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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
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In a coffee shop.
Actually, I forgot to list the real cheeses that I have stocked up on in a good cheesemonger's:

There was Brie de Meaux (with a vein of truffle, so that it sort of resembles Morbrier cheese, actually, this is a cheese I have never come across before).

Next up was Etivaz (a stunning Swiss cheese, not unlike Gruyere, or Emmental, but better than both).

Gorgonzola Cremifica (I have been suffering severe withdrawal symptoms without a steady supply of Good Gorgonzola.)

An aged farmhouse Gouda made from cow's milk.

And - a French cheese I had never come across before - Carre de L'est.
 
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0388631

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Sep 10, 2009
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Aged gouda is the bee's knees. Love it. I'm very interested in future notes about the Carre de L'est. Google tells me it's a square cheese with a natural rind and has a bit of a smoky flavor from the aging process.

Unfortunately, it seems I've developed a cold. Dairy is off limits. :( I can't imagine how I've caught one. Be it from an employee or touching something and forgetting to sanitize.
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
Aged gouda is the bee's knees. Love it. I'm very interested in future notes about the Carre de L'est. Google tells me it's a square cheese with a natural rind and has a bit of a smoky flavor from the aging process.

Unfortunately, it seems I've developed a cold. Dairy is off limits. :( I can't imagine how I've caught one. Be it from an employee or touching something and forgetting to sanitize.

Agreed, aged Gouda (especially with that buttery caramel, crystal salt and toffee style flavours that come through).

I will sample some shortly. A late breakfast with freshly squeezed juice and freshly ground coffee.
 
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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
Has anyone ever come across the quite lovely Dutch Reypenaer aged cheese? There is an XO Reserve version, and a VSOP version.

I have had this cheese - abroad - and for those who love an aged Gouda, this will also more than satisfy as it is gorgeous.

Have just had (plenty of) Gorgonzola Cremificato on on toast (left over French stick from the French baker) with juice and freshly made Ethiopian coffee. Yum.
 
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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
My cheesemonger's have re-opened - fortunately for me, and the purchase of good quality cheese.

So, week end cheese supplies are as follows: Gorgonzola from the market, with Camembert Rustique, mature Stilton, and aged goat's Gouda from the cheesemonger; and a small slice of an artisan cheddar - a new one I've not yet tried, apart from a small taste - was bought from the person who made it.
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
I find stilton stuffed dates and prunes to be nice.

Do you heat the Stilton, or not?

This time of year (that is, approaching Christmas) you will sometimes find a variation on that theme in cheesemonger's as some will sell a vision of 'white' (that is, not 'blue') Stilton, but stuffed with tiny pieces of, say, dried apricot. A good version can be delicious.

I have also come across a seasonal cheese - I think it was a version of Wensleydale (itself an excellent cheese) - that came studded with dried cranberries.
 
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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
Another cheese I forgot to mention (some of the British cheeses have wonderful names - I have long been partial to Stinking Bishop - both as a name and as a cheese - it is fantastic, and its companion - Cardinal Sin is also exceedingly good) - is Lincolnshire Poacher.

This is a terrific rich, savoury - mouth-filling - cheese, with a lovely tart after taste.
 
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decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
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Geneva
Another cheese I forgot to mention (some of the British cheeses have wonderful name - I have long been partial to Stinking Bishop - both as a name and as a cheese - it is fantastic, and its companion - Cardinal Sin is also exceedingly good) - is Lincolnshire Poacher.

This is a terrific rich, savoury - mouth-filling - cheese, with a lovely tart after taste.
Well I just learnt something, I knew "Lincolnshire Poacher" to be a folk song as well as:


Looked it up and it looks delicious.
 

0388631

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Sep 10, 2009
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Do you heat the Stilton, or not?

This time of year (that is, approaching Christmas) you will sometimes find a variation on that theme in cheesemonger's as some will sell a vision of 'white' (that is, not 'blue') Stilton, but stuffed with tiny pieces of, say, dried apricot. A good version can be delicious.

I have also come across a seasonal cheese - I think it was a version of Wensleydale (itself an excellent cheese) - that came studded with dried cranberries.
To room temperature. Ideally you'll want to warm up the dried fruit so it's more malleable. The Saudis and Israelis have some varieties of dates that are massive and very rich. Sadly they're not exported much if at all.

White stilton with cranberry has been popular here. I believe I bought it last year.
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
To room temperature. Ideally you'll want to warm up the dried fruit so it's more malleable. The Saudis and Israelis have some varieties of dates that are massive and very rich. Sadly they're not exported much if at all.

White stilton with cranberry has been popular here. I believe I bought it last year.

Turkish dates are excellent, as are Iranian ones.

And some parts of central Asia - Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan come to mind - also have brilliant dates, raisins, figs, apricots - in other words, excellent dried fruit. But, agreed, it can be quite difficult to lay hands on them.

French prunes (Agen prunes are particularly good) are also well worth looking at.
 
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mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
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The Anthropocene
Tête de moine is another tasty one, but you have to have the little device to cut it properly!

image.jpeg
 

0388631

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Sep 10, 2009
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Turkish dates are excellent, as are Iranian ones.

And some parts of central Asia - Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan come to mind - also have brilliant dates, raisins, figs, apricots - in other words, excellent dried fruit. But, agreed, it can be quite difficult to lay hands on them.

French prunes (Agen prunes are particularly good) are also well worth looking at.
I've had Turkish. They're rather delicious. No single variety tastes the same. A very remarkable fruit. And quite delicious when fresh, too. Except for the astringency of theme. I've had some zahidis that were extra dry. Almost as if they were candied fruit. Incredible.
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
I've had Turkish. They're rather delicious. No single variety tastes the same. A very remarkable fruit. And quite delicious when fresh, too. Except for the astringency of theme. I've had some zahidis that were extra dry. Almost as if they were candied fruit. Incredible.

Turkish apricots are also well with looking at - the really good ones are superlative.

Tête de moine is another tasty one, but you have to have the little device to cut it properly!

View attachment 673840

Ah, that is a cheese that I haven't had the pleasure of sampling since an unfortunate fire in my cheesemonger's nearly two months ago.

As they have only just re-opened, I didn't spot it when I paid a fleeting visit on Saturday last. Must ask about it on my next visit.

Now, that is another cheese with an intriguing name.
 

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
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The Anthropocene
Turkish apricots are also well with looking at - the really good ones are superlative.



Ah, that is a cheese that I haven't had the pleasure of sampling since an unfortunate fire in my cheesemonger's nearly two months ago.

As they have only just re-opened, I didn't spot it when I paid a fleeting visit on Saturday last. Must ask about it on my next visit.

Now, that is another cheese with an intriguing name.
Hehe, I suppose it is named after a certain baldness pattern frequently associated with monks given the particular way in which this cheese is cut.

It really is best to eat it as it it meant to be cut: those little flowers. I've also had it simply sliced, but shaving it this way imparts an important texture component that makes the cheese sing.
 

decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
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Geneva
Well another sign I choose the right country to move to - in the right continent. Tête de moine is produced right here in Switzerland! Link below!

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/
http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/
It's from the Jura region and the link above even has info about the special gadget to slice it.

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/products/how-to-use

There is even a fancy powered way to cut it.

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/products/rosomat

Or you can cheat and buy "rosettes" already sliced in packages. OF course it's better fresh.
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
Well another sign I choose the right country to move to - in the right continent. Tête de moine is produced right here in Switzerland! Link below!

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/
It's from the Jura region and the link above even has info about the special gadget to slice it.

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/products/how-to-use

There is even a fancy powered way to cut it.

http://www.tetedemoine.ch/en/products/rosomat

Or you can cheat and buy "rosettes" already sliced in packages. OF course it's better fresh.

Thanks for this - I love cheeses that come complete with their own weird ecosystem of instruments.

If you are in Switzerland, then, you will most certainly have come across Etivaz, - a stunning seasonal cheese, which, for my money, is far superior to both Gruyere and Emmental (each of which I like).
 

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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
65,125
47,515
In a coffee shop.
When I visited the UN in Switzerland for a week one of the benefits was being able to sample their cheese like Tête de moine and Etivaz.

Ah, you've met both Tȇte de moine, and Etivaz?

As it happens, only this very afternoon, in my newly - and freshly - re-opened cheesemonger's, I did raise the matter of Etivaz, and wondered when it might make a welcome appearance.

As it is a seasonal cheese, (and it is coming into season about now), I should be able to obtain some over the next few weeks when they take delivery of some, say a wheel or two.

However, they did have in stock a cheese that I had never encountered before; this was a Gorgonzola with a difference - not the Cremosa, or the Cremificato (both of which I love), but an even more seductive and luscious cheese: A sort of cross between mascarpone and gorgonzola - a rich cream cheese with layers of Gorgonzola Cremosa running through it. Actually, an oozing breakfast cheese, for someone who likes creamy soft cheese at breakfast.
 
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mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,353
The Anthropocene
However, they did have in stock a cheese that I had never encountered before; this was a gGorgonzola with a difference - not the Cremosa, or the Cremificato (both of which I love), but an even more seductive and luscious cheese: A sort of cross between mascarpone and gorgonzola - a rich cream cheese with layers of Gorgonzola Cremosa running through it. Actually, an oozing breakfast cheese, for someone who likes creamy soft cheese at breakfast.

Huh, very curious. It is an Italian cheese?
 
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