favorite cheeses?

[pfarrell]

I'm currently on a taleggio kick right now...i ate some nice gooey smelly taleggio for lunch...
other current favs:
humbolt fog
always parm regg
good sharp cheddar
bucheron
coach farm goat cheese

What cheeses are you eating these days?
How do you serve it? Crackers, bread, neither?

[awm922]

Gorgonzola Dolce. Nice and creamy.
Jarlsberg. Better than regular swiss cheese. More nutty. Melted over pastrami.
Horseradish Cheddar. Especially on a Roast Beef sandwich.
DOP Romano. I hardly use Parm.

[mimosa]

A standing fave is a perfectly ripe Brie d'Nangis, alternatively, a perfectly ripe Camembert Chatelain. I love the cauliflower, grassy terroir that comes through - almost Tastes like a slice of France.

Next on the list is Montbriac - at 60% butterfat, it's almost at double-creme (65%) richness and although the blue is only lightly distributed, the flavor is rich, smokey and decidedly blue. Yu-um!

[Brigita]

Oh, and my new fave, Lamb Chopper!

[nbermas]

Any cheese with truffles like Caciotta del boschi and Bianco Sottobosco all found on igourmet.com. Very earthy.

[mimosa]

two other truffle cheeses you might like: Boschetto al Tartufo (Italian mixed-milk from cow/sheep. verrrrry rich!) and Memoire Gouda (studded throughout with flecks of black truffle...yum!)

[rockycat]

Maytag blue. I don't know that I've ever met a blue that I didn't like, but I keep coming back to Maytag as the absolute best.

[Brigita]

Roaring Forties Blue Cheese. Divine.

[thunderbug84]

I'm a Maytag blue fan as well. Just picked some up yesterday. I havent found a better blue for blue cheese dressing. I also love the blues from the Rogue Creamery in southern Oregon.

My other favorites: Tillamook sharp cheddar, Valencay goat cheese and Berkswell (the most amazing hard cheese in the world) and of course the parm regg that I brought back from Sicily.

My sister gave me some sweet onion balsamic spread and its AMAZING with fresh goat cheese.

[widehomehi]

Call me weird but I love Kalamata cheese spread with mozzarella and garlic.

[Veggo]

The Humboldt Fog I queried about - and hounds persuaded me to spring for - well, my cheese monger (Sarasota) has been out of stock for a month (along with epoisses and St. Marcellin, I think they really cut back in the off season). But I'm making do with my new find of the 6 year Grafton Cheddar. Out of the ordinary.

[mimosa]

instead of Humboldt Fog, try the French Bucherondin (or Buche Cremier if you can find it-- it's a handmade version that's much richer than the industrial one). Bucherondin (aka Bucheron) is a log-shaped goat cheese with a bloomy rind. Like HF, it ripens from the outside in so look for one that has a decent sized ring of 'goo' between the rind and the firmer center-the more goo, the riper the cheese. It's not as sweet as Fog, but we like to drizzle - very lightly - a wedge of Bucherondin with orange blossom or other floral honey. It's divine.

And despite the fact that the dollar v Euro has jacked up the price of every cheese brought across the pond, Bucheron is about $10 cheaper per pound than the one from California. We're in CA and find many of the cheeses produced here cost several times more than the imports they're seeking to emulate!

[Veggo]

I think I have seen it but not tried it. The cross section almost looks like greyish petrified wood?

[lunchbox]

Hey, Veggo-
St. marcelin just isn't available year round- I had a customer who just loved the stuff and our preferred supplier (one of the largest in the US) only got shipments during a little over half a year, sometimes as far as 6 weeks apart. Don't give up- but you may have to wait until the fall to start finding it again.
And you're right about the Grafton Cheddar- Yummy!
While I'm here- King's Island Roaring 40s blue was a revelation for me, I eat Fromage d'Affinois with a spoon, and a 3+ yr Gouda is just devine (I like Mona Lisa, but there are a few other good ones, too).

[Veggo]

Lunchbox, thanks for the info about seasonality of the St. Marcellin. I did keep one too long once, maybe 6 weeks, and it had gone sour with no visual signs at all. I suppose I could freeze a few?
About a year ago I bought a wedge of "smoked irish blarney" that was delicious; nicely salty and smoky, and I haven't found anyone since who has heard of it.

[Oh Robin]

I love a good WHOLE milk mozzarella. I don't why most stores carry that part-skim stuff. Big chunks of WMM melted on some baked pasta dish... yum.

[loisstella]

Mozarella should be buffalo milk, everything else tastes like plastic!

[MMRuth]

I actually don't like buffalo milk mozzarella - it's too creamy for me - but love fresh, well made cow's milk mozzarella, especially smoked.

