Damn Fine Cheese

I am reminiscing about some fantastic aged gouda bought whilst in Bath, from the wonderful Fine Cheese Co shop. What a wonderful shop it is. They employ good looking boys who know all about cheese. I didn't really need to ask the questions as I already knew the answers but I was just quizzing the eye candy to see how much he knew. And he did a good job. A little bit of tasting and some good knowledge and I felt inclined to buy. I'm glad I did as the gouda is creeping into my top ten of cheeses. You only need a little nibble and it sends your taste buds to tingle tastic.

Ooooo cheese - I love it....it's the best use of a cow (or sheep or goat) I can think of.......though that Peter Luger steak is now playing on my mind....

Rose or Alcopop

I am sitting in the garden drinking rose. What is it about the sun that makes you fancy a glass of rose in the garden? At last it really does seem we’re having a summer. Though I won’t believe the BBQ headlines of last year, because that’s all they were ‘headlines’.

Back to my rose which is going down a treat. I like it dry, like the traditional roses of France. Not the new zinfandel or shiraz sweet types the new world has introduced. Once I had to endure drinking Blossom Hill, I think I can blame a beautiful blond cousin for that, it was like drinking fizzy pop (no fizz of course) or sucking a child’s ice lolly. I don’t really relate to a wine-drinking adult drinking these sweet, cloying pop-roses at all but I do understand the appeal to teenagers, with it’s similarity to alco-pops. This is why people take years to drink and appreciate decent wine. If they learnt faster the high street would have to comply and provide a more interesting range. With my approaching return to uni in September maybe I should think about educating these young drinkers!

American Coffee

I will miss American coffee. I will miss New York. I am sitting in Dean & Deluca wishing I worked here, or owned the place really. It's a foodies heaven, beautiful pastries, superb sour dough, endless cheese counter. But it's the black coffee that I have most gotten used to. I'm a tea drinker by nature and usually only have about one coffee a week, latte mostly, but during my NY stay I have had so many late nights I have needed this injection of caffeine. So I had to get used to the coffee. And frankly, the tea here is simply shit.

Mostly Drinking American Wine

I have been shopping in my local (NYC) wine shop, Vintners on 9th Ave & 46th St. I am most impressed that they don't have any beer, cider etc and that it has just a very good and large range of wine.

Trying to stick to American (and South American) wines for my entertaining and to keep away from anything I might see on a shelf in UK. Quite easy too as most of it I don't recognise, except for some from the other parts of the world, France and Australia. Being a fan of most grape verities I am working my way through and have a little line up on my kitchen worktop, empty of course!
I shared a bottle of Pinot Noir from Oregon, with JK that I’d bought because of the blue label, and the fact the wine sales guy said it was good easy drinking; JK also commented on the blue label, boys always like blue eh!
Such a weird and, frankly, brave colour for food/wine labelling, I wanted to see if it worked. We'll it disappeared quite quickly so I think the fresh berry nose with good acidity and soft tannins was a winner.

American Cheese

I admit to being a little bit shocked that America does produce some good cheese. Not quite the goats cheese of France or the washed rind of Ireland but quite decent cheese. I have tried some goats cheese (young fresh), some acceptable cheddar style, a good washed rind for Vermont (my lovely American friend, Rose, will be pleased) and a sheep’s that was nothing to complain about. So if you'd ever thought America can't make cheese, which on the whole we would all admit to, they do do a few good ones. However, the 'brick' cheese made in "the cheese state" of Wisconsin (my sister’s old home of 5years) is really not worth a sniff. They do call it 'brick' too, because they mature it (if you can call a month maturing for cheddar, which we can't in the uk) in brick shaped moulds, about the same size as concrete blocks, which would be just as tasty. Oooo sorry Wisconsin. You do other things really very well, tail gating for one.....and that's a story for another time.