I love cheese.
And there you have it, it is just that simple. A good deli is a dangerous place to bring me, for I am easily distracted by the shiny that is good cheese. All the different regions and flavors and wine pairings, tucked in amongst all the other sinfully delicious pleasures that are good food....mmmm-mmmm-good. The key word there being GOOD. I do not refer to sub-par over processed fast foods as good. Or even most grocery store 'bests' as good. Good food, to me, is usually without any additives or preservatives, requires a great deal of preparation and is not a quick fix. And while I absolutely LOVE to cook, time does not always permit.
Insert the love that is the deli...
Our favorite deli, as a matter of fact, has a free-pour micro brewery where you just help yourself while you shop. I ask you, what could possibly be better than that? Like help yourself to the point of bringing in a designated driver, if you choose. The looser the free-pour, the looser the wallet. And the looser the wallet is a good thing, when selling premium food products. It is sound business sense, really. I may or may not be just a little bit in love with this particular deli. As a matter of fact, I may just ask it to marry me, the next time I am there; so The Hubs and I can cancel that outing off the 'date' status list and I can just move right in with the deli. Why did it take me this long to think of this? Duh!
Heaven on earth, in the form of wine tastings, samples of really great products and THE absolute best meat market I have ever laid eyes on, even superseding that of my small town butcher's shop in the heart of that land known as Alberta beef country. Imagine. It is just THAT good.
A trip there is tantamount to finding all that is right with the world, effortlessly.
At any rate...while I would consider myself to be a connoisseur of the cheese, I had yet to try one that I have been hearing about for years. It is called COMTE and is basically the beluga caviar of the cheese clique. The fois gras of the dairy department.
Yesterday, I found it. Finally! I picked it up without hesitation, armed myself with a fresh artisan baguette and some red wine and set out to imbibe in one of the finer things the culinary world has to offer.
*insert wilting flower emoticon here*
I hated it.
No matter how many times I tried to taste it after the first attemot, I just couldn't get past the earthiness of it. As I was mourning the loss of something I never knew to begin with, but felt deprived of just the same, The Hubs walked in the door and I showed it to him while giving him something of an education about it. He tried it, declared it wasn't bad, and asked me to cut him a chunk of it. Gladly. Here you go, enjoy!
I settled for a piece of very sharp cheddar (it was the only other I had in the house) to pair with the bread and wine and The Hubs went to change out of his work clothes. Upon his return to the kitchen, he picked up the cheese and proceeded to nibble. Somewhat distracted by other food preparation, I went about my business, chattering to him all the while (The kitchen is very much the axis of our home and the place where most of the talking happens for The Family G, before the hubs and the prodigy retreat back into communication in the form of grunts. Therefore? When the opportunity for conversation happens, I tend to chatter. Maybe, possibly a little bit). Upon turning around, I see The Hubs, fingers to his nose and sniffing his hands, one after the other.
Eyebrow arched, I had to laugh. He looked at me, inquiring as to what was funny and I let him know that I knew exactly what he was doing...which? Was smelling his fingers to see if it was them that smelled badly or the cheese.
THAT is how earthy this cheese tasted. My husband, with his discerning tastes, couldn't figure out if he had forgotten to wash his hands after scratching his posterior or if it was the very expensive cheese.
I don't know what is worse, that he washed his hands and then continued to eat the cheese, proclaiming that it was probably bum-fingers; or that this very expensive cheese just flat out tasted like ass smells.
For the record, the rest of that particular cheese? ALL his.
And there you have it, it is just that simple. A good deli is a dangerous place to bring me, for I am easily distracted by the shiny that is good cheese. All the different regions and flavors and wine pairings, tucked in amongst all the other sinfully delicious pleasures that are good food....mmmm-mmmm-good. The key word there being GOOD. I do not refer to sub-par over processed fast foods as good. Or even most grocery store 'bests' as good. Good food, to me, is usually without any additives or preservatives, requires a great deal of preparation and is not a quick fix. And while I absolutely LOVE to cook, time does not always permit.
Insert the love that is the deli...
Our favorite deli, as a matter of fact, has a free-pour micro brewery where you just help yourself while you shop. I ask you, what could possibly be better than that? Like help yourself to the point of bringing in a designated driver, if you choose. The looser the free-pour, the looser the wallet. And the looser the wallet is a good thing, when selling premium food products. It is sound business sense, really. I may or may not be just a little bit in love with this particular deli. As a matter of fact, I may just ask it to marry me, the next time I am there; so The Hubs and I can cancel that outing off the 'date' status list and I can just move right in with the deli. Why did it take me this long to think of this? Duh!
