VOD Gourmet Maple Blue

Recently I shared my thoughts on VOD Gourmet's Whiskey Blue cheese. While I wasn't too fond of the cheese, I was impressed by the idea, so I went back for more in the form of VOD Maple Blue.

http://www.vodkacheese.com/wisconsincheeses.html

Rich blue cheese paired with sweet maple syrup; it sounds promising, no? Unfortunately I found it similar to Whiskey Blue in that it was just too strong. The maple, rather than being a delicate kiss, is a salacious grope, hitting your mouth and throat in full force, as if you were eating a stack of pancakes rather than sampling a subtle gourmet cheese.

I give it two stars for overwhelming me with maple-y sweetness, but I can see potential for Maple Blue in cooking and/or salads/salad dressings.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars

Sage Derby

Like a froggy, ferny cabbage, Sage Derby is unnaturally...

Sage Derby is an English cheese that originated in the seventeenth century. It is flavored with sage, as its name and appearance might suggest. It has quite a striking look and bright color to it - if you haven't seen it in person before, it's much brighter than the picture above shows.

But the important thing is, how does it taste? In my opinion, only so-so. The thing is, there's only so much sage I can take in my cheese. I had thought that Grafton Village Sage Cheddar was extremely sage-y, but I didn't know from sage-y until I tried Sage Derby. It crosses the line from sage-y all the way into minty, which, I think, is bad. It has the flavor of a minty herbal tincture more than anything else.

It settles down a bit when you eat it with strong accompaniments, like salty meats for example, but I still found myself thinking that it was nicer to look at than to taste. If you're okay with idea of a minty cheese, though, you might want to give Sage Derby a try.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Cypress Grove Chevre: Purple Haze

Purple Haze at the Cypress Grove Website

Purple Haze is a fresh goat cheese flavored with Lavender and Fennel Pollen. Now generally speaking, I don't like things that are flavored with Lavender. Lavender is a soap-category herb, for me. I always feel like I'm eating soap.

This fantastic little goaty cheese certainly changed my mind where Lavender is concerned. The flavor is absolutely divine. Slightly otherworldly, even. The mixture of lavender, fennel pollen and fresh, creamy, tangy, sweet goat cheese cannot even be properly described until you taste it, so go and taste it and then get back to me. It's like goat cheese that has been sprinkled with magic fairy dust, by a real live fairy. Dark and mysterious, yet fresh, bright, and sparkly - all at once!

Purple Haze will naturally make you think of using it in a salad, but I think it can really be used anywhere and everywhere you would use a goat cheese. Salad, cheese plate, pizza, pasta, you name it, this cheese will take it to the next level.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Etorki

Etorki at the Food Network Store

"Etorki", the name, apparently comes from the Basque word for "origin". I think it would make a good name for a sheep. Perhaps Etorki was the name of the very first sheep whose milk was used to make Etorki cheese. But I digress.

Etorki is a sheep's milk cheese, and quite a fine one at that. It is new, having been invented in the 1970s. Its flavor is somewhat similar to a nutty Spanish cheese, like an Iberico for example, but the texture is semi-soft, creamy and buttery. It also has not a small amount of that elusive flavor component that I like to call "sheepiness". And the only way to experience sheepiness, aside from drinking sheep's milk, is to eat a sheep's cheese.

There is a bit of sweetness in this cheese, and also a grassy, fresh, flowery sunny taste that will make you feel like you've landed in a meadow in springtime. Surrounded by cute little sheep named Etorki.

It's another versatile cheese that will make you happy on a cheese plate, or in your cooking, but it is rich and shouldn't be overused.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Sottocenere

Sottocenere at Cowgirl Creamery's Library of Cheese

You really can't go wrong by adding truffles to cheese. They are the perfect pair and will shine no matter what you do with them. That said, there are several varieties of truffled cheese out there and they do have some differences between them.

Sottocenere is a new cheese. It was invented about eight years ago by some guy in Venice who decided that truffles and cheese might age together beautifully when preserved in ash. (And that's what "sottocenere" means, apparently - "under the ash".)

