# Say CHEESE!



## jswordy

What cheeses are you nibbling on with your wines? For my everyday cheese fix, I really like this Boars's Head Smoked Gouda. Hope to post some more of my cheese finds as they come up. I have had some really good ones from Whole Foods and The Fresh Market. What's your favorite?


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## Rocky

My "go to" cheese with red wine is Gruyere. It is a Swiss cheese with an attitude that works well with reds.


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## Boatboy24

I love a good Manchego (well almost any Manchego, really). Also very fond of simple block of parmesan, pecorino or asiago. 

This stuff is deadly addictive:


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## Cynewulf

These cheeses from Meadow Creek, one of our Virginia dairies, are some of the best I’ve had in the US. The Grayson is a wonderful soft cheese, a little like a good Camembert and the Mountaineer is a beautiful alpine style hard cheese like a Beaufort. I happened upon them at a Wegman’s near Charlottesville and was super happy to find them closer to home as well.


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## ibglowin

For me its a good Brie. You have just enough nutty flavor to let you know it's cheese but not enough to compete/overwhelm the wine plus all that milk fat that helps to take the edge off the tannin bite..........


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## heatherd

I like to make my own caprese with homegrown tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella.

Additionally had a lovely smoked cheddar with ritz crackers in a winery in Charlottesville VA.


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## Sailor323

Supper at our house usually consists of a variety of cheeses, sausage and olives. The cheese selection usually has a white mold cheese such as Camembert or St André, a Roquefort, aged Manchego (one of my faves), a smelly cheese such as French Meunster (Willoughby is an excellent American red rind cheese), Mimolette, a good aged (7yrs or more) NY cheddar if we can get it . I'm especially fond of Humboldt Fog. We have to order cheese on line since there are no good cheese mongers near us. We order from iGourmet and Murrays


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## BernardSmith

Great question. I like to make my own cheese and there is something quite magical about drinking a glass of your own wine with a slice of your own cheese with perhaps a slice of your own bread.


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## Cynewulf

BernardSmith said:


> Great question. I like to make my own cheese and there is something quite magical about drinking a glass of your own wine with a slice of your own cheese with perhaps a slice of your own bread.


I received a cheese press for Christmas last year but haven’t started yet. Are there resources/books you can recommend?


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## BernardSmith

I have three books (authors) I like - in no particular order
Ricki Carroll's Home Cheese Making
David Asher The Art of Natural Cheese Making
Gianaclis Caldwell Mastering Basic Cheese Making

Carroll is a very good basic first book about cheese making. Her approach is simple and down to earth. she focuses on recipes and holds your hand as you make the cheese
Asher is a professional cheese maker but his approach is to explain the principles and he basically uses kefir as his cultures for the cheeses he makes (I follow his approach). He is the Sandor Katz of cheese making.
Caldwell teaches cheese making and her approach is more science focused and deals more (I would argue) with understanding and controlling the processes. With her approach you develop your skills and so recipes begin to make far more sense


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## BernardSmith

Cynewulf said:


> I received a cheese press for Christmas last year but haven’t started yet. Are there resources/books you can recommend?



Hard cheese needs to be pressed but soft (unaged) cheese doesn't. You simply drain the whey. And even if recipes suggest that you use say 2 -4 gallons of milk you can make good cheese using a) supermarket milk (the fresher the better but that milk cannot be ultra pasteurized (that damages the protein molecules) and if you use regularly pasteurized milk you should add Ca Cl (calcium Chloride (food grade) to repair the damage AND you can make hard cheese with a gallon of milk. A gallon will give you about a hefty pound of cheese and about 7 pints of whey. 
You may know this already, but hard cheese can take about 4 or 5 hours (sometimes more (overnight) so it is a lot like brewing beer in terms of the amount of time you need to be around BUT you may need to pay attention every ten minutes for two minutes or every 30 minutes for a minute so you can multi-task without too much difficulty. You just need thermometers with timers with alarms.


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## JoP

Boatboy24 said:


> I love a good Manchego (well almost any Manchego, really). Also very fond of simple block of parmesan, pecorino or asiago.
> 
> This stuff is deadly addictive:
> View attachment 78313


I like to nibble on Manchego from Costco, real Spanish product, perfect for red wine


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## winemaker81




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## jswordy

Figuring everything is better with bacon, my wife bought me two wedges of this. But after a taste test, well no, everything is not better with bacon IMO, and now I have to figure out what to do with them. I'll use them up somehow.


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## Cynewulf

BernardSmith said:


> Hard cheese needs to be pressed but soft (unaged) cheese doesn't. You simply drain the whey. And even if recipes suggest that you use say 2 -4 gallons of milk you can make good cheese using a) supermarket milk (the fresher the better but that milk cannot be ultra pasteurized (that damages the protein molecules) and if you use regularly pasteurized milk you should add Ca Cl (calcium Chloride (food grade) to repair the damage AND you can make hard cheese with a gallon of milk. A gallon will give you about a hefty pound of cheese and about 7 pints of whey.
> You may know this already, but hard cheese can take about 4 or 5 hours (sometimes more (overnight) so it is a lot like brewing beer in terms of the amount of time you need to be around BUT you may need to pay attention every ten minutes for two minutes or every 30 minutes for a minute so you can multi-task without too much difficulty. You just need thermometers with timers with alarms.


Very cool. I’d love to see a thread of you documenting your process.


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## cmason1957

jswordy said:


> Figuring everything is better with bacon, my wife bought me two wedges of this. But after a taste test, well no, everything is not better with bacon IMO, and now I have to figure out what to do with them. I'll use them up somehow.
> 
> View attachment 78574



Mixed with other cheese into a question? Maybe melted and mixed with some other cheeses for eggs?


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## ibglowin

jswordy said:


> Figuring everything is better with bacon, my wife bought me two wedges of this. But after a taste test, well no, everything is not better with bacon IMO, and now I have to figure out what to do with them. I'll use them up somehow.
> 
> View attachment 78574


My “City Grits” calls for smoked Gouda and bacon mixed in and it is to die for good!


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> Figuring everything is better with bacon, my wife bought me two wedges of this. But after a taste test, well no, everything is not better with bacon IMO, and now I have to figure out what to do with them. I'll use them up somehow.
> 
> View attachment 78574



Grilled cheese sammy? Mac-n-cheese?


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## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> Grilled cheese sammy? Mac-n-cheese?



Might work for the sammich. Thanks. It is not a wine and cheese candidate, IMO. Just doesn't work.


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## BernardSmith

Cynewulf said:


> Very cool. I’d love to see a thread of you documenting your process.



