16 going on 17 grams of fat

Things I love, in no particular order: Captain Von Trapp, edelweiss, cheese, refuge from the Nazis, building a new life in America.

And here's the perfect accompaniment: Oma cheese made by the Von Trapp family in Vermont.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/serious-cheese-von-trapp-farmsteads-oma-vermont-cows-milk.html#continued

O Canada, O Cheese

Having missed the prime opportunity of Canada Day, I'm using my trip home tonight as a reason to tip my hat to Canadian cheese.

http://www2.agr.ca/dairyinfo/english/chees-from-v_e.cfm
http://cheeseofcanada.ca/
http://www.artisanalcheese.com/products.asp?dept=1136

If you love cheese and you live in Toronto, you'll want to read this great summary of Toronto's best cheese stores:

http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_cheese_shops_in_toronto/

And a little somethig from Quebec:

http://mediacentre.canada.travel/content/travel_story_ideas/quebec_cheese

Do It Yourself Room Service

While there is nothing quite as satisfying as ordering room service in a chic boutique hotel at the end of a work travel day, I must say I did a fine job sustaining and making my own plate on a budget last night. Thankfully spending twenty dollars at the nearby Wholefoods provided me with cheese plate for two evenings. A local California blush wine, full bodied paired with 2 cheeses, pita chips and fresh mixed berries.
Cheeses: Pictured (round) Mitica Cana Cabra - goats milk. Very strong flavor almost blue in taste- not for the pedestrian palette. Would have been nice with honey and nuts... Soignon Goat Brie, also goat. Gooey and creamy, has a nice nutty flavour without being too overpowering- great with the berries. An excellent treat at the end of the day. Not pictured- two squares of truffle pig dark chocolat with orange... And goodnight.

Bastille Day -- July 14

Surprise, surprise

On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille, a symbolic prison for dissidents of the King. The crowd quickly overpowered the fort’s defenders and seven prisoners, none of whom turned out to be important political detainees, were freed.

On July 14, 2009, four New Yorkers gathered in an Upper West Side garden to have a glass of wine. What started as a last minute catch-up session turned into an impromptu Bastille Day party. Yours truly stormed West Side Market (Broadway and 76th) and pillaged two cheeses, a saucisson and cornichons -- essential ingredients for celebrating summer evenings and freedom from tyranny.

In the spirit of Bastille Day, our cheese plate included a classic Camembert and Tomme de Savoie (a mild, semi-firm cow's milk cheese from the French Alps; made from the skim milk left over after the cream is used to make butter or richer cheeses, Tomme de Savoie has a relatively low fat content -- bonus!).

Summer time is cheese time

Summer has finally arrived, and with it comes four happy months of drinking too much rose.  Here's a fun link to cheeses suited to rose.  Happy drinking!  

http://www.frenchcheese.dk/gb/rose.html

Paris May 2009 - continued

An exquisite dinner at Racines (8 Passage des Panoramas, 75002 Paris) with friends.  Highlights included a first course of ribbons of lard on bread and -- most importantly -- a snowy mountain of conte shavings for the cheese course, along with a slice of morbier.  Life is good.

Paris May 2009 -

In Paris, visiting old friends.  A delicious apero after a delightful afternoon marketing.  The cheeses here are a Rouelle de Pic (a soft chevre with a natural rind) and a Saint-Nectaire (which is an uncooked, pressed, semi-hard cows milk cheese from Auvergne).   The Saint-Nectaire makes a great addition to any cheese board, but the Rouelle was the stand-out.  Quite strong, absolutely perfect.