He was right. Sottocenere is a lovely cheese. The truffle flavor is stronger than some other truffle cheeses I've tried, but not so rich as to overwhelm you. The cheese is both laden with truffle bits AND rubbed with truffle oil, talk about your dream come true, right? It also has a hint of spiciness that I cannot quite trace, but I'm assuming it comes from the ash coating, which is infused with various herbs and spices.

All in all, this is by far the best truffled cheese I have ever tasted. It also melts beautifully and therefore would make a flashy addition to your next brunch.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Alouette Hickory Smoked Baby Brie

Alouette Hickory Smoked Baby Brie

Alouette is the French word for a Skylark. A Skylark is a cute little bird; Alouette makes cute little cheeses. I guess it works.

I have never been a huge fan of Alouette Brie, as it never seems to age to that perfect gooey consistency that I expect of my softer French cheeses. It works fine in a pinch, though. Now, smoked brie, though? This is another issue entirely.

I had never tried smoked brie before. What could possibly be the point? The beauty of a brie lies in its simplicity, its mildness, its innocent maiden-like charm that conceals a richness so deep that it needs no accompaniment. Remember the scene in Twin Peaks when Jerry and Ben Horne nearly go mad over the beautiful simplicity of brie and butter, spread on a baguette? That is the magic of this cheese. To cover it in hickory smoke seems, well.... misguided.

And after tasting it, I believe it really is. The smoking does nothing to the brie except add a slight harshness to its aftertaste, and a slight firmness to its texture. The last thing a brie needs is to be firmer, even if this is a "baby" brie. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either.

If you really must add some sort of pizazz to your brie for your next party, such as baking it en croute or some such thing, I merely entreat you to keep it as simple as possible. The best bries need no help being delicious.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Yancey's Fancy Fire Roasted Tomato Cheddar

Yancey's Fancy Flavored Cheeses

Yancey's Fancy Fire Roasted Tomato Cheddar is a mild but robust cheddar chock-full of red, smoky, flavorful tomatoes. This cheese surprised me - I wasn't really expecting much of it, but it really is very flavorful and rich. The tomato flavor is perfect - not too smoky or tangy, just warm and tomatoey enough to really enhance the cheddar experience. I plated it with some cured meats and banana peppers, it was a winning combination.

I can think of some other cool uses for this cheese, too - try melting it all down with refried beans and peppers and a bit of salsa in a crockpot for a killer dip. Or use it to make nachos, or throw it on a pizza crust for your next homemade pizza. This is a great party cheese.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

New Holland Havarti with Dill

Christmas (or whatever) is coming up, which means it's cheese plate season! My family never had a big Christmas dinner when I was growing up, we just spent the holiday week snacking on cheeses, cured meats, and whatever was around, Roman-style. So for me, the month of December is a non-stop orgy of chips, dips, breads, crackers, and cheese. It's a great time.

My husband and I kicked off cheese plate season last night with a rather lovely assortment, the first of which was New Holland Snacking Havarti with Dill. New Holland doesn't seem to have a web presence, but you can find their "snacking havartis" at most grocery stores. I'm not sure what distinguishes a "snacking havarti" from a full-on "eating havarti", perhaps someone will know the answer. Havarti pretty much always works, though, as a soft, mild cheese that will be palatable to anyone.

The Havarti with Dill was very nice, if you like dill of course. There's quite a bit of dill in it, and it's very spreadable. It goes well with cured meats and any pickle product of your choice - cornichons, chopped dills, pickled onions, et cetera.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Beemster With Mustard

Beemster with Mustard at the Beemster Website

Beemster is a line of Dutch cheeses, of which I am quite fond. Their cheeses tend to be mild and creamy, yet flavorful and enticing. Beemster with Mustard is no exception.

This is a variety of cheese from Beemster's "Royal Garden Selection", which makes me feel pretty fancy. It's just a nice, creamy, mildly yellow Dutch cheese with a lot of mustard seeds in it. The mustard flavor is not overpowering or out of place, and the seeds give the cheese an extra layer of texture that makes it quite a pleasure to eat.