[Kitchen Queen]

Yummy, creamy, very marbled blue in a salad. And, sliced yummy, creamy, Harvarti with caraway - ooh la la! - Slightlt melted in a pita with your fav meat (mine is hickory smoked turkey breast) and acrutriments...toms, wasabi mayo, avocado....

[emilief]

If you like telleggio you will probably love Brescianella Stagionata- but be careful not to buy it too ripe as it becomes very stinky and inedible. However, it is a really delicious cheese! You should be able to find this a cheese shop.

[wanderluster]

It's hard to find, but ticklemore (a goat cheese from england) is absolutely amazing. It has a lovely spongy texture, more like a cow's milk cheese than goat and a subtle taste. IMHO it's best by itself, or on a very thin slice of baguette.

[loisstella]

Dutch Mature Gouda (not too) - on a french stick sandwich with a little proper butter...
The tohught of a good runny Brie de meaux always makes my mouth water too!

[arifa]

i know it's probably one of the most benign cheeses out there, but i loooove fromager di affinois.

[misohungrychewlow]

The usual suspects include jarlsberg, emmenthaler, gruyere, manchego, and old, sharp, puckery white cheddar. I'm on the hunt for a place that serves fresh burrata, and in addition to the swiss types mentioned above ... I've been digging comte and appenzeller even more. Can anyone tell me about raclette?

[stolenchange]

Recently, I've been loving Shropshire Blue Cheese.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shropshi...

Found a tiny bit it in the "cheese bits" at a local cheese shop for $2 and got hooked. I was about to give up hope once i learned the price (something crazy like $25/lb) but then found it at Costco for $10/lb. Cholesterol levels be damned!

[stolenchange]

Oh, and Beechers Flagship. Great as a snack - even better in mac and cheese.

http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com...

[karen2006]

Recently, we've been eating Mt. Townsend creamery's seastack.

http://www.mttownsendcreamery.com/che...

We always have parm and chevre on hand. And we rotate through bucheron, gruyere, goat gouda, St. Andre, fourme d'ambert, and pierre robert...either on crackers or baguette...sometimes with something sweet...quince jelly.

[chicgail]

Ricotta Salata
St. Andres (preferably topped with pepper jelly)

[Emme]

Jarlsberg, melted in the micro till just a litlle gooey with crispy edges taking over as it cools...

Gruyere
Ricotta
Parmesan (in fricos)

[inuksuk]

Caerphilly and Red Leicester on bread or crackers and Aged Gouda for cooking.

[porkmuffin]

For a harder sheep cheese good with fruit i always enjoy Spanish manchego, and Drunken Goat mentioned above is a fantastic choice.

I also enjoy Montagnolo triple cream soft blue cheese spread on very plain crackers or bread. The first time I had it was with crusty bread and a little bit of honey. Yum!

[bubbles4me]

Might be easier to list what I don't like but my top three right now are;
Epoisses- Very stinky and salty but I lovee, love it with crusty bread and white wine.
St Agur- Creamy blue with big flavor but restrained sharpness. Great smeared on Tri-Tip sandwiches.
Bandage Cheddar- Sharp-ish Cheddar with those sweet little crunchy bits you find in good Parm.

[Cheese Boy]

Bandage cheddar... isn't that amazing? Fiscalini Farmstead Cheddar is one to explore if you prefer rich, buttery, and sharp. Have a look at the image attached to this reply, and you'll see it almost resembles a good Parm Reggiano. [Click on the image to enlarge it].

[mimosa]

The Fiscalini 18-mo bandage-wrapped just won the world cheese awards! It's pretty darn good too - it's fairly sharp for only being aged that long. Just add a tart apple and it makes for a perfect picnic.

[mollyomormon]

I love perfectly aged Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery right now!

[smartie]

Chaumes - smelly, soft, delicious. On crackers or with apple or celery.

[mojoeater]

I'm currently on a kick of gorgonzola and balsamic on every salad. With toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds. it is truly divine.

[cocktailqueen77]

Drunken goat...bought just for the name, ended up loving it!! Great alone, shaved over salads, or with fruit.

[Cheese Boy]

I'll second drunken goat. The Italian cow's milk cheese known as Ubriaco is also a good choice. Always ask for a taste or smell the cheese before you make your purchase. Ubriaco should smell like the bouquet of a fine wine. If it doesn't, it's likely not very good. The Spanish drunken cheeses are good also, just not as good as the Italian (better vineyards/grapes IMO).

[pfarrell]

I love the combination of gorgonzola, sliced pears, walnuts, and arugula...with balsamic or with a late harvest riesling vinegar and olive oil...mmmmmgetting hungery now.

[MellieMac]

Oooooh, thry gorgonzola (or any blue really) drizzled with a little honey! YUM!