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We had another cheesefest today for 
lillypond's birthday party. the_child, lasirenadolce and I went over to the home of AH and tillyjane, where lillypond and the Niece had already gathered. Table d'hôte was homemade chicken and noodles, a special favorite of my sister's. We brought cheese, naturally, from Pastaworks on Hawthorne, including one old friend and four new acquaintances.
Stinking Bishop, $32.00/pound
A soft English cheese, bordering on cheese-that-smells-like-feet territory. Like a lot of stinky cheeses, it tastes better than it smells. When we sample it at Pastaworks, it was pungent but interesting, sort like a very feisty Brie. It travelled lousy, not even lasting even the 20 minute trip from the store totillyjane's before collapsing. Mildly interesting but probably not a repeat. Not recommended for people unused to artisan cheeses. [ Wikipedia ]
Blue Castello, $13.99/pound
A Danish triple cream blue. This struck me as an odd combination. While it was quite tasty, the cheese lacked the very best features of either triple cream or blue. Truthfully if I want this combination, I'd probably just mash some Pierre Robert and some Pastor Picon or Papillion Roquefort on the same piece of bread. I believetillyjane liked it quite a bit. This would be a good cheese for an audience of non-cheeseheads. [ Wikipedia ]
Erhaki, $21.99/pound
A semisoft French cheese, though the name is definitely Basque. (Pronounced "Air Hockey", at least by the cheesemongresses at Pastaworks.) This is a sheep's milk cheese from the Pyrenees. Tangy and smooth with some nice undertones, I liked it quite a bit. Not sure my fellow diners appreciated it so much, as I seemed to be the only one eating it. Somewhat similar to a moderately aged Gouda, and not especially challenging to the inexperienced palate.
Pecorino Tartufello, price unrecorded
A buttery Italian sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany with shaved black truffles directly in the cheese, also truffle oil I believe. Not quite as impressive or complex as Sottocenere al Tartuffo, but still with a rich taste that lay very well on the tongue. A bit harder texture than Sottocenere, as well. Probably not the best introduction to artisan cheeses for the casual cheese-eater.
Delice de Bourgogne, $14.99/pound
An old friend mentioned often before. A quite servicable triple cream, though I prefer Pierre Robert when I can get it. A very good cheese for people unused to artisanal cheeses. [ Wikipedia en Française ]
And of course, the cheese board itself. We had this with baguette, honey blonde and Pugliese.
All photos bylasirenadolce. As usual, more at the Flickr set.
lillypond's birthday party. the_child, lasirenadolce and I went over to the home of AH and tillyjane, where lillypond and the Niece had already gathered. Table d'hôte was homemade chicken and noodles, a special favorite of my sister's. We brought cheese, naturally, from Pastaworks on Hawthorne, including one old friend and four new acquaintances.Stinking Bishop, $32.00/pound
A soft English cheese, bordering on cheese-that-smells-like-feet territory. Like a lot of stinky cheeses, it tastes better than it smells. When we sample it at Pastaworks, it was pungent but interesting, sort like a very feisty Brie. It travelled lousy, not even lasting even the 20 minute trip from the store to
tillyjane's before collapsing. Mildly interesting but probably not a repeat. Not recommended for people unused to artisan cheeses. [ Wikipedia ]Blue Castello, $13.99/pound
A Danish triple cream blue. This struck me as an odd combination. While it was quite tasty, the cheese lacked the very best features of either triple cream or blue. Truthfully if I want this combination, I'd probably just mash some Pierre Robert and some Pastor Picon or Papillion Roquefort on the same piece of bread. I believe
tillyjane liked it quite a bit. This would be a good cheese for an audience of non-cheeseheads. [ Wikipedia ]Erhaki, $21.99/pound
A semisoft French cheese, though the name is definitely Basque. (Pronounced "Air Hockey", at least by the cheesemongresses at Pastaworks.) This is a sheep's milk cheese from the Pyrenees. Tangy and smooth with some nice undertones, I liked it quite a bit. Not sure my fellow diners appreciated it so much, as I seemed to be the only one eating it. Somewhat similar to a moderately aged Gouda, and not especially challenging to the inexperienced palate.
Pecorino Tartufello, price unrecorded
A buttery Italian sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany with shaved black truffles directly in the cheese, also truffle oil I believe. Not quite as impressive or complex as Sottocenere al Tartuffo, but still with a rich taste that lay very well on the tongue. A bit harder texture than Sottocenere, as well. Probably not the best introduction to artisan cheeses for the casual cheese-eater.
Delice de Bourgogne, $14.99/pound
An old friend mentioned often before. A quite servicable triple cream, though I prefer Pierre Robert when I can get it. A very good cheese for people unused to artisanal cheeses. [ Wikipedia en Française ]
And of course, the cheese board itself. We had this with baguette, honey blonde and Pugliese.
All photos by
lasirenadolce. As usual, more at the Flickr set.