SMBC Comics Forum

Kimra wrote: Jalsberg (how has no-one talked about Jalsberg?)

I haven't tried it, I don't think. For some reason I associate it as a cheese I wouldn't like. I'm not sure what the basis is, but I think it might be that at some point my store has stocked it next to limburger and/or oka. The former smells of diapers (and interestingly, thanks to the packages feels a bit like one) and the latter smells of diarrhea.

Haloumi has been mentioned enough that I really want to try it.

I haven't had jarlsberg, but it's similar to swiss, right? Swiss is, unfortunately, one of the few cheeses I really don't care for. I can adore the strongest blue Stilton you put in front of me, but something about Swiss turns me off.

The last time I went grocery shopping, the cheese people were handing out a couple samples - one of which was this Italian cheese - BellaVitano that was rubbed down with chai spices - quite delicious on its own or on crackers.

I discovered the Chimay monastery a couple weeks ago - the monks make four beers (three that they sell) and several cheeses. They sound incredible, but no stores in the area stock them regularly. I'd have to buy a whole wheel if I got them to do a special order. Aside from being $125, I don't really have proper storage for that much cheese. Have any of you had the chance to try and Chimay cheeses?

Liriodendron_fagotti wrote:
I haven't had jarlsberg, but it's similar to swiss, right? Swiss is, unfortunately, one of the few cheeses I really don't care for. I can adore the strongest blue Stilton you put in front of me, but something about Swiss turns me off.

I used to feel this way about Swiss, but it has grown on me.

Lethal Interjection wrote:I haven't tried it, I don't think. For some reason I associate it as a cheese I wouldn't like. I'm not sure what the basis is, but I think it might be that at some point my store has stocked it next to limburger and/or oka. The former smells of diapers (and interestingly, thanks to the packages feels a bit like one) and the latter smells of diarrhea.

Jalsberg is actually a very mild cheese, and I don't recall it smelling at all. Just so you know. And it is similar to swiss cheese.

Kimra wrote:I am a cheese lover. I can sit down with a plate of cheese and eat it. But not just cheddar or a 'tasty' cheese. I include cheddar, but that's boring. I'm trying to save money right now, so my cheeses have taken a hit. But even right now, in money scrimping mode, I have at least ten types of cheese in there. Some Camembert, chive-cream cheese, Harvati, Jarlsberg (how has no-one talked about Jarlsberg?), Gouda, Brie, Bocconcini, some herb soaked feta, and then the normal 'cooking' cheeses which I wont bother naming. I am currently out of Haloumi, because I ate all the squeaky goodness a couple days ago and haven't replaced it yet.

Cheese: God's way of telling me I should stay fat. I agree with you good sir, I agree.

We really are part of a hive mind, aren't we? I unfortunately don't get to keep that much cheese in the fridge as Mr Apoc is slightly lactose intolerant, but I do make sure there's always at least some cheddar, parmesan and haloumi in there for emergencies.

Kimra wrote:But even right now, in money scrimping mode, I have at least ten types of cheese in there.

I want to come to your house. When I go to one of the fancy grocery stores with my girlfriend and she is spending half an hour in the produce area, I just walk back and forth around the giant cheese case browsing the 100+ different cheeses. My favorite ever was a stout cheddar. I've only seen it twice though. It has been years since I've had it. I search the cheese case every time I go to the store, but alas, no stout cheddar. I die a little inside each time.

So I was helping our deli do an inventory this morning, and all I could think of was 1) this thread and 2) how much I want to try this and that cheese.

Stupid thread.

Lethal Interjection wrote:Stupid thread.

Not sorry. I learned some good cheeses. But I admit to being taunted by whatever haloumi tastes like.

Liriodendron_fagotti wrote:

Lethal Interjection wrote:Stupid thread.

Not sorry. I learned some good cheeses. But I admit to being taunted by whatever haloumi tastes like.

Most supermarkets probably have it, provided you live in a larger city.

DonRetrasado wrote:

Liriodendron_fagotti wrote:

Lethal Interjection wrote:Stupid thread.

Not sorry. I learned some good cheeses. But I admit to being taunted by whatever haloumi tastes like.

Most supermarkets probably have it, provided you live in a larger city.

I do live in a pretty large city. My regular grocery stores certainly have it, I just haven't been shopping for groceries in a few days.

I kind of want to put this in cooking experiments, but it's topical so I'm going with here. My favourite Haloumi recipe.

Ingredients:
Bread (unsliced, and can be stale)
Haloumi
Garlic cloves
cherry tomatoes
chilli powder
olive oil

(Sauce:)
mint and parsley (equal parts)
lemon juice
olive oil

You rip up the bread and break up the haloumi into equally sized chunks. Throw it in a baking dish with some unshelled garlic cloves, and as many cherry tomatoes as you want. Then you drizzle oil over it all, and sprinkle chilli powder over it to taste. Then you bake it, until it's baked. Get it out before it burns, and hope the garlic is all cooked.

The sauce you put all together and blend until it's a sauce.

Then you put it in your plate and add the sauce, and eat the damn stuff until it's all gone, because there will be nothing left.

The end.
(my recipes are very technical)


edit: I have since been told there is a real recipe. If anyone cares I could find it. But frankly you should be able to manage.

I think I shall have to try that. For science.

Apocalyptus wrote:I think I shall have to try that. For science.

I think I shall have to have this for dinner again. For me. Science be damned.

Kimra wrote:

Apocalyptus wrote:I think I shall have to try that. For science.

I think I shall have to have this for dinner again. For me. Science be damned.

I think I shall make a long overdue trip to the grocery store tomorrow and pick up much haloumi. And more Stilton. I've run out. And Monterey Jack.

I ate some cheese today.




...I'll just let that sink in a little while longer.

Anyway it was Mexican style cheese from a Tapas bar. The cheese was so good, I said "where did you get this cheese?", to no-one in particular, and the guy behind the bar smiled and said "Kristen will be here in about 20 minutes, and you can ask her yourself." Sure enough Kristen showed up within a few standard deviations of twenty minutes, and apparently she makes the cheese about 300 yards (274.32m) away underneath a railway arch near my home. Here she is, all webby websited. I was wondering if she arrived to make a delivery or something, but I couldn't see a truck or cab or auto-mobile suited for bulk cheese-ferrying. Perhaps she idles by on the off-chance someone asks where they get their cheese from. You know, whilst she waits for the cheese to do that go-mould-go thing.

As far as halloumi is concerned, I generally make grilled halloumi with mint and oozing egg, Nigella-style. It's nice! It's also literally only halloumi, egg, mint, and salad leaves. It's dead easy (although timing is essential because eggs), but if anyone wants the recipe, you can get it on the Nigella Quick Collection App, or ping me with a rubber band and I'll write it down, word-for-word in the lovingly handcrafted fashion of yore.