Cheese making is a lot like brewing beer. It can take about 5 hours at a stretch to make some hard cheeses that then need to be aged and can take that amount of time AND overnight to make other varieties and for hard kefir cheeses it can take three or four days of pressing before you can air dry the cheese.. Better than anyone "demonstrating" such protocols you might look for trade published books on cheese making. Those books have gone through editorial offices, fact checking AND many , many, trials of making those cheeses so that what you read you can rely on as being "authoritative". The authors I cited above are among the best in the USA. But like wine making, and cooking, the secret is always in finding and using the very best ingredients. Processes (for the most part) are forgiving, though one or two ARE very critical (eg when to cut the curds in order to obtain what is called "a clean break" , and how large curds should be to ensure that the appropriate amount of liquid (whey) is held by the curds for the kind of cheese you are making. For some cheeses the paste needs to be more moist and for others, that paste needs to be much less moist. Think the difference between say, Gouda and Parmesan).


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## jswordy

Mmm... Taleggio, a wonderful stinky cheese of mild flavor that pairs well with reds. Named after Val Taleggio, an Alpine valley in Italy.


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## Meadini

I bought a nice Apple smoked Gruyere from Safeway over the weekend. It went quick so no pic, lol.


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## Meadini

She brought some more home tonight! Here’s a pic


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> Mmm... Taleggio, a wonderful stinky cheese of mild flavor that pairs well with reds. Named after Val Taleggio, an Alpine valley in Italy.
> 
> View attachment 78705



I can't believe I forgot to mention that one! Excellent choice!


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## Sailor323

If you like "stinky" red bacteria cheese, you can't do better than French Meunster or Willoughby (an American cheese). Sweet, rich, nutty. One of my faves


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## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> I can't believe I forgot to mention that one! Excellent choice!



Yep, has a nice buttery flavor and semi-soft. Very good. About your bacon gouda sammich suggestion, be sure to watch closely. That gouda melts quick!  But it was tasty! I have enough for maybe 3-4 more of them...


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## sour_grapes

+1 on Taleggio.

If you like Gruyere, keep an eye out for Comté. It is a bit hard to come by, but is lovely. And once in a great while I come across the more mild Tomme de Savoie.

For cooking, I actually prefer Grana Padano to its bigger brother, Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Mushroom brie (champignon brie) is an everyday fave.


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## Nebbiolo020

jswordy said:


> Mmm... Taleggio, a wonderful stinky cheese of mild flavor that pairs well with reds. Named after Val Taleggio, an Alpine valley in Italy.
> 
> View attachment 78705


Taleggio is one of my all time favorite cheeses but I have scared off family members who aren’t so adventurous with it.


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## sour_grapes

If you want a real treat, find yourself one of these Woolwich goat bries. Oh, the hircine goodness!


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## jswordy

Please, please, please more pix of the cheeses you are eating! Mmmm...


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## jswordy

Tonight's cheese is Tomme de Savoie, a mild, soft cow's milk cheese, in this case made by France's Herve Mons.




Mmm... A lovely, light nutty and mushroomy flavor...


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## sour_grapes

sour_grapes said:


> And once in a great while I come across the more mild Tomme de Savoie.





jswordy said:


> Tonight's cheese is Tomme de Savoie, a mild, soft cow's milk cheese, in this case made by France's Herve Mons.
> 
> View attachment 78849
> 
> 
> Mmm... A lovely, light nutty and mushroomy flavor...



Yes!! Enjoy!


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## sour_grapes

Here is a new one by me: Challerhocker, pronounced "holler hocker." Bought it on a whim. I actually thought it was a local product when I bought it, but it is a Gruyere-like Swiss cheese. It is similarly nutty, etc., but I would say it is noticably saltier. Very tasty.


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## sour_grapes

Tonight's preprandial featured buffalo mozzeralla in a caprese salad. The tomato was from my sister-in-law's garden, the basil was from my garden, but I farmed out the buffalo and the EVOO!


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## Boatboy24

I've never heard of this particular cheese, and it's apparently pretty pricey. I'm curious though - anyone ever tried?


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## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> I've never heard of this particular cheese, and it's apparently pretty pricey. I'm curious though - anyone ever tried?
> 
> View attachment 79045



Oh that looks *GOOOOOD!* I gotta keep my eye out for that one. Check this out...









Singing the Praises of Rogue River Blue | Whole Foods Market







www.wholefoodsmarket.com


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## sour_grapes

It's that time of year again!


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## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> It's that time of year again!
> 
> View attachment 79084






Just got back from a cheese-buying trip myself. I'm good to go for awhile now. Stay tuned!


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## jswordy

jswordy said:


> Oh that looks *GOOOOOD!* I gotta keep my eye out for that one. Check this out...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Singing the Praises of Rogue River Blue | Whole Foods Market
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.wholefoodsmarket.com



Of course, the durned fools don't stock it here!  But I got other places to check yet...


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## jswordy

Tonight's gustatory excursion is to the Netherlands, courtesy of a young Red Gouda.


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> Tonight's gustatory excursion is to the Netherlands, courtesy of a young Red Gouda.View attachment 79101



*And?

*


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## Cynewulf

jswordy said:


> Tonight's cheese is Tomme de Savoie, a mild, soft cow's milk cheese, in this case made by France's Herve Mons.
> 
> View attachment 78849
> 
> 
> Mmm... A lovely, light nutty and mushroomy flavor...


Mons is one of the best cheese makers in France! They have a boutique in my wife’s hometown that we always stop by several times when we go to visit family, though I only have a picture of the St Marcellin I picked up on our visit this summer. Where did you find their cheese in the US?


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## Boatboy24

Cynewulf said:


> Mons is one of the best cheese makers in France! They have a boutique in my wife’s hometown that we always stop by several times when we go to visit family, though I only have a picture of the St Marcellin I picked up on our visit this summer. Where did you find their cheese in the US?
> View attachment 79108



That corkscrew!!!


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## Cynewulf

Boatboy24 said:


> That corkscrew!!!


Lol. That was my wife’s father’s. Whenever we go to France I always forget to bring my waiter’s friend so I’ve had to learn how to use that one. It makes a nice satisfying pop when the cork exits that I was conditioned to avoid by the wine manager at my first restaurant gig.


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## winemanden

Try Cheese.com - World's Greatest Cheese Resource if you want to know about Cheeses of the World.


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## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> *And?
> View attachment 79105
> *



Very buttery and with a softer texture that I first thought it would have. I prefer smoked gouda, but this is very good, as well. Went well with the Bordeaux. I still have some for tonight.


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## jswordy

Cynewulf said:


> Mons is one of the best cheese makers in France! They have a boutique in my wife’s hometown that we always stop by several times when we go to visit family, though I only have a picture of the St Marcellin I picked up on our visit this summer. Where did you find their cheese in the US?
> View attachment 79108



Whole Foods


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## jswordy

Tonight's cheese is a semi-soft spicy and somewhat salty cow's milk product, Mitica Queso Mahon-Manorca from Spain, along with a nice shiraz.


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## jswordy

jswordy said:


> Tonight's cheese is a semi-soft spicy and somewhat salty cow's milk product, Mitica Queso Mahon-Manorca from Spain, along with a nice shiraz.
> 
> View attachment 79148



I dunno, man, they said spicy but I did not detect any spices. It is less buttery and somewhat drier than the gouda I had before this.


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## Boatboy24

Not something you'd normally 'snack' on. But it was taco night, and I had to take a sample before dinner, just to be sure it was safe for consumption.


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## jswordy

Ahhh, after nibbling on odds and ends for a few days to clean things up, I now am delighted to try another Herve Mons cheese, Gabietou. From Pau in the Pyrenees region of France, it's semi-soft and made with a blend of raw cow and sheep milks. The cheese is aged for 3-5 months, during which time the rind is washed with a water and salt brine. I see reviewers call it a "love it or hate it" cheese. Some detest the smell. We shall soon see!




Mmmm.... OK, I like it quite a bit and it goes well with a good cab. Wonderfully soft and meltable in the mouth. But I also can see how some people may pick up on a portion of the flavor profile and hate it. Grab some and see what you think!


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## sour_grapes

Rocking some Humboldt Fog!


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## Sailor323

sour_grapes said:


> Rocking some Humboldt Fog!
> View attachment 79497


I love this cheese. Cypress Grove has an impressive lineup and they're all exceptional. Midnight moon is very nice


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## jswordy

Tonight's cheese is fontina fontal from Italy, a slightly sweet, nutty, creamy soft-textured cheese.


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## jswordy

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

The job of vitamin K2 is to distribute calcium where it is needed in the body. And, if we do have calcification of the arteries from eating too much carbohydrate and sugar, then K2 helps clear that away. The only problem is, we have now virtually eliminated vitamin K2 from our diet. The best sources are fatty animal foods such as grass-fed butter, egg yolks from pastured chickens, and *fatty cheeses like Gouda, Brie and Camembert;* all foods that have been demonized.


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> *fatty cheeses like Gouda, Brie and Camembert;* all foods that have been demonized.



Not by me, they haven't...


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## sour_grapes

Staying with the Cypress Grove theme, today's offering was Truffle Tremor!


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## bstnh1

jswordy said:


> PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
> 
> The job of vitamin K2 is to distribute calcium where it is needed in the body. And, if we do have calcification of the arteries from eating too much carbohydrate and sugar, then K2 helps clear that away. The only problem is, we have now virtually eliminated vitamin K2 from our diet. The best sources are fatty animal foods such as grass-fed butter, egg yolks from pastured chickens, and *fatty cheeses like Gouda, Brie and Camembert;* all foods that have been demonized.


Demonized, maybe by some. But still on my list of everyday favorites. I ooze vitamin K12!


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## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> Not by me, they haven't...



One day recently...

*Me:* "I start each day with a 12-ounce glass of whole milk."

*My friend:* "Then you're gonna *DIE!"*

 True story!


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## jswordy

Tonight, it's Teleggio... mmm...


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## bstnh1

jswordy said:


> One day recently...
> 
> *Me:* "I start each day with a 12-ounce glass of whole milk."
> 
> *My friend:* "Then you're gonna *DIE!"*
> 
> True story!


Technically, your friend is correct. Sooner or later you're gonna go for that long dirt nap. No way to avoid it!


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> One day recently...
> 
> *Me:* "I start each day with a 12-ounce glass of whole milk."
> 
> *My friend:* "Then you're gonna *DIE!"*
> 
> True story!



Hate to break it to ya, but your friend is right.


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## winemaker81

Aldi's club crackers sprinkled with Food Lion 3 cheese shredded cheddar blend, nuked for 25 seconds, served with an off-dry Chenin Blanc.


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## BernardSmith

Boatboy24 said:


> Hate to break it to ya, but your friend is right.


Humans are the only mammals that drink milk after they have weaned and we are able to digest milk only because we have acquired a genetic defect that allows for this bizarre phenomenon and in our evolutionary history that "defect" may have had a real benefit when other sources of fats and sugars may have been beyond scarce. For healthy humans who do have good access to fats and sugars, milk should perhaps be considered a luxury food that is full of empty calories and the only reason to drink it is because you like it. It really has absolutely no health value - zero - for anyone, older than about 2, who has access to a range of foods. Even the fact that it is a good source of calcium has no proven benefit to anyone in terms of their bone health. Statistically, those who drink milk are not less likely to suffer from low bone density or broken bones when they fall.
In fact, the one group of people who do not have this deficiency are those we call lactose intolerant. Ironic , ain't it. Those who don't have the defect we view as "sick" and those who do, we view as "normal"... Could be an episode right out of Twilight Zone. You know, the one where the beautiful woman was hospitalized to treat her ugliness, while all the doctors and nurses looked like swine (and I write all this as a cheese maker who very rarely considers drinking milk)


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## toadie

Ha you beat me to it Bernard! I've always found it weird that adults drink and like milk. That said it's hard to look down on anyone when you drink as much half and half and eat as much cheese as I do. I mean I could live without it but life wouldn't be as fun.

I took a tour of one of the largest dairy farms around here, modern and fancy but wow it was a lot. Plus the keeping the cows pregnant perpetually to keep the milk flowing. I'll stop but the modern way might not always be best.


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## jswordy

bstnh1 said:


> Technically, your friend is correct. Sooner or later you're gonna go for that long dirt nap. No way to avoid it!



NOOOO!!! Really?


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## jswordy

BernardSmith said:


> Humans are the only mammals that drink milk after they have weaned and we are able to digest milk only because we have acquired a genetic defect that allows for this bizarre phenomenon and in our evolutionary history that "defect" may have had a real benefit when other sources of fats and sugars may have been beyond scarce. For healthy humans who do have good access to fats and sugars, milk should perhaps be considered a luxury food that is full of empty calories and the only reason to drink it is because you like it. It really has absolutely no health value - zero - for anyone, older than about 2, who has access to a range of foods. Even the fact that it is a good source of calcium has no proven benefit to anyone in terms of their bone health. Statistically, those who drink milk are not less likely to suffer from low bone density or broken bones when they fall.
> In fact, the one group of people who do not have this deficiency are those we call lactose intolerant. Ironic , ain't it. Those who don't have the defect we view as "sick" and those who do, we view as "normal"... Could be an episode right out of Twilight Zone. You know, the one where the beautiful woman was hospitalized to treat her ugliness, while all the doctors and nurses looked like swine (and I write all this as a cheese maker who very rarely considers drinking milk)



Quoting my dairy farmer father in law: "The cow is the mother of humankind." Mmmm... Milk! And steak! Mmmm...


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## jswordy

toadie said:


> Ha you beat me to it Bernard! I've always found it weird that adults drink and like milk. That said it's hard to look down on anyone when you drink as much half and half and eat as much cheese as I do. I mean I could live without it but life wouldn't be as fun.
> 
> I took a tour of one of the largest dairy farms around here, modern and fancy but wow it was a lot. Plus the keeping the cows pregnant perpetually to keep the milk flowing. I'll stop but the modern way might not always be best.



Tell ya what, y'all just bottled water, sports drinks or drink soda pop instead. Cuz that's what we're doing, as a society.  BTW, I raise beef cattle. In natural breeding scenarios without human planning (which some smaller farms use), the bull keeps the cows almost perpetually pregnant anyway. There is about two months time after a calf is born when she is not pregnant.


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## bstnh1

BernardSmith said:


> Humans are the only mammals that drink milk after they have weaned and we are able to digest milk only because we have acquired a genetic defect that allows for this bizarre phenomenon and in our evolutionary history that "defect" may have had a real benefit when other sources of fats and sugars may have been beyond scarce. For healthy humans who do have good access to fats and sugars, milk should perhaps be considered a luxury food that is full of empty calories and the only reason to drink it is because you like it. It really has absolutely no health value - zero - for anyone, older than about 2, who has access to a range of foods. Even the fact that it is a good source of calcium has no proven benefit to anyone in terms of their bone health. Statistically, those who drink milk are not less likely to suffer from low bone density or broken bones when they fall.
> In fact, the one group of people who do not have this deficiency are those we call lactose intolerant. Ironic , ain't it. Those who don't have the defect we view as "sick" and those who do, we view as "normal"... Could be an episode right out of Twilight Zone. You know, the one where the beautiful woman was hospitalized to treat her ugliness, while all the doctors and nurses looked like swine (and I write all this as a cheese maker who very rarely considers drinking milk)


Who says the fact that humans can digest milk is a "defect" and not simply a characteristic like an opposable thumb?


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## jswordy

bstnh1 said:


> Who says the fact that humans can digest milk is a "defect" and not simply a characteristic like an opposable thumb?



Bernard says that!  I also have another "defect" that good whole milk tastes just like liquid ice cream to me. Mmmm...


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## BernardSmith

Except that today unlike say during the ice ages, there is no evolutionary advantage to being able to digest milk post weaning and in fact the evidence suggests that the consumption of milk as promoted by the govt and various dairy lobbies appears to be a health hazard (though because of such lobbies , presumably, we don't really talk about milk in that way..). However,
Opposable thumbs are - I would argue - clearly self evidently advantageous from an evolutionary perspective... You cannot make nearly as many tools with pincers or claws as you can when you have an opposable thumb... Though , given our propensity to make such tools that threaten human life on this planet , that too may be a genetic disadvantage given our current environment...


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## BernardSmith

Technically, (and I say this with some trepidation in a community of wine makers) the only liquid humans NEED to consume is water. Wine we drink for pleasure ... but bottled sugar water (fruit juice????, soda????, sports drinks???? ) You gotta thank Madison Ave for that. Sure infants love the sweet (and the salty). Me? I drink my coffee black and unsweetened. I am sweet enough.


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## wood1954

The latest science on drinking milk says it’s neutral for health doesn’t matter if skim or whole fat. So I enjoy my lactose free whole milk and full fat yogurt and cheese, especially Wisconsin cheddar.


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## jswordy

BernardSmith said:


> Technically, (and I say this with some trepidation in a community of wine makers) the only liquid humans NEED to consume is water. Wine we drink for pleasure ... but bottled sugar water (fruit juice????, soda????, sports drinks???? ) You gotta thank Madison Ave for that. Sure infants love the sweet (and the salty). Me? I drink my coffee black and unsweetened. I am sweet enough.



The processed foods many or most people consume today are actually predigested, engineered foods and drinks with flavors tweaked to cause a desire to consume more of the product. That's the food industry making itself more money by creating a form of temporary addiction.

Alcohol consumption carries a whole list of known possible negative consequences, while conferring a smaller list of possible benefits if overall consumption is light. (The link does work.)






Error - Cookies Turned Off







onlinelibrary.wiley.com





But it's MILK that's bad for ya, right?


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## jswordy

BTW, it's interesting that since I started this thread, my FB feed has all kinds of online cheese merchant ads in it.


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## bstnh1

BernardSmith said:


> Except that today unlike say during the ice ages, there is no evolutionary advantage to being able to digest milk post weaning and in fact the evidence suggests that the consumption of milk as promoted by the govt and various dairy lobbies appears to be a health hazard (though because of such lobbies , presumably, we don't really talk about milk in that way..). However,
> Opposable thumbs are - I would argue - clearly self evidently advantageous from an evolutionary perspective... You cannot make nearly as many tools with pincers or claws as you can when you have an opposable thumb... Though , given our propensity to make such tools that threaten human life on this planet , that too may be a genetic disadvantage given our current environment...


That opposable thumb comes in handy for holding my big glass of milk.


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## bstnh1

Actually, I can't remember the last time I had a glass of milk. I have it on some shredded wheat once in a while, but that's about it.


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## bstnh1

jswordy said:


> BTW, it's interesting that since I started this thread, my FB feed has all kinds of online cheese merchant ads in it.


Zuckerberg is watching you  You better behave!!!


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## jswordy

@BernardSmith 








Milk consumption throughout life and bone mineral content and density in elderly men and women


Association between bone mineral density and bone mineral content in old age and milk consumption in adolescence, midlife, and old age was assessed. The association was strongest for milk consumption in midlife: those drinking milk daily or more often ...




www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


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## reefman

Love that corkscrew


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## jswordy

winemaker81 said:


> Aldi's club crackers sprinkled with Food Lion 3 cheese shredded cheddar blend, nuked for 25 seconds, served with an off-dry Chenin Blanc.
> 
> View attachment 79732



I miss Food Lion. We used to have one in our lil town I loved, but Walmart built a Supercenter and drove it out. On the cheddar, wifie went nuts and bought two big blocks of sharp, then found she could not eat it without reacting to it. Soooo, guess who gets to be the garbage gut? LOL, it will go green before I get it all consumed. But I'm nibbling away.


----------



## BernardSmith

jswordy said:


> The processed foods many or most people consume today are actually predigested, engineered foods and drinks with flavors tweaked to cause a desire to consume more of the product. That's the food industry making itself more money by creating a form of temporary addiction.
> 
> Alcohol consumption carries a whole list of known possible negative consequences, while conferring a smaller list of possible benefits if overall consumption is light. (The link does work.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Error - Cookies Turned Off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> onlinelibrary.wiley.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But it's MILK that's bad for ya, right?



The thing is that few - if any - drink alcohol for the health benefits but many drink milk precisely because they believe that there are health benefits and that any cost (fat, caloric etc) is by far outweighed by the benefits. So alcohol and milk are not part of the same "health register" . Apples and oranges.


----------



## bstnh1

jswordy said:


> I miss Food Lion. We used to have one in our lil town I loved, but Walmart built a Supercenter and drove it out. On the cheddar, wifie went nuts and bought two big blocks of sharp, then found she could not eat it without reacting to it. Soooo, guess who gets to be the garbage gut? LOL, it will go green before I get it all consumed. But I'm nibbling away.


According to the Mayo Clinic, you can just cut the mold off hard cheeses like cheddar.


----------



## jswordy

bstnh1 said:


> According to the Mayo Clinic, you can just cut the mold off hard cheeses like cheddar.



I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.



Huh? I go even farther. I used to cut the mold off a hard cheese, but I learned from a cheese monger that you can just _wash_ the mold off hard cheeses. And I am, somehow, still alive!


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> Huh? I go even farther. I used to cut the mold off a hard cheese, but I learned from a cheese monger that you can just _wash_ the mold off hard cheeses. And I am, somehow, still alive!



"I may have been born at night, but it wasn't LAST night" is another way of saying, I AM NOT STUPID, as you think I am.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> "I may have been born at night, but it wasn't LAST night" is another way of saying, I AM NOT STUPID, as you think I am.



I am well aware of that idiom.

I took your use of the idiom to mean that you disbelieved @bstnh1 's solution, viz., to cut the mold off.
I _further_ assumed that was because you felt that once moldy, it was no longer edible. But perhaps that is not what you meant.


----------



## cmason1957

jswordy said:


> "I may have been born at night, but it wasn't LAST night" is another way of saying, I AM NOT STUPID, as you think I am.





sour_grapes said:


> I am well aware of that idiom.
> 
> I took your use of the idiom to mean that you disbelieved @bstnh1 's solution, viz., to cut the mold off.
> I _further_ assumed that was because you felt that once moldy, it was no longer edible. But perhaps that is not what you meant.



Sitting in front of the computer monitor, once again misunderstanding of intent. Unfortunately happens all the time.


----------



## bstnh1

Gee, I thought I was simply passing along some information regarding mold on hard cheeses that JSWordy might not have been aware of. I did not intend to insult anyone's intelligence.  After all, if I knew what knowledge was in everyone's head on this forum, I'd be a wealthy man!


----------



## jswordy

Give me some credit for having lived and learned a couple years, huh? I mean, really, lol. I don't know anyone who doesn't know that you can slice the mold from cheese and use the rest. Seriously. Some finicky people might be grossed out about it, but this practice is really common knowledge among even the most neophyte cooks. 

Anyway, tonight it is Chateau Clos du Roy and Colston Bassett Stilton, which was first served in 1720. This is a fine buttery cheese with an interesting, clean mineral taste.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> Give me some credit for having lived and learned a couple years, huh? I mean, really, lol. I don't know anyone who doesn't know that you can slice the mold from cheese and use the rest.



Fair enough!



jswordy said:


> Some finicky people might be grossed out about it, but this practice is really common knowledge among even the most neophyte cooks.



Agreed.

The notion of just washing off the mold, I hate to admit, was new to me (as of about 15 years ago).


----------



## Sailor323

bstnh1 said:


> Actually, I can't remember the last time I had a glass of milk. I have it on some shredded wheat once in a while, but that's about it.


I can remember exactly when I drank my last glass of milk. I always hated milk, detested it, would never drink it as a kid. In August of 1966 I was in Peace Corps training and spent 2 weeks living with a family of native Canadians in Shefferville, northern Québec. I didn't speak their native tongue and they didn't speak French or English. One evening they served a magnificent caribou stew along with a big glass of milk. I held my breathe and forced the milk down my throat. I just didn't think it would be polite or proper to let it sit there undrunk.


----------



## balatonwine

jswordy said:


> What cheeses are you nibbling on with your wines?



It depends on the wine.

Different wines. Different cheese.


----------



## jswordy

Sailor323 said:


> I can remember exactly when I drank my last glass of milk. I always hated milk, detested it, would never drink it as a kid. In August of 1966 I was in Peace Corps training and spent 2 weeks living with a family of native Canadians in Shefferville, northern Québec. I didn't speak their native tongue and they didn't speak French or English. One evening they served a magnificent caribou stew along with a big glass of milk. I held my breathe and forced the milk down my throat. I just didn't think it would be polite or proper to let it sit there undrunk.



I HEAR YA! I hate to just sit there undrunk, myself.


----------



## jswordy

balatonwine said:


> It depends on the wine.
> 
> Different wines. Different cheese.



Great! Take pix. Share them here.


----------



## jswordy

One thing about that Colston Bassett Stilton... It is very strong. It's been a long time since I last had it, and I had forgotten how strong it is. I looked it up and it is recommended with port. I don't like port.  Anyhow, it is gonna be "concentrated cow" strong if you try it, so maybe try a small piece first. The flavor actually reminds me of how dairymen used to smell when they came into my small-town store after morning milking, and that opened up a lot of pleasant memories. It is made exclusively from the milk of cows from just five neighboring farms. The blue roquefort in it is penicillium caused, which may explain why I feel so great today after eating a few small pieces last night.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> The blue roquefort in it is penicillium caused,



You should have cut that part off!

(It's a joke, it's a joke!  )


----------



## cmason1957

sour_grapes said:


> You should have cut that part off!
> 
> (It's a joke, it's a joke!  )



and kinda funny, too!!!


----------



## jswordy

Tonight, a wee bit of Saint Angel.


----------



## balatonwine

jswordy said:


> Great! Take pix. Share them here.



Not being a foodie, I do not take photos of the food I eat.

But I can provide a list of the cheese I like to eat with the wines I make from my vineyards if interested.

Do note: Living in the Hungarian countryside, my commercial cheese options are very limited (Hungary does not have much of a cheese culture), and would include a lot of locally made cheeses from local artisans not available elsewhere. Mostly goat cheese.


----------



## sour_grapes

Back to one of my fave standbys:


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> Back to one of my fave standbys:
> 
> View attachment 79836



That looks FANTASTIC! I haven't had it. What's the flavor profile?


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> That looks FANTASTIC! I haven't had it. What's the flavor profile?



It is creamy and unctuous, as you might expect from a triple-cream brie, with that typical brie aftertaste; it is pleasantly salted. The 'shrooms give it an earthy, umami note; fairly subtle, to be candid, but still detectable.


----------



## jswordy

This is Kaasaggio Originale Gouda from the Netherlands. It seems to be very firm compared to other goudas I have had. I am excited to try it tonight.


----------



## jswordy

Originale Gouda is a very interesting cheese, harder and more crumbly than the gouda I am used to eating, slightly sharper, with a more intense taste.


----------



## ibglowin

Cheese 101: How to Cut Cheese | Video | Wine Spectator


We stopped in at New York's Bedford Cheese Shop for a quick tutorial from cheesemonger Cat Pickei on how to properly cut and present soft, firm and hard cheeses.




www.winespectator.com


----------



## jswordy

ibglowin said:


> Cheese 101: How to Cut Cheese | Video | Wine Spectator
> 
> 
> We stopped in at New York's Bedford Cheese Shop for a quick tutorial from cheesemonger Cat Pickei on how to properly cut and present soft, firm and hard cheeses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.winespectator.com



Wow, looks to me like she wasted a lot of cheese cutting off that rind. I would like to get a wire to do that, just haven't done it. Since I buy by weight, which includes the stuff I throw away, too, I like to shave them off as close as I can. Dunno how well some of these techniques would work in my dark living room after half a bottle of wine with just the light from a movie on the big screen to cut by.  I still have all my fingers, by some happenstance.

Here's 42 minutes on cutting the cheese!









How To Cut Every Cheese


Alright, alright, settle down - I see you two laughing back there. Let’s come to attention, sharpen our knives, and act like adults because today we’re learning how to cut every cheese. Join Anne Saxelby, founder and co-owner of Saxelby Cheesemongers, for a crash course on how to impress your...




www.epicurious.com


----------



## franc1969

jswordy said:


> Originale Gouda is a very interesting cheese, harder and more crumbly than the gouda I am used to eating, slightly sharper, with a more intense taste.


I've had some 1-2 year gouda that is delicious, has crunchy bits and a caramel-like flavor.


----------



## jswordy

franc1969 said:


> I've had some 1-2 year gouda that is delicious, has crunchy bits and a caramel-like flavor.



Kaasaggio is aged five months. Somewhat reminiscent of Parmesan in flavor. I think it would be excellent on Italian dishes.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> Kaasaggio



What a great name!


----------



## Khristyjeff

I remember the Kaasaggio’s from back in the neighborhood!


----------



## Boatboy24

Khristyjeff said:


> I remember the Kaasaggio’s from back in the neighborhood!



Wasn't there a TV show about keeping up with them?


----------



## jswordy

Boatboy24 said:


> Wasn't there a TV show about keeping up with them?



Me, hopping up on the examination table: "Doc, I think I got that kaasaggio again!"


----------



## jswordy

Tonight, its Port Salud cheese and a bottle of watery, flabby "Four Buck Chuck Shiraz." The wine can easily be bested, at $1 less a bottle, by Oak Leaf.


----------



## jswordy

Thanks to @ibglowin for moving this over to the proper topic!


----------



## jswordy

Tonight, it's Trader Joe's Italian Truffle. I hope it's better than the Chuckie wine was!


----------



## hounddawg

HUM, i wonder what would make a great paring of my cheese puffs and a nice nice wine,????

thank you
Dawg


----------



## hounddawg

jswordy said:


> Tonight, it's Trader Joe's Italian Truffle. I hope it's better than the Chuckie wine was!
> 
> View attachment 80137
> ,,,


do any of yawl use feta cheese ?
Dawg


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> Tonight, it's Trader Joe's Italian Truffle. I hope it's better than the Chuckie wine was!
> 
> View attachment 80137



Truffle is like crack cocaine for me.


----------



## sour_grapes

hounddawg said:


> do any of yawl use feta cheese ?
> Dawg



Gosh, it is funny that you post that right now. I was preparing to post the current offering that I have open. (More in a minute.)

Yes, I enjoy feta. For me, it is more of a summertime thing, but I didn't have much (any?) this summer.

But, my current cheese that is open is _like_ a feta, but from France. I had never heard of Valbreso before, but it is feta-adjacent  . It is from one of the large cheese conglomerates (Président) in Europe.


----------



## hounddawg

sour_grapes said:


> Gosh, it is funny that you post that right now. I was preparing to post the current offering that I have open. (More in a minute.)
> 
> Yes, I enjoy feta. For me, it is more of a summertime thing, but I didn't have much (any?) this summer.
> 
> But, my current cheese that is open is _like_ a feta, but from France. I had never heard of Valbreso before, but it is feta-adjacent  . It is from one of the large cheese conglomerates (Président) in Europe.


yep the feta around here is from President. leaned the hard way, to never over indulge with feta. which also makes a killer Greek Salad
Dawg


----------



## winemaker81

hounddawg said:


> do any of yawl use feta cheese ?


I love feta, especially the Bulgarian brand that's available in a local Mediterranean market.

I admit I buy the large packs at Costco for making spanakopita, spinach pie. The cheese is not as good as the Bulgarian, but it works in the pie.

I need to locate my recipe for spinach brownies. Yup, spinach brownies. [same ingredients as regular brownies, except substitute spinach, onion, and feta for the chocolate and sugar.]


----------



## ibglowin

We have been eating tons of it this Summer since we found the perfect way to keep up with my cherry mater and fresh basil production for the first time using the TikTok Baked Feta and Cherry Tomato recipe. Our local grocery store Smith's (Kroger) no longer carries any block feta since the pandemic started only crumbles which are NOT the same. Was having to go to Santa fe (Sprouts or Natural Grocer's) for block feta for a while until I found Costco (always to the rescue). (4) 7oz blocks for $10 packed in brine. Use one block and just place back into the fridge. No worries about mold or going bad when stored in brine.

The 4 pack at Costco basically cost the same as a single block of feta from the small heath food stores............






sour_grapes said:


> Yes, I enjoy feta. For me, it is more of a summertime thing, but I didn't have much (any?) this summer.


----------



## jswordy

hounddawg said:


> do any of yawl use feta cheese ?
> Dawg



I use it on pizza and in Italian dishes like lasagna.