This is definitely a versatile cheese that would perform wonderfully on a burger, in a grilled cheese sandwich, on a cheese plate, in a salad, I mean wherever really. Nothing goes better with mustard than onions, so if you're cheese plating this one, I recommend surrounding it with some yummy little cocktail onions - or just drinking a Gibson while you eat it.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

VOD Gourmet Whiskey Blue

Whiskey Blue at iGourmet

VOD Gourmet Home Page

VOD Gourmet cheeses are the brainchild of Swedish cheese visionary Ulla Nylin. She decided that it would be a great idea to make Swedish-style cheeses infused with Vodka, and has built her cheese company around that idea. I haven't tried her vodka cheeses but it sounds like a great idea to me.

Nylin expanded the VOD Gourmet line of cheeses to include whiskey- and wine-infused varieties, and that's where VOD Whiskey Blue comes in. It is a very high-quality, strongly flavored blue cheese that has been aged in delicious bourbon.

After my previous success with whiskey cheeses in the form of Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey, I was excited to give Whiskey Blue a try. Honestly, it was good enough, but I think that whiskey works MUCH better with cheddar than it does with blue. I got the feeling that two very strong flavors were having it out for domination in my mouth, and it wasn't a cohesive flavor experience at all.

That said, it is a very nice, creamy, strong blue cheese, and the bourbon could be tempered a bit, I think, with the right accompaniments. Any blue cheese goes great with Branston Pickle, I think that and a strong ale (or whiskey, duh) would give you the flavor mix that you deserve from an interesting cheese like this one.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars

Woolwich Dairy Triple Creme Goat Brie

http://www.woolwichdairy.com/products.aspx?x=lwikHt29djFe7s8764t6fWk7Zrf%2f1MBI0aMDI11dZ2Y%3d

Soft goat cheese is certainly common enough, but it's not every day that you eat Goat Brie. I love it, and this Woolwich Dairy variety that I picked up the other day was particularly delicious.

Goat Brie is pretty similar to Cow Brie, except that it is a little less rich (even in triple-creme form), and it of course has the distinctive flavor of goat milk that comes with any goat cheese. It adds a subtle interest to the creamy, melty cheese, and is a refreshing alternative to your usual brie experience. I highly recommend it.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Sonoma Jack Garlic Jack

http://www.montereygourmetfoods.com/company/sonoma_cheese/

I'm sure you've seen varieties of Sonoma Jack at your grocery store - I've tried a few of them in the past but was never that impressed. Not until I tried their "Garlic Jack" flavor. Wow! I am a huge fan of garlic, the more garlic in my food, the better. In terms of garlicky goodness, this cheese really delivers. It is rich and creamy and intensely garlicky, in the best possible way.

What to do with it, though? It is so very garlicky that it might potentially disrupt or overpower the other flavors on your cheese plate. The label suggests: "Grate it on breads!". I think this is a fine idea. You could drizzle some olive oil or butter on french bread, load it up with grated Garlic Jack, and run it under the broiler for garlic cheesy bread heaven. Alternatively, I imagine it would be lovely on a burger. I don't think it would be impossible to serve this cheese plate-style, either; I would just give it some strong accessories, like olives (garlic-stuffed olives, even??), mustard, pickles, and beer.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Grafton Village Sage Cheddar

Sage Cheddar at the Grafton Village Cheese Company Website

Here's a very interesting cheddar from Grafton Village Cheese of Vermont. They're not kidding when they say it's both flavored with sage AND rubbed with sage oil. The sage flavor is intense - honestly, I would be fine with a tiny bit less sage-iness. You can barely taste the lovely cheddar under all that sage. Still, it's a delicious and intriguing cheese. The flavor is quite warm and inviting.

For how strongly and specifically flavored it is, the Sage Cheddar is also open to pretty much anything - you could definitely put together some exciting and unexpected flavor combos with this cheese. Have a taste and then let your imagination run wild; it will be a delightful addition to any meal or snack.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Bergenost

http://www.yanceysfancy.com/natural_cheeses.htm

Bergenost is a "Norwegian style" triple-cream cheese made by Yancey's Fancy of New York. It has a mild yet full flavor that is like a cross between Havarti and Monterey Jack. Its texture is like Havarti as well, but a tiny bit firmer. It's very good on sandwiches, or eaten sliced with various nibbles. Don't serve it with anything too intense - it would be very nice with some raw vegetables or fruit and crackers.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Mondrian

http://www.fromartharie.com/products/khdejong.html

Mondrian is a "Swiss type cheese", and I'm not sure what that means in terms of how the cheese was made, but that's exactly how it tastes. It is also a Dutch cheese, but I think that K.H. DeJong cheesemakers are U.S.-based, so I guess I'll classify it as both.

