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!