Celebrating Cheese Week
(Forgive me for lack of blogging recently. Overtaken by events and all that.)
What a happy coincidence. For me, preparing my weak flesh for the inaugural Big Ten showdown for Nebraska (their opponent: Wisconsin) meant indulging in a week of cheese, corn, and so, so much beer. Turns out, it is also British Cheese Week. You can’t, as they say, make this stuff up.
It is with that on my mind that I give you the Guardian’s writers rhapsodizing about this gastronomical marvel. So tell us, friends, what’s your favorite cheese? I’m sure you have lovely stories to share.
In the interest of fair play, two admissions of my own:
1) I love the perhaps-too-nobly-named Fromager d’Affinois. It is not always differentiable from its less pretentious cousin, our old friend Brie, but that extra bit of pure, creamy fat infusing the whole business makes it a runny, gooey, life-affirming joy. I love it paired with a spicy pepper jelly.
2) I am, like all right-thinking people, suspicious of Nebraska’s defense. Wisconsin has not been challenged in the least by any of their opponents thus far, but they have the second-most dynamic quarterback in the Big Ten, a full stable of workhorse running backs, and a defense currently ranked sixth in the country. I predict they win and begin the process of coasting downhill to a Big Ten championship and a berth opposite the SEC champion in the national title game.
All hail cheese!
I’m lucky enough to live in place where a lot – I mean a lot – of local farms make their own different kinds of sheep and goat cheese.
But on a more macro level, I love Bucheron. And since it’s BritCheese Week I should probably throw a shout out to my #2, Stilton.Report
Stilton is So Good. Veiny and piquant!Report
1. It’s hard to top Brie.
Where I come from, Brie is never thought of as less than pretentious, but Wisconsinites in general are suspicious of imported cheeses.
2. I do think Badgers win Saturday. I’m more interested in trying to figure out where the inevitable unexpected loss for Wisconsin will come from that ends up dashing their hopes of a BCS Championship berth. Russel Wilson may only be the second-most dynamic quarterback in the B1G, but he’s probably the best one overall.Report
I like Camembert, but you can hardly find it anymore, because everything’s Brie.Report
Agreed on your last claim in point 2. In an offense that isn’t built specifically for him, Denard’s shaky passing ability has become all too evident. Last year, I believe he was the best player in the country, full stop. This year, he is probably second-best quarterback in the conference. C’est la vie.Report
I think either team would win this game at home this year, unless the Badgers are even better than we are beginning to see that they are. As always, though, everything remains a mystery for Badger fans until a few weeks into the conference schedule because of our tried-and-true weak-non-conference strategy, which as Plinko notes has managed to place us in a grand total of zero Championship games.
On another note, who has read Tyler Branch’s apparently highly disturbing article on college athletics and money? I have not. Might it be worth having a thread on?Report
It’s well worth reading. “Disturbing” is probably the right word. I was thinking about writing something up last week, but work was an absolute mess. Since you request, though, I think I’ll put something together. Maybe late to the party, but it’s an article worth discussing for a long time.Report
I would love to see some discussion of the article, it hits on a lot of things that would make for interesting discussion around here.Report
I’d be very interested in reading your thoughts on it, Ryan, and discussing.Report
I made a bacon-cheeseburger with brie as the cheese once. Was pretty good actually.Report
Brie on a burger is lovely.Report
Mozzarella. I make pizza, crust and all.Report
Asiago (aged), kasseri, vlaskaas, jarlsberg, many cheddars, blue cheeses, emmental (swiss cheese). And these are just the relatively cheap ones.Report
1. Parmagiano reggiano. Il re de formaggia.
2. Roquefort bleu. Mon dieu, c’est bon! (The Italian in me will find similar joy in Gorgonzola.)
3. Crema fresca. Un beso mexicano cremosa. Put it on a quesedilla sometime.
4. Very fresh pecorino. My cousin served it like pie. In Rome we got it with honey.
5. Very fresh bufala mozzarella. White, in its own water. Falls apart if you use strong language in its presence.
6. Curds, typically cheddar but sometimes swiss or jack, again in their own water, must be eaten so fresh they squeak while on the tooth.Report
Share a round of Camembert, a baguette, a bottle of Beaujolais, and a little frisée in vinaigrette for the best simple two-person lunch you will ever enjoy.
My favorite blue lately is Valdeón.
Five-year-old gouda is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but I love it. Use a very new vegetable peeler or mandoline, because ordinary cheese knives are usually inadequate.Report