Monday, April 4, 2011

C is for Cheese

I'm not what you call a foodie, I just love food.  I don't know a lot about it, I don't research it, and I'm certainly not picky about it.  To me a food is like a person: Each one of them has something to love.  That being said...

I love cheese.

It's not my favorite food.  It's not even my favorite kind of food.  But I love it nonetheless.  It is vital to the well being of many other foods, including my favorites.  It's like a classical element.  Earth, wind, fire, water, and cheese.

Since I was young I've been asking people what their favorite cheese is.  I find that it's an excellent way to get to know a person.  You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of cheese that they like.  I just don't trust the ones that don't have a favorite.  If you don't have a favorite, because you love several of them so much that you could never choose one above another, that's okay.  I'll accept that.  However, if you don't have a favorite because you've just never given it any thought... then I don't even know what to do with you.  I just don't understand you on a fundamental level.  Oddly enough, it turns out my father is that way.  I first met him last year and I wasn't quite sure what to say to the man, so one of the things I asked was his favorite cheese.  He didn't have one.  I just kind of sat there.  It was terribly awkward.

Sharp Cheddar, by the way.  That's my favorite.  It's flavorful, delicious, and highly versatile.

My second favorite is Feta.  It has been rising up so quickly amongst the ranks that it may one day take the top spot.  Right now the only thing that holds it back is the fact that it's not very versatile.  There just aren't many different sorts of dishes in which it can be used.  Granted, the ones where it can are freaking amazing, but alas, it is simply not an everyday cheese.

My third is Swiss.  It has a lot more character than most other cheeses, and can be used many ways, but it's just not the powerhouse that Feta and Cheddar are.

Honorable mentions go to Cream Cheese and Parmesan.

What about you?  What are your favorite cheeses?  Why?



[Update]
So Kendra told me about a cheese called Gruyère.  It was described to me as if Cheddar and Parmesan had a baby.  I can only imagine that Cheddar and Parmesan would have had some hot, oily cheese sex.

Also, I believe that that is a term that should never be applied to humans.

11 comments:

Bess Weatherby said...

Good choices! Mine is definitley Gorgonzola. With pears and honey . .. perfection.

Sharp cheddar is number two.

Follow last but not least by Brie.

Can you tell I've given this a lot of thought? You're so right -- a very worthy question :)

Jenny said...

Aged Parmesan, with Swiss coming in a close second. I think I'll order in pizza with extra cheese for us tomorrow night! :)

Tracy said...

Found you through the Blog Party, see you are also doing A-Z and your posts so far have totally cracked me up.

My favorite cheese is called the Drunken Goat. It's a spanish cheese. I even looked it up for you (aren't I nice?!?). Google said "Drunken goat is soaked in red wine for two to three days, giving the outside of the cheese a thin purple rind. The rind typically remains fairly soft and pliable (like the texture of the cheese) and is edible."

Rebecca Dupree said...

Mozzi! Nothing like it in the world! But... is cheese better than boobs? LOL, still laughing from your last post. Following you now!

Adam Jones said...

Bess - You have excellent taste in cheeses. And you are quite right to have given it such thought. It speaks well of you. Also, thank you!

Jenny - Let me know how the pizza goes!

Tracy - I will have to try that cheese as soon as possible. Thanks for the heads up!

Rebecca - Here's how it boils down:
Without cheese, there may be no joy in eating, but without boobs, there is no joy in life.
Ergo=Boobs>Cheese

Ginny from Seattle said...

Smoked gouda for it's rich decadence, longhorn cheddar for homemade macaroni and cheese, and parmigiano-reggiano for garlic cheese toast. On a side note, my characterization of gruyere would differ a bit from yours - I think it's more like Swiss cheese's older and wiser uncle.

Adam Jones said...

I am impressed by my readers' well-developed sense of Cheese.

Ginny - Today I made a point to get some Gruyère so I could find out for myself. I think that you and Kendra have captured the spirit of the cheese, and the truth lies not between the two... but within.

You know... whatever that means.

Jenny said...

We ordered deep dish from Pizza Hut. Canadian bacon and pineapple with extra motz cheese. It was greasy and fattening and delicious. I had 2 slices.
Tonight is my famous homemade tomato soup with penne pasta noodles and grated fresh parmesan cheese curls on top! :)

Marriecyers said...

As a child, I hated cheese. Now, as a pseudo-adult, I love it, but I can't say I understand it. I feel like I really need a chart or something (I'm very into infographics lately) explaining the whole cheese world. For example, I don't understand why I so strongly dislike traditional "yellow" cheddar but I love Vermont white cheddar. I would like a similar chart for beer so I can figure out my philosophy there, as well. I had some Newcastle beer cheese soup once in Memphis that totally rocked my world. I like feta on a pizza, gorgonzola on a burger, and fresh mozz on a tomato sandwich. I am also shocked by how much I just wrote about cheese, but not shocked enough to go back and delete things. My apologies.

Adam Jones said...

Jenny - That sounds delightful!

"Marrie" - There is absolutely no reason to apologize. It is natural to become impassioned by cheese. Thank you.

Unknown said...

How bout Venezuelan Beaver Cheese?

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