Cheese Reviews

I live in a place where the majority of folks are lactose intolerant or simply intolerant of others on diets that don't resemble their own. Eating cheese must be done in secret or you risk getting the stink eye, which seems strange when we have access to many extraordinary cheese shops in the area. Even the smaller food markets around here have cheese sections that will make your jaw drop.

I grew up loving cheese. My sister and I used to take a square of American cheese, place it on some aluminum foil and stick it under the broiler until it bubbled up and browned. Sometimes the cheese would stick to the foil, but it didn't stop us from painstakingly peeling the cheese off in bits and pieces. Because our mother is European, we also enjoyed fondue and specialty cheeses at a young age. I'm pretty sure I was the only kid in junior high school who brought a wedge of Brie to school in her lunch bag.

When I got older, I became a bit cheese obsessed, determined to sample everything from the stinkiest to the most delicate cheeses I could find. Then I went to France one year and experienced cheese in a whole new way. Naturally, I fell more deeply in love with the dairy product. Cheese in France is taken seriously, though the kind of dedication the French show in making cheese can now be seen in other areas of the world too. In fact, many American cheese makers have won international competitions. For example, Satori Cheese Company won the prestigious 2012 Dairy Innovation Awards, a global cheese competition with its grand champion cheese the Espresso BellaVitano®. I used to lean toward French cheeses, but now I love and appreciate them all.

This blog will feature cheese reviews, interviews and images of spectacular cheeses from around the world.

Stay tuned!