A bit confused but that's the fun part!

I previously mentioned Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes, CA (a hand-washed cows milk) as one of the finalist cheeses at the American blue cheese competition held in Texas and I'd been dying to try it and its fellow finalists. When I saw it at Whole Food's today ($16.99 !!!), I was thrilled -- a chance to put my money where my mouth is. Well, it's not a blue cheese. Delicious, yes. Blue, no. But no matter. The real stand out, though, was the Hudson Valley Camembert from Old Chatham Sheepherding Co in Old Chatham, NY. It's a soft ripened cheese made from sheep and cows milk and was a big hit with Starbury's parents.

Winning blues

Everyone is saying how much more entertaining the Julia-in-France scenes are than the Julie-in-Queens scenes in JULIE AND JULIA. I won't be able to say myself until tomorrow night.

But in the meantime, I can say that the USA should be proud of its blue cheeses. A staggering 1327 American blue cheeses competed for the title of "Best Blue Cheese" last week in Texas. Taking top honours was Rogue River Blue from Oregon, a grape-leaf wrapped cows milk. The name itself is gorgeous; I can only imagine how delicious it tastes.

I'm dreaming of a cheese plate featuring Rogue River Blue and the runner-ups. In 2nd place was Red Hawk (triple cream cows milk; aged six weeks with a red-orange rind) from Cowgirl Creamery in California. In 3rd place, Rupert (cows milk; aged six months with a gruyere or comte firmness) from Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/08/serious-cheese-rogue-river-blue-wins-2009-american-cheese-society-award.html

And thanks to Jamie Forest at curdnerds.com for his summary of the results!

Sound of Music II -- no lonely goats here

Two goat cheeses, one plate.

Cypress Grove Humbolt Fog and Goat's Ziegenbrie (a goat-based brie).

High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo