotxa

Manchego

Switzerland:

Gruyere

Vacherin Fribourgeois

England

Double Gloucester

Stilton

U.S.:

Humboldt Fog

Schwarz und Weiss, triple cream Amish blue

Right now, in our fridge, Garrotxa, Osau Iraty, Tomme de Fedou, so, them's the current faves. The Fedou, in particular, with its direct connection to the sheep, is a subtle, but discernibly pleasant stank I can't get enough of. Well, when I'm not going nuts over the hay and meadow of Vacherin.

I give up. Trois? Impossible!

-Paul

 

Remplis ton verre vuide; Vuide ton verre plein. Je ne puis suffrir dans ta main...un verre ni vuide ni plein. ~ Rabelais

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I am a cheese lover - I eat it every day (the good stuff too, not just cheddar or whatever from the grocery store, although yes yes that is great too and has its place and time)

I love love epoisse - love neils yard stilton blue but have eaten that one daily for about 3 months so I seem to be on a lil break as of now but gimme a week more and I will be back on that bandwagon

I love capriola farms goats cheeses (all of them are great - check our their website jsut google capriola farm goats cheese) - they come to my farmers market (only like once a month cause its a 5 hour drive plus each way for them) when the market is open (May 16th - november...it starts SOON!!!)

I love cows, sheeps and goats cheeses and have also had some great elks and ewes milk varieties too - I love the stinky, funky, runny stuff and I love the hard, subtle crumbly kinds too - I go through faze's often but I really really love all cheese (even your run of the mill string cheese although the fresh ones are so much better, but I still like the pre-packaged mass produced stuff too).

What can I say I am not biased....I also cannot pick three!

"One Hundred Years From Now It Will Not Matter What My Bank Account Was, What Kind of House I lived in, or What Kind of Car I Drove, But the World May Be A Better Place Because I Was Important in the Life of A Child."

LIFES PHILOSOPHY: Love, Live, Laugh

hmmm - as it appears if you are eating good food with the ones you love you will be living life to its fullest, surely laughing and smiling throughout!!!

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When I was a kid and we played the game of "what would you bring to eat on a desert island if you could only bring one food?", I would always answer "CHEESE!!!".

I've been selling cheese now for over 25 years, so that is still true.

There are just too many good ones to choose...so many types of cheeses, so little time...

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I agree with everyone! We decided to retire to France for two reasons:

- I could eat a different cheese every day & not repeat myself.

- I could do posts & take pictures just to make all of my cheese deprived friends in the states jealous.

So far the plan is working.

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I've been on a cheese kick over the last year and have made it my business to try really good cheeses from different parts of the world. Some of my favorites are:

English farmhouse cheddars (Quicke's, Montgomery & Keens - the one I choose varies with my mood)

Epoisses (classic French washed rind "stinky" cheese)

Brunet (soft Goat milk cheese from Italy)

Pyrenees Brebis & Ossau Vielle - sheep's milk cheeses from France

Tomme Crayeuse (France)

Mahon (Spain)

*edited to fix the name of the Tomme Crayeuse.

Edited by Kris (log)
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I've been on a cheese kick over the last year and have made it my business to try really good cheeses from different parts of the world.  Some of my favorites are:

English farmhouse cheddars (Quicke's, Montgomery & Keens - the one I choose varies with my mood)

Epoisses (classic French washed rind "stinky" cheese)

Brunet (soft Goat milk cheese from Italy)

Pyrenees Brebis & Ossau Vielle - sheep's milk cheeses from France

Tomme de Crayeuse (France)

Mahon (Spain)

Kris, I've not had the tomme de Crayeuse - can you describe it a bit?

-Paul

 

Remplis ton verre vuide; Vuide ton verre plein. Je ne puis suffrir dans ta main...un verre ni vuide ni plein. ~ Rabelais

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