----------



## jswordy

winemaker81 said:


> I love feta, especially the Bulgarian brand that's available in a local Mediterranean market.
> 
> I admit I buy the large packs at Costco for making spanakopita, spinach pie. The cheese is not as good as the Bulgarian, but it works in the pie.
> 
> I need to locate my recipe for spinach brownies. Yup, spinach brownies. [same ingredients as regular brownies, except substitute spinach, onion, and feta for the chocolate and sugar.]



Hmmm. What POSSIBLY could be substituted for spinach that would make those brownies very popular? Hmmm...


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> Truffle is like crack cocaine for me.



The TJ truffle tasted like mozzarella with truffle and garlic in it. It created an unfortunate gastric condition today but was delicious last night! Let me tell ya, there is nothing like being on a tractor 25 acres away from a toilet when you urgently need one.  Anyway, I made it.


----------



## jswordy

Back to my old standby for tonight. Mmmmm...


----------



## hounddawg

winemaker81 said:


> I love feta, especially the Bulgarian brand that's available in a local Mediterranean market.
> 
> I admit I buy the large packs at Costco for making spanakopita, spinach pie. The cheese is not as good as the Bulgarian, but it works in the pie.
> 
> I need to locate my recipe for spinach brownies. Yup, spinach brownies. [same ingredients as regular brownies, except substitute spinach, onion, and feta for the chocolate and sugar.]


the President Feta cheese is not near as good as i used to get on the east coast, on the east coast i went to Greeks, 
Dawg


----------



## jswordy

Cambozola with St. James Winery Blackberry is on tonight's menu.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> Cambozola with St. James Winery Blackberry is on tonight's menu.
> 
> View attachment 80338



Nice! I love Cambozola. In fact, I have been meaning to take a pic and post my Cambozola Black Label for a few days now. You have shamed me into it!


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> Nice! I love Cambozola. In fact, I have been meaning to take a pic and post my Cambozola Black Label for a few days now. You have shamed me into it!
> 
> View attachment 80342



Mine was the first cheese I've ever actually thrown away after eating just two pieces. There were moments of it tasting like what the cheese might actually be like, but it had a transient funky, highly repulsive off-taste, even after I removed a healthy portion of the rind. I couldn't hack that. Another disappointing Trader Joe purchase. I'm going back to my usual cheese haunts from here on out.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> Mine was the first cheese I've ever actually thrown away after eating just two pieces. There were moments of it tasting like what the cheese might actually be like, but it had a transient funky, highly repulsive off-taste, even after I removed a healthy portion of the rind. I couldn't hack that. Another disappointing Trader Joe purchase. I'm going back to my usual cheese haunts from here on out.



Damn, that sux. Mine is lovely!


----------



## sour_grapes

And today's offering is a Boucheron goat cheese. Due to ambiguities/inconsistencies on the label, I am honestly not sure if this is the Boucheron from the Loire Valley in France (Bucheron - Wikipedia ) or a Wisconsin take on this: ( culture: the word on cheese)


Bucheron


> *BUCHERON® CHEESE*
> The ivory-colored Montchevre® Bucheron® Cheese is well known for offering the taste and texture of two cheeses in one. This cheese usually matures for 5-10 weeks, resulting in a dense center and gooey cream line rich in flavor with discreet earthy undertones; truly a delectable blend filled with the flavors of Montchevre® cheese high quality fresh goat's milk. The beautiful rind on the Montchevre® Bucheron® Cheese makes it the perfect centerpiece for a cheese board; however, it is also delicious melted into a quiche, on a crostini or on your favorite steak.


----------



## winemaker81

This cheese is delightfully sharp!


----------



## sour_grapes

winemaker81 said:


> This cheese is delightfully sharp!
> 
> View attachment 80410



I love Sartori Bellavitano. My description: "It's what you would get if parmesan and cheddar had a love child."


----------



## sour_grapes

A friend came over for dinner the other day, and brought this. It is a Saint Agur bleu cheese (which, of course, I had never heard of). Wikipedia tells me that it is a double-cream cheese, not as strong as a typical bleu. I will say that I have to agree. This was very pleasant; tangy, but not overpowering.


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> A friend came over for dinner the other day, and brought this. It is a Saint Agur bleu cheese (which, of course, I had never heard of). Wikipedia tells me that it is a double-cream cheese, not as strong as a typical bleu. I will say that I have to agree. This was very pleasant; tangy, but not overpowering.
> 
> View attachment 80432



I almost bought some of that last trip! I need to go stock up again now soon.


----------



## sour_grapes

And we have a Saint-André brie for the next few days. Very high fat, very brie-like taste (duh!). I am happy with it.


----------



## jswordy

I spotted a wedge of this in a Publix Supermarket and said what the heck, toss it in the buggy, I've never had a gruyere. Wow, that's good! Now I'll have to explore various "upscale" ages and brands.


----------



## sour_grapes

jswordy said:


> I spotted a wedge of this in a Publix Supermarket and said what the heck, toss it in the buggy, I've never had a gruyere. Wow, that's good! Now I'll have to explore various "upscale" ages and brands.
> 
> View attachment 81100



Of the domestic Gruyere-style cheeses, supposedly Roth Grand Cru is way up there: Grand Cru® Award-Winning Alpine-Style Cheese - Roth Cheese


----------



## Meadini

This is a surprisingly good Gruyere


----------



## sour_grapes

I cracked into a Délice de Bourgogne today. This is a VERY soft, triple-cream cheese from Burgundy. Very tangy and unctuous.


----------



## sour_grapes

Dove into a French goat brie called "Florette." Oh, the hircine goodness!  

(Stock photo, as mine did not turn out well.)


----------



## jswordy

OMG, just had my first taste of Butterkase. Mmmmm! Now I want more than just a taste!


----------



## jswordy

This may not be an epicurean's havarti brand, but it sure is good!


----------



## FlamingoEmporium

Cheese curds !


----------



## sour_grapes

FlamingoEmporium said:


> Cheese curds !



Did they squeak?


----------



## jswordy

sour_grapes said:


> Did they squeak?



Not real if they didn't.


----------



## FlamingoEmporium

sour_grapes said:


> Did they squeak?


Usually Not the ones I get at Aldi. When I’m back in upstate NY I get fresh ones at the fly creek cider mill. they squeak also love the ones from the cheese house on route 7A outside Arlington VT.


----------



## sour_grapes

FlamingoEmporium said:


> Usually Not the ones I get at Aldi. When I’m back in upstate NY I get fresh ones at the fly creek cider mill. they squeak also love the ones from the cheese house on route 7A outside Arlington VT.



Come to WI some time!


----------



## winemaker81

jswordy said:


> Not real if they didn't.


Nope. Good curds stop squeaking when they are no longer fresh. Pop 'em in the microwave for 6 to 8 seconds to refresh them.