So, Mondrian is a pale cheese filled with large holes, like Jarlsberg. It tastes like Swiss cheese, but stronger and sweeter. It's also very nutty. I like that it has a slightly softer texture. It's a good cheese for sandwiches, and it would also go well with fruit, nuts, etc.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey

http://www.kerrygold.com/usa/product_cheddar_whiskey.html

I treated myself to two new cheeses for the Fourth of July. I suppose it would have made more sense to pick two American cheeses, but... I didn't.

The first cheese I tried is this cheddar with Irish whiskey from Kerrygold. Cheese and whiskey you say?! I know, it is an unexpected combination. I've tried plenty of wine- and beer-infused cheeses, but never a whiskey cheese. I was most pleasantly surprised. The texture of this cheese is superbly creamy; it melts in your mouth.

The first thing you taste is a lovely, sharp, aged cheddar, but then you notice the warm, rich, "sitting in the library by the fireplace" flavor of a nice whiskey seeping in. It's delicious. Not really a summer cheese, though. I picture it being perfect on a cold winter night, served on a little platter with some strong cured meats, and of course some fine Irish whiskey to drink with it.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

German Tilsit

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=089S

I'll just quote iGourmet directly here:

"Tilsit was invented by homesick Dutch immigrants trying to recreate Gouda. Due to various factors, they were unable to recreate their beloved cheese. What they did create was a brand new cheese they named Tilsit."

That's a nice way of saying that they FAILED. Tilsit is a failed cheese experiment that somehow became popular in Germany, and I cannot begin to imagine why. From iGourmet again:

"Tilsit has a mildly pungent aroma..."

OK, that's just flat-out untrue. Tilsit is not "mildly pungent". It smells like a truck full of rotting garbage left to bake in the sun. No lie. It is the second-worst-smelling cheese I have ever smelled. And the taste in no way makes up for it. It tastes like a crappy, stinky, garbagey gross cheese. Do not invite this cheese into your home. I like German cheese, but they made a huge mistake with this one.

RATING: 1 out of 5 stars

Butterkäse

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=759S

Butterkäse! Isn't that a great name? It's another German cheese, my favorite German cheese in fact. I love a cheese that tastes like it sounds, and Butterkäse does not disappoint; it's buttery as hell and delightfully mild. It definitely tastes like a young cheese, sort of bright and sunny. It will make you want to frolic through a meadow, with its sunny, cheery flavor.

Butterkäse is great for any cheese-related need - it's interesting enough to serve at a party, yet mild enough to eat on sandwiches, burgers, grilled cheese, or whatever.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Bruder Basil

http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=Bruder%20Basil

I only recently got into German cheese. I never really thought of Germany as a big cheese country, but I have found that there are quite a few unique and tasty German cheeses.

Bruder Basil is a smoked cheese, and I have never particularly enjoyed smoked cheeses, but this one is definitely an exception. The smoky flavor is lush, complex, elegant even; it reminds me of high-quality pipe tobacco, a delightful taste if ever there was one.

The texture is what you'd expect if you've ever eaten a smoked cheese before. They seem to be uniformly springy and sort of rubbery in texture, I'm not sure why that is. It should go well with just about anything you feel like eating.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Tuxford & Tebbutt English Mature Cheddar

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=2247S

Do you like cheddar cheese? Have you tried this particular cheese? If you haven't, your cheddar experience is woefully incomplete.

Tuxford & Tebbutt mature cheddar is white, dense, and coated in chic black wax. It is incredibly sharp and rich. One paper-thin slice and your head will nearly explode with the intensity of the flavor. It is like sharp cheddar times ten. It's creamy and velvety. It is by far the best cheddar I have ever tasted in my life.

It is brilliant in a cheese plate and goes great with red wine. You could also use it to great effect in cooking, if you're willing to cook with such pricey cheese. Tuxford & Tebbutt has a great reputation in the cheese world; the iGourmet link above gives an overview of their history and high standards. Now, go out and get some of this cheese. You won't regret it.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Fromage D'Affinois de Brebis

http://cheeselibrary.com/fromage_daffinois_de_brebis.html

Fromage D'Affinois de Brebis is a GREAT sheep cheese. If you've never tried sheep milk cheese before, start with this one. But make sure you are getting the "de Brebis" variety with the cute little Ewe on the label - there is at least one other variety of Affinois cheese made from cow's milk.

The texture of this cheese is ultra-soft and gooey - as it sits out and comes to room temperature, it will start to run, so make sure you contain it somehow. It smells totally sheep-y, but not bad. ("sheep-y", to me, suggests a sort of musky, earthy smell, not unlike a strong mushroom.) The rind has an interesting texture too, and is fun to eat.

Brebis tastes really awesome and complex, and I assure you that you will love it. It's kind of salty, yet buttery, creamy, nutty, and almost meaty even. There's definitely a strong aspect of what white people call "umami" in this cheese. Glop it on to some crusty bread and thank me later.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Saint Andre

http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/cheese/cheese-details-5640.asp

What can I say about Saint Andre? It's a triple-creme cheese with 75 percent milk-fat. That means that it is like butter encased in a delicious moldy crust. It's a very good cheese, and almost disturbingly buttery. Its texture is so, so rich. Velvety, really. This is not a cheese you should eat every day.

It tastes like brie, yes, but more sophisticated. It goes well with crusty bread, fruit, whatever you want, really. Wikipedia warns: "Saint-André is so fatty it can make a white wine taste sour and metallic: a crust of baguette and a light beer or simply a slice of pear are often suggested as better complements." Damn! It's so fatty that it can ruin a glass of wine! That's one fatty cheese.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Mimolette

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

Mimolette is a really cool-looking French cheese. As you can see, it looks almost exactly like a cantaloupe. It is also a very, very vibrant orange. Its flavor and texture vary with age, but I have only ever seen it available in the aged variety.

I don't really care for Mimolette's texture. It's very hard, but not crumbly as much as intensely chewy. The flavor is interesting, though. It's a very strong, bright taste that I imagine would go better with beer than with wine. If you plan on serving cheese at your next party, Mimolette would be a good choice since it's cool-looking and has a pretty unique taste/texture combination. As for me, it's not my favorite, but I don't hate it or anything. Also, its crust is made by cheese mites, which is neat.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars

Saint Marcellin

http://www.artisanalcheese.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PC-10635

Before I talk about this amazing cheese, let me say something about "Stinky" cheeses and how they are often marketed and discussed online.

If you are the kind of person who regularly window-shops for and orders cheese online, you'll have no doubt seen the Stink Apologists on the gourmet food websites using vague, flowery language to try and convince you that the cheese doesn't really smell bad. If you see phrases in cheese descriptions like "mushroomy", "smells of the farm" (that sounds nice, right?), "unforgettable aroma", etc. , it's very likely that the cheese you are thinking of buying actually smells like a pile of rotting garbage. And the writer trying to fool you into thinking that the cheese smells of farm-fresh grass, rather than farm-fresh manure, will tend to reassure you that the actual flavor of the cheese is quite mild and innocuous, compared to the "unique" smell.

Now, a stinking cheese is not always a bad thing, of course. And there really ARE cheeses that smell nasty yet taste great. I just don't see why, if the stink of a cheese is one of its defining features, anyone would want to lie and say it smells "intriguing" when the truth is, it just stinks. I've definitely been fooled ordering cheese online before; sometimes I really do want a stinky cheese, but I need to know upfront just HOW badly the cheese is going to smell. Buyer beware.

Anyway. Saint Marcellin is an incredibly gooey French cheese. It is so gooey that (in its young form) it comes in a cute little clay pot, because it is basically liquid. You get some crusty bread and use a spoon to basically pour the cheese onto the bread. Then you eat it and go, "Holy shit, this cheese is delicious". But it stinks, and that's why I included the above ramblings. It doesn't stink terribly; on a stink meter of 1-10 I would probably rate it a 4 or 5; but you should still know that it will smell funky when you open it up. Cheese is inherently kind of a gross thing, so this is natural. The great thing about Saint Marcellin, though, is that unlike some stinky cheeses I've tried, it REALLY tastes good. It is mild, very creamy, nutty, sophisticated, multi-layered and delightful. You'll forget you ever smelled it.

Recommendations? See crusty bread above. Sure, there are probably tons of great uses for this cheese in terms of food pairings. But in my opinion, it's so good that it deserves to be eaten alone.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Royal Dutchlander Holland Edam

I don't have a picture or a link for this particular brand of cheese. It doesn't appear to have a web presence to speak of. I got it at the grocery store, so I'm sure it's easy to find.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edam_(cheese)

Royal Dutchlander Edam has a slightly stronger and more robust flavor than other edams I've tried in the past. It's tasty on its own, but still feels a little lacking without other flavors to balance it out. It would be pretty good melted on a burger, or served sliced with a nice cured meat.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Brandani Tavola Cheese Knives

I got this cute little set of cheese knives for Christmas last year.
http://www.amazon.com/Brandani-Tavola-Cheese-Knives-Wooden/dp/B0020L79O2

At first I was like, "wtf are all these for?" (cheese layperson, remember.) So in case you don't know either: The long, angled knife is for cutting soft cheese. The little teardrop knife is for hard cheeses like aged parmesan; you just stab that sucker right down into your cheese and it crumbles a perfect portion for you. The wide knife is just your standard general-purpose cheese slicing tool, and the pronged knife is for stabbing and serving cheese portions.

They're all really sharp, and they make cheese serving and eating a hell of a lot easier. If you don't already have your own set of cheese knives, I highly recommend you get one.

Beecher's Blank Slate - Tapenade

The last of my Beecher's Cheese reviews goes to Blank Slate - Tapenade.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/shop_beecherscheeses_blankslate_tapenade.html

From the website: "Blank Slate - Tapenade is a naturally cultured, soft, fresh farmer's cheese combined with a mixture of green, black and kalamata olives, fresh garlic, herbs and spices. It has a lively, Mediterranean flavor."

Now, I was having a hard time deciding between a 2- or 3-star rating for this cheese. I decided to give it a 3 because my issues with it are more a matter of personal taste, and because I love Beecher's Cheeses in general.

The main problem I have with the Blank Slate Tapenade is that their farmer's cheese is naturally quite tangy. Pair that with pieces of tangy olives and you have a lot of tang. I can't handle very much tang; I'm tang-sensitive. That's right. If you like tangy, and olives of course, then you'll probably enjoy this soft, spreadable, cracker-ready cheese.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Beecher's Blank Slate - Honey

Next up in my review of Beecher's cheeses is their honey-flavored Blank Slate.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/shop_beecherscheeses_blankslate_honey.html

From Beecher's site: "Blank Slate - Honey is a naturally cultured, soft, fresh farmer's cheese sweetened with local Washington honey. The flavor is lush and soft with a sweet finish."

And oh Lord, it is good. An incredibly fresh-tasting, light, milky, soft cheese with the most delicate honey flavor. I go insane for anything that tastes like honey (including honey itself), so naturally I adore this cheese.

As per the serving suggestions on the Beecher's website - yes, spreading it on a bagel is delicious. So is eating it on mild (i.e. not salty) crackers. It will pair very well with any light breakfast, I kind of think of it as a breakfast cheese. But, if you put some on top of a warm piece of apple or blueberry pie, I bet you'd die. I'd definitely die. Of JOY.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Beecher's Fresh Curds - Market Herb

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/shop_beecherscheeses_curds_market.html

From Beecher's website:
"Fresh Curds are bite-size nuggets of fresh cheese, also known as "squeaky cheese"."

So, have you tried cheese curds before? They're not very common on the west coast. They are, indeed, small, bite-size nuggets of the freshest, curdiest cheese. They have a firm texture and a very mild flavor. And they really are "squeaky". As you chew on them, they make little squeaking noises in your mouth. It's weird at first, but then you kind of get addicted to it. Or maybe that's just me.

But cheese curds in general are just "pretty good" or "fine". Beecher's cheese curds, especially the ones tossed in olive oil and fresh herbs, are....... A MAZ ING.

In fact, if you happen to buy a tub of these (plan on ordering online if you're not in the Pac NW), I highly recommend having 1-2 other people around to help you eat them. Because otherwise, you will eat the entire tub by yourself in about fifteen minutes. That might not be so good for you. The mix of herbs that they use is bizarrely extra-delicious. The curds themselves are perfect - fresh, mild, chewy, squeaky... I'm getting a little excited thinking about them. Uh.. sorry.

Anyway, I could and should eat these every day. Maybe I'll move to Seattle.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Beecher's Marco Polo

Here's another cheese from Beecher's of Seattle, the Marco Polo.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/shop_beecherscheeses_marcopolo.html

It's Beecher's Flagship cheese with peppercorns added. So read my post about Flagship, and imagine it with peppercorns.

Actually, the texture is a little different from the regular Flagship - less crumbly. The peppercorn flavor is nice, peppery but not overpowering. It's another versatile little cheese that will work well on sandwiches, burgers, pastas, fancy cheese plates, etc. As long as you like peppercorns, that is.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Beecher's Flagship

I'm going to do a few posts about the cheeses of Beecher's Cheese in Seattle.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/

Beecher's is a small cheesery that has been gaining some renown in recent years for their handmade cheeses, and rightly so. I've only sampled a few of their products, but they were all delicious. Let's start with their signature cheese, Beecher's Flagship.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/shop_beecherscheeses_flagship.html

If you're not in Seattle, you can usually find this cheese at Whole Foods, or you can order online from Beecher's website. And you SHOULD do either one of those things, because this cheese is amazing. The taste is familiar, yet difficult to compare - it has the texture of an extra-aged cheddar, paired with a nutty, rich (but not TOO rich), creamy, complex flavor that will make you say, "where has this cheese been all my life?"

What are the best uses for Beecher's Flagship cheese? Actually, there is no inappropriate time or place for this cheese. It is most impressive in its versatility. From the fanciest cheese platter to the lowliest drunk-at-2AM grilled cheese sandwich, Flagship will make it all better.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars (!)

Kerrygold Red Leicester

http://www.kerrygold.com/usa/product_leicester.html

This is a good, solid cheese. It's like a very rich, sharp cheddar, except not as sharp, and richer. Use it anywhere you'd normally use cheddar cheese, but beware its richness. For example, use it on grilled cheeses, mac and cheese, cheese plates, etc., but don't shred it and put it on tacos. Too rich for that.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

Sartori Raspberry Bella Vitano and Rosemary Olive Oil Asiago

OK, here are the two cheeses I bought today. Yeah, the picture sucks, but the first one is a parmesan-esque cheese flavored with raspberry ale, and the second is an asiago flavored with rosemary and olive oil.

http://mmm.sartorireserve.com/

The Raspberry BellaVitano really surprised me. I was sure I was going to hate it, because I don't like raspberries and "BellaVitano" is a stupid name. Well, I apologize, cheese, because you are delicious. The Sartori website says:
"This premium cheese features the unique Parmesan flavor and creamy Cheddar texture of our signature BellaVitano cheese – soaked in New Glarus Raspberry Tart Ale to bring out the fruity notes of the cheese."

Yeah, basically. The parmesan flavor is extremely mild, though. The texture is quite nice, crumbly but indeed just creamy enough. And the raspberry ale flavor? Awesome. It's a mild, refreshing hint of fruit flavor that blends perfectly with the natural tartness of the cheese.
I recommend it for salads or cheese plates.

Now, onto the Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago. I'm not surprised that I like this cheese, because really, how could you go wrong with these flavors? The Sartori website has some food and wine pairings for this cheese: http://mmm.sartorireserve.com/product_rosemary_asiago.aspx

But whatever. I'm a cheese layperson, and as such have no interest in "pairing" my cheese with just the right vintage or chutney or what have you. I just want to eat it, okay? My personal recommendation: I would eat this cheese with some crackers, olives, and maybe a nice pate if I had one. Or, I would just eat it by itself, like I'm doing right this second.

RATING: Raspberry BellaVitano: 3 out of 5 stars Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago: 3 out of 5 stars

Cheese: The Best Thing

Hello. I've been wanting to create a blog about cheese for a while now, since I eat a lot of cheese, and I love to talk about cheese. My plan is to post an entry whenever I sample a new kind of cheese, but I'm also going to post about cheeses I have eaten in the past. Soon I'll be posting an entry about two cheeses I purchased today. I haven't tasted them yet, but I hope they turn out to be delicious!