Cheese

[Culinary Merc]

Ive been getting real nice cheese from one of my food guys and its amazing. most of it comes from wisconson and it rankks up there with all of the imports. Witch is better US (domestic for me) or import?

[Pete]

There is some great stuff produced right here in the USA. It seems most states now have at least one or 2 really good, artisanal cheesemakers. A lot of great stuff coming out of New York, Vermont, California and Wisconsin, just to name a few states. A couple of highlights from Wisconsin are Salemville Amish Blue, and the aged cheddars from Widmer, though there are plenty of others also.

Of course, there is some seriously good cheese that is imported. Unfortunately some of the best never makes it here due to our laws about cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Just a few of my favorites: Cabrales, Stilton (blue cheeses) sheep's milk cheese from the Pryennes, Explorateur (a very creamy soft ripened cheese), aged fontina, aged parmesan, reblochon, brin d'amour, and livarot, just to name a few. I am also a huge fan of long aged cheddars.

[shroomgirl]

Montgomery cheddar with crispys!!!
We've got farmstead goat cheese that is incredible, handladeled small dairy...Goatsbeard Farm outside of Columbia, Mo.
There's some great cheese at the DC markets from surrounding area, Santa Fe has some incredible cheese, of course Cal has Winchester goudas, Cowgirl cremery with Reyes Point blue.....
Then of course there are some great freshly made mozz in NYC on Spring St.

Why pick local or import? Their are great ones both ways......

Parmigganio Reggiano, Aged Gouda, all the glorious dbl/triple cremes, red dragon with mustard seeds, manchego, fetas....french, bulgarian, greek....
buffalo mozz, on and on and on......ummmm cheese.

[Pete]

Why pick local or import? Their are great ones both ways......

I guess that is exactly what I was trying to say. There are great cheeses made here and imported!

ummmm cheese.

Couldn't have said it better myself!!!!

[foodpump]

There is an added bonus to using local cheeses: Bragging rights. "We use X cheese, from X farms..." Makes you look good

Never forget my first time touring a smaller cheese operation. Shocked to learn that it takes 80 liters of raw milk to produce one kg of Emmenthaler Cheese....

[Ma Facon]

All cheese is good cheese, As long as it is real cheese.

[shroomgirl]

nope sorry to disagree....I purchased a calvados wrapped camembert a year or so ago, started to eat it in the car...TURNED around immediately and took it back for a refund....the cheese guy (whom is a really great source) tried it and said that was the way it was supposed to taste.

Then there was the black aged STRONGER than teenage boy worn 7 days gym sock cheese, name escapes me but NO WAY....my taste buds were worped for a good long while.

Then of course STL has provel and that's just disgusting.....

I really really like most cheeses, even some stinky french ones but not all cheeses are made equal and some I'd only eat on a dbl dare, then unwillingly.

[Ma Facon]

Well, We all have different taste in foods/cheese, Just because that product wasn't to your liking doesn't mean that it is no good, It is a matter of taste. This reminds me of fish sauces, They are gross in my book but people seem to love the stuff. To each his/her own.

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by Culinary Merc

Ive been getting real nice cheese from one of my food guys and its amazing. most of it comes from wisconson and it rankks up there with all of the imports. Witch is better US (domestic for me) or import?

There are some very good cheeses coming out of the U.S. and Canada (Quebec has some amazing cheeses). But there are some cheeses which you simply can't get around here, need to be imported.

I don't think you can say whether domestic or import cheese is 'better', they're different.

[Omi]

[/quote]Of course, there is some seriously good cheese that is imported. Unfortunately some of the best never makes it here due to our laws about cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Just a few of my favorites: Cabrales, Stilton (blue cheeses) sheep's milk cheese from the Pryennes, Explorateur (a very creamy soft ripened cheese), aged fontina, aged parmesan, reblochon, brin d'amour, and livarot, just to name a few. I am also a huge fan of long aged cheddars.[/quote]


Your making my mouth water! I went to a wonderful wine dinner Sat. night. My friend from New Orleans managed to bring over some cheeses from Martin's Wine Cellar (fortunately one of their locations is up and running) we had reblochon, picodon, brillat-savarin, they were wonderful with the port! Oh and brin d'amour didn't make it on the list this time but it is also one of my favorites! I could go on and on... (can't seem to do the quote thing)