Heaven on earth, in the form of wine tastings, samples of really great products and THE absolute best meat market I have ever laid eyes on, even superseding that of my small town butcher's shop in the heart of that land known as Alberta beef country. Imagine. It is just THAT good.
A trip there is tantamount to finding all that is right with the world, effortlessly.
At any rate...while I would consider myself to be a connoisseur of the cheese, I had yet to try one that I have been hearing about for years. It is called COMTE and is basically the beluga caviar of the cheese clique. The fois gras of the dairy department.
Yesterday, I found it. Finally! I picked it up without hesitation, armed myself with a fresh artisan baguette and some red wine and set out to imbibe in one of the finer things the culinary world has to offer.
*insert wilting flower emoticon here*
I hated it.
No matter how many times I tried to taste it after the first attemot, I just couldn't get past the earthiness of it. As I was mourning the loss of something I never knew to begin with, but felt deprived of just the same, The Hubs walked in the door and I showed it to him while giving him something of an education about it. He tried it, declared it wasn't bad, and asked me to cut him a chunk of it. Gladly. Here you go, enjoy!
I settled for a piece of very sharp cheddar (it was the only other I had in the house) to pair with the bread and wine and The Hubs went to change out of his work clothes. Upon his return to the kitchen, he picked up the cheese and proceeded to nibble. Somewhat distracted by other food preparation, I went about my business, chattering to him all the while (The kitchen is very much the axis of our home and the place where most of the talking happens for The Family G, before the hubs and the prodigy retreat back into communication in the form of grunts. Therefore? When the opportunity for conversation happens, I tend to chatter. Maybe, possibly a little bit). Upon turning around, I see The Hubs, fingers to his nose and sniffing his hands, one after the other.
Eyebrow arched, I had to laugh. He looked at me, inquiring as to what was funny and I let him know that I knew exactly what he was doing...which? Was smelling his fingers to see if it was them that smelled badly or the cheese.
THAT is how earthy this cheese tasted. My husband, with his discerning tastes, couldn't figure out if he had forgotten to wash his hands after scratching his posterior or if it was the very expensive cheese.
I don't know what is worse, that he washed his hands and then continued to eat the cheese, proclaiming that it was probably bum-fingers; or that this very expensive cheese just flat out tasted like ass smells.
For the record, the rest of that particular cheese? ALL his.
6 Comments:
I am seriously cracking up over this post. How is it that the men in our lives provide so much free comedy, I ask you? :o)
Ya' gonna release the name of this fab deli since I know your neck of the woods (twas mine for 23 years and I still claim it as such), or what? Here or via email? I'll be watching both!
I need directions ASAP.
When I discovered that you can put whichever deli items you want on your subs from Publix, it was a great day. Roast beef and horseradish cheddar compete with Havarti and turkey.
At the Grand Masque Ball, we had this AWESOME cheese dish. I wish I knew what it was. There was some type of cheddar with a pineapple and honey sauce on top that was utterly divine.
Forrest's mom has also introduced me to the cheddar bleu --- it's a block of sharp cheddar infused with chunks of bleu cheese. MY GOD.
Dee, find that cheddar bleu before we come!!!!!!
Dee & Steen,
Don't know if you two cheesy girls like cheese balls, but I thought of you after reading what Steen wrote (I also wish you knew what that was so we could search the web for a recipe! It sounds SO yummy) because I just received this recipe yesterday:
Pineapple Cheese Ball Recipe
Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Ingredients:
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 package dried ranch dressing mix (Hidden Valley is the best!)
1 small can of crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon honey
2 stalks of green onion
ΒΌ cup of shredded cheese, Jack or Colby
Directions:
Mix the package of ranch dressing mix with the softened cream cheese until well mixed. Then add 1/2 can of crushed pineapple,(no juice), 1 teaspoon honey, the 2 stalks of green onion chopped and the shredded cheese. Mix well and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes. Turn out onto a cheese board or platter. Mound it in the center and shape into a ball with a spoon. If you like you can cover the ball with sliced almonds, sprinkle with dill weed, parsley or paprika. Chill completely before serving.
This recipe serves 8.
My husband hates cheese. And I hate beer. I'm guessing that deli would do us no good. But it sounds like fun anyways!
THIS POST IS MOLDY...
I know, I'm one to talk...but COME ON - at least I fake it....
Bwahahaha
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