The Official Cheese Lover Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sorry, I couldn't resist. It was hearing the Wensleydale that did it.

Speaking of Wensleydale, we can all thank Wallace and Gromit for saving them from bankruptcy.

http://wallaceandgromit.net/wensleydale.php

[BigFatMeanie]

The cheese thread! Awesome! Where have you been all my life?

I've taken to trying the various cheeses at Harmon's although they are stinking expensive so I don't let my kids try. It's just too good and too expensive to waste on a kid that is fine with plain ol' cheddar. So far I have tried the following:

- An Irish white cheddar (I can't remember the name, now that there are fellow cheese lovers to talk to I'll get better at remembering the names and prices and such). It was pretty good but was still just a cheddar.
- An English mustard cheddar. This came with a red wax rind and had whole ground mustard seeds in it. At first bite you couldn't taste the mustard but then after a second it kicked in and you got that "wasabi up the nose" tingly/burning sensation that was really cool.
- An English onion cheddar. This one was really nice, the onion flavor was nice and strong.
- A Brie, can't remember from where, that I think turned out to be a little bit too old. I like the soft blooming rind cheeses but when the bloomy rind starts to get black mold on it and smell too much like ammonia then it grosses me out although I know some people still eat rind that old.
- A really nice pepper jack from a Cache Valley dairy (can't remember the name) that was actually spicy. I hate underwhelming/bland pepper jacks but this one had a nice flavor and kick to it.

I've started watching the show Cheese Slices on UEN here in Utah. http://www.uen.org/tv/cheese/episodes.php It's awesome. I love learning how the different cheeses are made and the host goes all over Europe and films the dairies and cheese-making process, both industrial and artisanal.

A few weeks ago Cheese Slices had an episode on Vacherin Mont D'or from Switzerland/France. http://www.vacherin-montdor.ch/en. It's only available a few months out of the year and is reputedly so stinky that it's banned on public transportation in France. Supposedly it tastes heavenly. Anyone ever tried it? I've been waiting to try it now that it's in season, and I've even signed up for the mailing list at Murray's Cheese but so far haven't been able to find a website in the US that is selling it yet. There are a few American-made cheese similar to Vacherin, including the spruce bark wrapping, but I want to try the real thing just once.

I think the next thing I want to try is a white stilton with something creative in it like apples or berries or something. Anyone have any good recommendations on where I can get an interesting stilton in Utah, or online?

[Jeff Lebowski]

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A few weeks ago Cheese Slices had an episode on Vacherin Mont D'or from Switzerland/France. http://www.vacherin-montdor.ch/en. It's only available a few months out of the year and is reputedly so stinky that it's banned on public transportation in France. Supposedly it tastes heavenly. Anyone ever tried it? I've been waiting to try it now that it's in season, and I've even signed up for the mailing list at Murray's Cheese but so far haven't been able to find a website in the US that is selling it yet. There are a few American-made cheese similar to Vacherin, including the spruce bark wrapping, but I want to try the real thing just once.

Let us know if you find it.

I think the next thing I want to try is a white stilton with something creative in it like apples or berries or something. Anyone have any good recommendations on where I can get an interesting stilton in Utah, or online?

I have tried a couple of Stiltons with fruit (cranberries, apricots, etc.) and they were purchased at Harmons. I didn't like them. Much prefer the Wensleydale from Costco.

[BigFatMeanie]

I have tried a couple of Stiltons with fruit (cranberries, apricots, etc.) and they were purchased at Harmons. I didn't like them. Much prefer the Wensleydale from Costco.

Did you get "odd and vivid" dreams after eating the stilton? From the mighty wikipedia:

A 2005 survey carried out by the British Cheese Board reported that Stilton cheese seemed to cause unusual dreams when eaten before sleep, with 75% of men and 85% of women experiencing "odd and vivid" dreams after eating a 20-gram serving of the cheese half an hour prior to sleeping.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stilton_cheese

[BigPiney]

A few weeks ago Cheese Slices had an episode on Vacherin Mont D'or from Switzerland/France. http://www.vacherin-montdor.ch/en. It's only available a few months out of the year and is reputedly so stinky that it's banned on public transportation in France. Supposedly it tastes heavenly. Anyone ever tried it? I've been waiting to try it now that it's in season, and I've even signed up for the mailing list at Murray's Cheese but so far haven't been able to find a website in the US that is selling it yet. There are a few American-made cheese similar to Vacherin, including the spruce bark wrapping, but I want to try the real thing just once.

Last year I spent a week only 5 miles from the Gruyere castle. Yumm. It was fun hearing the cows roaming the hills with their bells on. When I was out for a run in the mornings, the farmers would be out collecting the milk and bringing into the local fromagerie. We would then go to this fromagerie and get fresh yogurt, various ages of Gruyere, and something they called Vacherin. This stuff was strong, but oh so good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacherin Not sure which one I had, but it had some kick.

One of my favorite cheeses is Port Salut.

[thesaint258]

The cheese thread! Awesome! Where have you been all my life?

I've taken to trying the various cheeses at Harmon's although they are stinking expensive so I don't let my kids try. It's just too good and too expensive to waste on a kid that is fine with plain ol' cheddar.

This is what my wife and I do. Before we got married, she didn't really care for cheese. I bought a simple goat cheese with pepper mixed in, and she loved it. Now we buy a new cheese once a week to try new stuff. It's awesome.

[YOhio]

Here's a good vid clip on maggot cheese.

[happyone]

If you can find it,

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/tv/cheese-slices/

http://www.youtube.com/user/willstudd

It airs here locally on Channel 9 on Monday evenings - It's been airing for a couple of yrs now that I know of.

They have just finished a series on US Artisanal Cheeses

FWIW I've really enjoyed it

[BigFatMeanie]

Guilty. I'm a thread skimmer, not a peruser.

[MarkGrace]

I ate a lot of cheese last night.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Captain is a cheese lover. The main grocery store we go to is like a local Whole Foods. One of the best ways I can get him to obey is if I promise him while we are grocery shopping that he can select a cheese from their cheese section. I'll have to get him to list his favorites over the last year or so. I know the least favorite was a blueberry blue cheese.

[Commando]

I'm no cheese connoisseur- likely because the runny, moldy varieties associated with cheese wankery are just not my favorite thing. But every time I go to Wisconsin I like to get some tasty curds infused with dill, sun dried tomatoes, or other flavors. I brought back some last time and my grilled cheese sandwiches were off the chain!

Another novelty which is pretty awesome is their cheese fudge.

[SCcoug]

When I saw this thread bumped by HFNW I was hoping it would be a sequel of Herbert and the goat cheese salesman.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

When I saw this thread bumped by HFNW I was hoping it would be a sequel of Herbert and the goat cheese salesman.

Lol, that was me trying to be smart with you CSers.

[Eddie]

I'm a big cheese fan - of most cheeses.

I really like the Swiss varieties the best. I'll eat a lot of Gruyere, fontina, and a recent favorite is raclette. Actually picked up a raclette cooker a few years ago - and it's one of the favorite meals for the kids. Just gets a little too pricey to do too often.

My wife came home from Cache Valley with some smoked cheese curd the other day. Good stuff.