Cheese On the Horizon... Plus, Fontina

I'm in a celebratory mood, so I bought myself a present: The "Exotic & Rare" cheese collection from ArtisanalCheese.com. I had a terrible time picking out a gift for myself on that site. It reminded me of when I was little and my mom would take me to Toys 'R' Us. As soon as I entered the Barbie aisle, I began to suffer sensory + greed overload and usually had a nervous breakdown because I wanted all of the Barbies in the store and - well, you know how that goes. I feel that way about gourmet cheese shopping now. No wonder I was thinner as a child...

My Exotic & Rare (i.e. probably very stinky) cheeses should arrive later this week. I am very excited, and hungry. Maybe there will be a yak cheese in there? Oh, I dare to dream! Stay tuned for in-depth blogging once cheese is consumed.

And finally, I ate some delicious Fontina cheese over the weekend. You've probably tried Fontina, but maybe it hasn't made a lasting impression on you yet. I know it didn't on me, because I couldn't exactly remember what it tasted like until I bought some a few days ago.

I have to say, I think everyone should eat Fontina on at least a semi-regular basis. It's mild and nutty, as many cheeses are, but what I think sets it apart is its springy, kind-of-soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It melts really well - I recommend using it in grilled cheese. Or on pizza, or by itself or with fruit, nuts, olives etc. Yep, it's versatile. I do love a versatile cheese.

(Fontina Rating) 3 out of 5 stars