I am a fanatic for cheese. It makes no difference if it is fried, processed or
Pasteurized; I will consume it. As a matter of fact, even farmer’s cheese holds a fascination for me. Feta and Fontina also come from the farm, but from three different animals gathered from two ancient worlds. Roman soldiers received a regular ration of cheese, wine and bread for energy from which they built the Roman Empire.
Sheep, goats, and cows are all sacred to me, because centuries later they “rock my world.” Cheese factories on the hoof walk the walk and talk the talk. Arran, Brie, Cheddar, Dunlop, Edam, Fromage Faris, Gouda, or Havarti are my alphabet soup.
Gruyere cheese, in all its magnificence, is savored by the French, Stilton (the king of cheese), is the pride of England, while all along the way, Kraft singles fed a whole generation of baby boomers. Now our palates are far more sophisticated. We can order Mac-and-cheese in some of the finest restaurants in America to comfort us after a bad day in the board room.
We can fly off to Paris to share the ubiquitous combination of cheese and wine and never once, not once, think of a hot dog or hamburger, unless it is a cheese burger. God Bless America! It is now the largest producer of cheese in the world.
In my lifetime, I passed over from pabulum to cottage cheese. I lived on Colby and crackers in college, and after I was married, served longhorn cheese with pâté’s and caviar.
Yes, I am a true connoisseur. I read a cheese guide like some people read a novel. And if that isn’t enough of the “good life,” now there is a magazine named “Culture” for cheese lovers like me. This, magazine is the première source of for your “cheese lovers’ dreams.” You just might not want to ever wake up or ever put it down.
We may not know exactly when or where cheese was first made, but one thing is for sure—no one plans to stop making it.
Bon Appétit!
Jan Atchley Bevan, President, National League of American Pen Women
Jacksonville, FL Branch
Photo:courtesy of Pearticles Photostream on Flickr.
Try Ardrahan, Cashel blue and Blarney, too.No, not the stone...}Dubliner is even available at Costco!They are my Irish favs.
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