Cheesy Title?

December 6, 2006 12:15 PM

What are the most delicious cheeses?

I'm 24, but only recently discovered the wondrous world of cheese (beyond the usual cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, etc.). I was eying the cheese aisle this morning with a massive craving, but I have no idea what anything is or what anything tastes like.

I'd like to know some of the best cheeses I should definitely try, as well as any bread/cracker/dishes they complement splendidly.

Please help me make up for lost time.

(Thank God I'm a personal trainer who can afford to eat anything he wants.)

posted by Mach3avelli to Food & Drink (22 answers total)

When I first start getting into cheese I couldn't get enough of parrano. It's from Holland and it's a mix of gouda and parmesan. I had so much of that stuff that I eventually got sick of it. But, it's an excellent "gateway drug".
posted by quadog at 12:19 PM on December 6, 2006

My personal favorite is St. Andre, a triple cream brie. It's so buttery and rich and gorgeous -- sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly decadent, I'll just eat a wedge of St. Andre and a loaf of French bread for dinner. Heaven.
posted by scody at 12:20 PM on December 6, 2006

Oh, and Havarti is a nice creamy (and mildly tangy) snacking cheese on crackers.
posted by scody at 12:22 PM on December 6, 2006

Most cheese counters will sample you some and talk cheese during slow times. Tell them what you like or want to try and they'll go from there. Whole Foods does a passable job at this, for a starting point. Go sometime other than the dinner rush / the weekend and you'll get more attention.
posted by kcm at 12:22 PM on December 6, 2006

My favourite hard cheese is Rolf Beeler Gruyère. (I think most hard gruyères are delicious, however.)
posted by rikhei at 12:25 PM on December 6, 2006

Oh, you're in Palo Alto. The new PA WF is pretty damn good in terms of selection - I picked up a dutch semi-soft in the produce section a few nights ago, but I can't recall the name. It was incredible. I also recommend AG Ferrari (there's one near the Sunnyvale Borders) - they're very very friendly and will recommend things down to chestnut honey and cheese pairings, then let you sample them. Get some Sanbitter while you're there. :)
posted by kcm at 12:25 PM on December 6, 2006

(If you do go to AG Ferrari, get some of the Provolone picante. Awesome stuff.)
posted by kcm at 12:26 PM on December 6, 2006

Also try this thread from five days ago.
posted by yeti at 12:28 PM on December 6, 2006

Ditto what kcm said. I'm a big fan of Mimolette - hard with a great texture. It's great solo, and I really like the way the bright orange chunks show up when I put it in eggs.

Ah, cheese - my desert island food. Enjoy!
posted by asuprenant at 12:29 PM on December 6, 2006

Now, I am not a brave cheese eater. I've had some bad luck and I'm loathe to spend money on cheese I don't like. So I'm not going to name really out-there cheeses.

My introduction to the WoC was Port Salut, with crusty bread.

Brie baked with apricots was my introduction to it and it's one of the few things my mother-in-not-law makes that I love.

Wensleydale with cranberries is a pretty sweet cheese as well. Not as fond of it without the fruit in it.

I lived on chevre and crispbread for a summer, when I worked at a convenience store. (Brie's also pretty good on crispbread.)

I had a sample of some 'raw sheepsmilk cheese' once and it was fantastic. It was also seriously expensive, so I can't remember the name (we didn't buy it.)
posted by cobaltnine at 12:31 PM on December 6, 2006

There are a million fantastic cheeses out there. Start by taking note of what you like, and what you like about it (sharp/creamy/tangy/salty/whatever). Write it down in a notebook, even.

The next time you visit a good cheese store or a place with a staffed cheese department (disclaimer: I am a former Whole Foods cheesemonger), ask to taste different cheeses. Try to go at a time that's not too busy. I promise that the person working will love to talk with you about cheese and give you tastes - none of us in Specialty at Whole Foods worked there to get rich: we all loved food, and talking about food, and why you should buy this kind of local cheese that this time of year instead of that time of year, and how to put together a good cheese platter, and on and endlessly on.