FlamingoEmporium said:


> Usually Not the ones I get at Aldi. When I’m back in upstate NY I get fresh ones at the fly creek cider mill. they squeak also love the ones from the cheese house on route 7A outside Arlington VT.


I grew up north of Utica and have family in the Fulton/Mexico area. When we visit, we always get cheese curd. Nothing I can get locally is anywhere near as good!


----------



## FlamingoEmporium

winemaker81 said:


> Nope. Good curds stop squeaking when they are no longer fresh. Pop 'em in the microwave for 6 to 8 seconds to refresh them.
> 
> 
> I grew up north of Utica and have family in the Fulton/Mexico area. When we visit, we always get cheese curd. Nothing I can get locally is anywhere near as good!


I used to do a lot of fishing out that way. Came to Florida from just outside Fonda. 
good tip on the microwave- never knew that.


----------



## winemaker81

FlamingoEmporium said:


> I used to do a lot of fishing out that way. Came to Florida from just outside Fonda.
> good tip on the microwave- never knew that.


It took me a bit to remember where I knew Fonda from. As a teenager, I went to a few races at the Fonda Speedway. Plus my wife went to SUNY Albany, and during her senior year I made the drive to Albany every other weekend, so the Speedway signs stuck in my mind.

Yeah, the microwave tip is a good one -- just don't overdo it. It just takes a bit to return 'em to squeaking.


----------



## JustJoe

FlamingoEmporium said:


> Usually Not the ones I get at Aldi. When I’m back in upstate NY I get fresh ones at the fly creek cider mill. they squeak also love the ones from the cheese house on route 7A outside Arlington VT.


Best cheese curds ever are from Ellsworth creamery in Ellsworth Wisconsin.


----------



## jswordy

winemaker81 said:


> Nope. Good curds stop squeaking when they are no longer fresh. Pop 'em in the microwave for 6 to 8 seconds to refresh them.
> 
> 
> I grew up north of Utica and have family in the Fulton/Mexico area. When we visit, we always get cheese curd. Nothing I can get locally is anywhere near as good!



Really? Wow, I didn't know that. (sarcasm) Sorry for the joke.  I grew up in northern Illinois. I have a friend who brings me lots of genuine (er...fresh) curds every year from WI, on his annual Easter trek. No microwaving necessary.


----------



## jswordy

I had some truffle gouda last night. Apparently, it was good.


----------



## ChuckD

When I was a kid there was a small cheese factory just down the road. It seemed like there was one on every corner in WI. If you stopped by in the morning they would go right to the tank and scoop out FRESH curds . They were all salty with brine yet and squeaked when you just looked at them. And the smell in the cheeses factory was out of this world!


----------



## winemaker81

ChuckD said:


> When I was a kid there was a small cheese factory just down the road.


North and northeast of Syracuse had numerous small cheese factories when I was a kid. There are still a couple around Fulton, and one in Croghan.


----------



## jswordy

ChuckD said:


> When I was a kid there was a small cheese factory just down the road. It seemed like there was one on every corner in WI. If you stopped by in the morning they would go right to the tank and scoop out FRESH curds . They were all salty with brine yet and squeaked when you just looked at them. And the smell in the cheeses factory was out of this world!



Yep, those were good days when I was a young man and we'd to drive up with a cooler in the car and see friends right in the middle of polka land, with dozens of radio stations playing polka music and sounding like "The Lawrence Welk Show" 24/7/365, and we'd stop at almost any ole beef and cheese store, or cheese and beef store, that we came across. IIRC, there was an especially dense concentration around Kaukauna. One in particular, the name escapes me, but it was a fav.

Some of the meat products from mom and pop shops are just out of this world up there, too, IMO. Always came back with the cooler stocked. Now, my sis and BIL do that a lot, and they also bring back cases of Spotted Cow, lol...

We'd go rolling through the dairy lands, listening to polkas... Here's a pic from when a couple girls we met up there invited us to have a swim... so fun... Don, my friend in the pic, married the blonde, moved to California, and years later got divorced.


----------



## FlamingoEmporium

winemaker81 said:


> North and northeast of Syracuse had numerous small cheese factories when I was a kid. There are still a couple around Fulton, and one in Croghan.


Maybe in Lowville


----------



## winemaker81

FlamingoEmporium said:


> Maybe in Lowville


It's about 10 miles from Croghan to Lowville. The market I'm thinking of is in Croghan, I'm not sure which town the factory is located in. I know the location, but not sure of boundaries.

I'm sure this is fascinating to everyone not familiar with the area (which is probably all but 2 or 3 of us).  

But if in a grocery store or market in Upstate NY, if you see Croghan Baloney, get a ring. It's really good!


----------



## jswordy

50 Years of America's Changing Cheese Taste, Visualized


Cheese has only continued to grow in popularity over the past 50 years, led by mozzarella, according to data gathered by the USDA.




vinepair.com


----------



## Rocky

jswordy said:


> 50 Years of America's Changing Cheese Taste, Visualized
> 
> 
> Cheese has only continued to grow in popularity over the past 50 years, led by mozzarella, according to data gathered by the USDA.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> vinepair.com


@jswordy, really neat graphic. I would postulate that the increase in mozzarella's popularity is driven mainly by the pizza and the general increase in popularity of other Italian dishes, e.g., eggplant parmesan, veal parmesan, lasagna, caprese salad, etc. I am big fan of cheeses, but mozzarella is not one I would sit and eat with wine or drinks. An aged gouda, asiago, gruyere and gorgonzola are some of my favorites.


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## Boatboy24

jswordy said:


> 50 Years of America's Changing Cheese Taste, Visualized
> 
> 
> Cheese has only continued to grow in popularity over the past 50 years, led by mozzarella, according to data gathered by the USDA.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> vinepair.com



Cheddar and Mozzarella? We need to get out more.


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## sour_grapes

Please note that the graphic ONLY had info for a few select cheeses!



> This chart does not include data for American cheeses other than cheddar and Italian cheeses other than mozzarella.


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## ceeaton

sour_grapes said:


> Please note that the graphic ONLY had info for a few select cheeses!


Yeah, where's provolone? Parmesan? Romano? 

I always have to have "monster" cheese on hand, my kid's favorite. Nice to see that on the list...


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## jswordy

I am addicted to Butterkase now. My go-to, always, these days.


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## jswordy

Stopped at the store on the way home from work yesterday, bought the last two of these (plus two havarti and a smoked gouda). It's the American version of the German classic, made in Wisconsin. I was like, if there were six of these here, I'd have bought them all. Got home to find out the Wifie had bought three others at the same store earlier. Heaven!


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