Let's keep talking about cheese

[Agnacious]

Originally Posted by edmorel

+1, I'm a cheese simpleton and a very nice Vermont Cheddar hits the spot with me everytime as does a nice block of unpasturized Parmigano from the old country.

The undisputed king....as Mario B would say.

 

[Dmax]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I got carried away, and made a rather nice order off igourmet.com, for the holidays. Here is what I scored:
That's a lot of cheese. Hope you have someone helping you eat it.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

One of the assignments we got in a class today was to pick any cheese in the world we wanted, buy some, taste it, and write a report on it. Any recommendations?
I would go with one of the classics which a lot of people have heard about but not had the pleasure of trying a good version of. From Italy, the already mentioned, real name-protected DOP Parmigiano Reggiano (make sure it's not rock hard), fresh Mozzarella di Bufala Campana or DOC Gorgonzola (I prefer the dolce version). From France, AOC Munster from Alsace, which is an entirely different animal from the mediocre "muenster" cheese sold in US, AOC Camembert from Normandy or real Brie (like AOC Brie de Meaux). A good sheep's milk cheese from Spain, like Roncal, Mahon or Manchego. When buying these, dependign on the age level, they should not be too hard or have a greasy surface. Buying Muenster, Camembert or any washed rind cheese, requires paying particular attention to the degree ripeness and the condition of the cheese. These types of cheeses continue to age and evolve after leaving the producer and need to be stored properly and allowed to breath. The producers usually ship these underripe so that the shop keeper or the end customer could ripen them to their preference. Some "Gourmet" stores are not familiar with affinage aka maturing cheese for best flavor and you have to try to smell and feel your way through plastic packaging so you don't end up with a stinker. An unripe washed rind cheese will have pasty rubbery texture and little flavor or smell. An overripe cheese will have either liquified completely or shrunked and dried out and could smell positively vile. What you want is a pleasant, barnyardy smell, with no hint of ammonia, and soft oozy texture, a cheese you can eat with your spoon.

 

[gumercindo]

speaking of quick recommendations: druken goat cheese is one of my all time favs. Also, to me, very few things are better than some Manchego+fig jam. mmmmm

 

[Piobaire]

I just placed another igourmet order. Will arrive Tuesday

Aged Mimolette \t \t
Baita Friuli \t \t
Beemster Vlaskaas \t
Bica \t \t
Bonne Bouche \t \t
Briscole al Barbera \t \t
Bruder Basil \t \t
Caciotta Dei Boschi \t \t
Chicken Normandy Terrine with Calvados \t \t
Chimay Vieux

Some interesting stuff. I bet the Chimay guys here would be interested in the cheese, which is washed in the ale.

 

[kwilkinson]

I love the color of mimolette. It's so fun.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I love the color of mimolette. It's so fun.

Yeah, we call it the cantaloupe cheese. It's very tasty too. Notice we got several soft cheeses. I always put the selection together, and let it sit covered for 2-3 hours before we eat it.

 

[Maharlika]

I love all kinds of cheese! Soft cheese, Blue Cheese, Gouda, etc. One of my favorites is called Kesong Puti a mozzarella type cheese made from Buffalo's milk.

With hot rolls

 

[robertorex]

you gone done it now. kesong puti is the ****. I like how it browns like an egg white when you drop it on some steaming hot rolls.

 

[Piobaire]

That looks delicious Maharlika. What country/region is it from?

If you like blues, really check out www.igourmet.com We've gotten many good blues from them. Also check out cheeses that ripen as they age.

 

[VKK3450]

I've discovered a great goats milk camembert. Only found it at one store and of course this place marks everything up like 50% over most other retailers...

K

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by VKK3450

I've discovered a great goats milk camembert. Only found it at one store and of course this place marks everything up like 50% over most other retailers...

K

Look for it on the site I listed above. If you like cheese, do a search by texture, and check out the softs and semi-softs.

 

[nate10184]

I was able to try some cheese from Hoch Ybrig in the canton Schwyz. It was pretty amazing. IIRC its a close relative of Gruyere.

I'll be in Switzerland in a month so I'm trying to acquaint myself with Swiss cheeses.

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Look for it on the site I listed above. If you like cheese, do a search by texture, and check out the softs and semi-softs.

Great site, but I doubt they ship to the UK. Anyways, there are lots of great cheese shops in London and I'm sure that if I actually looked I would find it somewhere else.

K

 

[Maharlika]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

That looks delicious Maharlika. What country/region is it from?

If you like blues, really check out www.igourmet.com We've gotten many good blues from them. Also check out cheeses that ripen as they age.

It is delicious! It's from the Philippines and can still be found in the rural / countryside. They are always wrapped in banana leaves and best eaten in the morning.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Great site, but I doubt they ship to the UK. Anyways, there are lots of great cheese shops in London and I'm sure that if I actually looked I would find it somewhere else.

K

Didn't notice you were in the UK! I'm jealous of people in Europe in general, when it comes to food items. Was watching a DVD on Burgundy last night. *sigh* The food, the wine...if I didn't know the grass is always greener, I'd be moving there tomorrow. Oh yeah...and it's in France. (

Etienne).