That said, some personal favorites:

Saenkanter - a 3- to 4-year-aged Gouda: hard, golden orange, unbelievably delicious (like Parrano on steroids, but in a good way)

Humboldt Fog: Northern California goat cheese: splendid when properly ripened

Point Reyes blue: sharp, salty, tangy

Piave: an aged Italian cow's milk cheese, kinda like Parmesan, but a little fruitier; excellent for picnics and hikes because it won't get smushed in your pack

Anything from Andante Dairy: it's very small, and she only sells at the Ferry Building farmer's market, and sometimes at the San Francisco Whole Foods stores (not sure about P.A.); she makes these goat cheeses that are just transcendent, especially in the spring/early summer, when her goats are eating the new spring grasses.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cheese!
posted by rtha at 12:39 PM on December 6, 2006

If you're serious about cheese, skip the supermarket and find a locally-owned food shop that specializes in cheese. Where you're located, I can't believe there aren't several.

Like most culinary adventures, learning what kind of cheeses you like is a process, not something anyone here can solve for you with some recommendations. Everyone's tastes are different. A good cheesemonger can make recommendations from visit to visit based on what you thought of the last batch.
posted by mkultra at 12:41 PM on December 6, 2006

Response by poster: Also try this thread from five days ago.

Ha. That's what I get for searching "cheeses" in lieu of "cheese."
posted by Mach3avelli at 12:43 PM on December 6, 2006

i recently had an unpasteurized brie, fresh off the plane from france. it tasted like somebody had dropped a wheel of cheese on the floor of a barn, except in a good way. but i am a sucker for seriously funky cheese, ymmv.
posted by sonofslim at 12:46 PM on December 6, 2006

Parmaggiano-Reggiano. Eat it plain, in chunks, either served with olives or drizzled with a small amount of balsamic vinegar.

Lemon Stilton. Put it on a ginger snap, and drizzle honey over it.

Morbier. This cheese is phenomenal with bread or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Chevre. You can do so much with chevre. For starters, you can mix it with some olive oil, fresh herbs (either rosemary, basil, or cilantro work nicely), cracked pepper, and lemon juice, and either serve with crostini or in endive spears.

Manchego. One of the greatest cheeses ever.

Triple-Creme Brie. Slice a baguette in half lengthwise, and fill with brie and butter. Toast it up and enjoy on a cool day.

Danish blue. Sharp and tasty.

Also, I heartily endorse Humboldt Fog. It is an amazing cheese. Piper's Pyramid is another fine artisinal goat cheese.



For enjoying a cheese tray, arrange your cheeses on a flat plate or board and enjoy in order from mildest to sharpest.
posted by kaseijin at 12:52 PM on December 6, 2006

Oh, also....

Gruyere. Get good, unpasteurized, cave-aged gruyere. Not the Boar's Head "smoked gruyere" crap. This pairs well with Emmental for fondue savoyarde.

Jarlsberg is also a very tasty cheese. It makes really phenomenal grilled cheese sandwiches, with just a touch of fresh nutmeg grated inside.
posted by kaseijin at 12:55 PM on December 6, 2006

Instead of giving my personal favorites, I just want to second the advice to find a local cheese shop and visit during a non-busy time.

in my experience, they are more than happy to walk you through different choices and explain things. Get you a variety of flavors, smells and textures to help you figure out what all you enjoy.
posted by Tacos Are Pretty Great at 12:58 PM on December 6, 2006

My personal favorite is St. Andre, a triple cream brie.

I agree. I'm able to find it in most U.S. cheese shops/sections of grocery stores. It's available online, as well.
posted by ericb at 12:58 PM on December 6, 2006

Sant-Agur.
posted by meehawl at 1:05 PM on December 6, 2006

St. Andre is great, Cotswold is great, Idizabal and Cotijo are nice, too.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 1:08 PM on December 6, 2006

Vacheron Mont D'or, although the season for it may have ended.

Lamb Chopper is a great sheep's milk cheese.

Temperature is important. Don't buy expensive cheese and then eat it cold from the fridge (avoid storing it in the fridge if you can, actually).
posted by amber_dale at 1:09 PM on December 6, 2006

Also -- try a chunk of Pecorino Romano with a dollop of raspberry (or other jam) on toast points or crackers. Rinse-and-repeat. Now try the same with honey (especially truffled honey). Go bold and try this preparation with other salty and/or stinky cheeses.

[NPR: Stinky Cheese Maker Shuns 'Wallace & Gromit' Spotlight].
posted by ericb at 1:10 PM on December 6, 2006