Cheese of the Week: Camembert

This week's cheese is a wedge of camembert that I picked up at Trader Joe's.

Camembert is a semi-soft cheese from France that is similar to brie but with a stronger aroma and flavor, and a texture that becomes creamier than brie when heated.

I let the camembert warm up to room temperature before eating it.  I liked the buttery texture, but the flavor was a little bitter for my taste.  I'll stick with brie in the future.

Cheese of the Week: Muenster

I'm sure I've eaten muenster on sandwiches I've bought at a deli, but I think this is the first time I've bought it to eat at home.

Muenster is a semi soft cheese from the United States.  It is a white cheese with a distinct speckled orange rind.  I think it tastes a lot like mozzarella.

My favorite way to eat muenster is on a buttery cracker.  It'a a great flavor combination!

Cheese of the Week: Jarlsberg

This week my cheese selection was limited to the imported deli case at Target.  The only cheese I hadn't tried was jarlsberg.  This is a pricey little cheese.  I was hoping I wouldn't like it so that I can, you know, send my kid to college.

Jarlsberg (pronounced "yarlsberg") is a Norwegian semi soft cheese that looks a little like Swiss cheese.  You might remember it from a scene in The Devil Wears Prada where Andy's chef boyfriend makes her a grilled cheese sandwich.

I found that jarlsberg melts beautifully.  It also tastes pretty amazing on its own.  It has a flavor that is full and distinct without being overpowering.  This cheese won't go to waste.  It just might be awhile before I can afford to buy more.

Cheese of the Week - Gruyere and Gouda

I was inspired by my recent cheese tasting party to continue to try new cheeses (and re-try cheeses I haven't had in awhile).  I need to expand beyond my typical colby jack (and my beloved lacey swiss & colby that Trader Joe's no longer carries...sniff sniff).

First up:  Gruyere

Having studied French for many years, gruyere was part of my vocabulary but I have no recollection of actually eating it.  Gruyere is a hard cheese that originated in Switzerland and has a nutty flavor.  It was okay on a cracker, but absolutely brilliant in an omelette with leftover Easter ham!  Gruyere is known for being a great cheese for melting and I cannot wait to buy it again to try on a grilled cheese sandwich and in a quiche.

Next up:  Gouda

Gouda is a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands (Holland) and has a sweet flavor.  Gouda's creamy texture is wonderful on a cracker.  A friend of mine recommends the caramel-washed gouda from Trader Joe's -- I will need to try that!

More cheesy blog posts to come!

Cheese Tasting Party

I recently got together with my girlfriends for a cheese tasting party.  We asked each invitee to bring one or two cheeses to share.  We provided crackers, baguette rounds, cured meats, fresh fruit, chocolate, and bubbly drinks.  During valentine season, I found heart-shaped chalkboard paper on toothpicks that we used to label the cheeses (from Target - in the stationary section).

When I saw this recipe for Caramel Havarti from Let's Dish, I knew what I was bringing!  Since I was short on time, I used Archer Farms cinnamon pecans from Target.  My husband actually prefers them to my homemade cinnamon pecans.

I hit up my local Trader Joe's for some of my favorites:

cocoa truffles

hazelnut cookies (think Nutella)

sparkling pomegranate juice

If you are looking for tips on planning a cheese tasting, Real Simple has everything you need to know.

Here are some photos of our spread:

The cheeses:

The first of several trips to the cheese buffet: