929 Brookridge

If anyone is interested, my poem "929 Brookridge" was recently published in Boston Literary Magazine. The title refers to an address in Ames, Iowa. Interested parties should be able to figure out the rest from there.

There is not anything I would not do

Artisanal Cheese Club, Months 9 and 10

November

Le Bourgogne-- This was a triple-creme cheese from France.  It was very, very salty.  Aside from that, it didn't have much flavor at all.  I can't find it on the Artisanal site anymore.

Manchego--   This is a very nice Spanish sheep's milk cheese.  One night when we were having fajitas, we didn't have any Monterey Jack, so we ended up grating this to put on top!  It was really good, if much more expensive than our normal Mexican-night fare.

Pecorino Toscano Stagionato-- This was a nice firm white cheese from Tuscany.

Roquefort-- This was my first time having Roquefort.  It's a blue cheese, except that it's actually green instead, so it has a slightly different flavor.  I can see why some people swear by this cheese, although some other kinds of blue cheese are actually more to my personal liking.

December

This month ended up being something of a year in review, as we've had three of the four selections before.  They were Zamorano, Raclette, and Gorgonzola Piccante.  You can find my reviews of them elsewhere on this blog.  The one new selection was Brillat Savarin. This was a triple-creme from France.  It tastes almost exactly like Le Bourgogne, except without the salt.  I love the puffy rind on it.  It's very fun to push on!

Artisanal cheese club, Month 8

Geit-in-Stad--  These goat cheese was amazing!  This is going to sound crazy, but it tasted just like a real high-quality Velveeta.  Even better, it didn't give me headaches.  I ate the whole thing in a matter of a week.

Brazos Cheddar--  A nice white cheddar from Texas.  Not as aggressive as some of the cheddars we've had, it actually tasted like something you might want to put on a sandwich.

Prima Donna--  This was a one-year gouda from Holland.  Very nice, and not as headache-inducing as those that have aged longer.

Gorgonzola Piccante--  A blue cheese from Italy.  It was saltier and sharper than the blues I like best, but it was still very good.

Artisanal cheese club, Months 6 and 7

So I realize I've fallen behind here, and now I have to tell you about months 6 and 7 of the Artisanal Cheese Club all at once.  No problem, though.  I have a good memory and good notes.

August:

Wabash Cannonball--  Like the name suggests, this one was from Indiana.  It was your typical soft goat cheese.

Ibores--  This was a pleasant-tasting firm goat cheese from Spain.  In flavor, it was something like a Monterey Jack.  What made it special was the wonderful coating of paprika on the outside.

2-Year Cheddar--  This was a nice white cheddar from Vermont.

Fiore Sardo--  This cheese comes from Sardinia, where it has been made the same way for millennia.  In texture, it is something like a Parmesan.  Since it's aged over a fire, the taste is smoky and sharp.  I was the only person in my family who would eat this, but I thought it was pretty great.  The mouth-and stomach-numbing properties are sometimes a bonus!

September:

Liberty's Cream--  This was not your typical soft goat cheese.  In texture, it was something like biting into a bar of glycerin soap.  The flavor was very, very strong.  I've been forcing myself to eat this one because someone has to, but it's definitely an acquired taste.

Devon Oke--  This one comes from England.  The taste could best be described as ashy.  It was not anybody's favorite.

Idiazabal--  This was a very nice cheese from Spain.  It reminded me a lot of the Ibores, but with just a hint of smoke instead of the paprika.

Ewe's Blue--  This unusual blue cheese from New York is made from sheep's milk.  It was second only to the Crater Lake Blue we had earlier.  It had a sweet taste at first, but later a nice, sharp flavor overtook the sweetness.

When you build your house

This is kind of odd, but I heard this song recently, and even though I have no conscious memory of having heard it before, it makes me very sad.  Was it playing in the background during some crucial moment of my life, or is it just the feeling of saudade that it evokes in me?  I guess I may never know.

Artisanal cheese club, month 5

Somehow I let July get away from me, and I completely forgot about posting the month's cheese club selections until it was already over.  Still, I have a good memory, so here goes.

Garrotxa-- This goat cheese from Spain was quite unusual.  It was much firmer than the other kinds we've gotten, although it had the same taste.  My husband usually hates goat cheese but thought this was wonderful, which proves it's a texture issue for him and not the taste.

Taleggio--  This was a very soft Italian cheese which reminded me of Brie, at least in texture.  Artisanal says the flavor is "meaty," and I guess I would concur with that.  I liked the taste, but my husband didn't.

Rolf Beeler Gruyere--  This was a very nice Swiss cheese.  It made me kind of headachy, so it must have been well-aged.

Roomano --  This was much like the aged Gouda we had the first month.  This time I knew better and tasted a small flake before giving it away to neighbors.  I'm learning!