Cheese No.1

I had grand plans to ring in the new year with a party where everyone would be instructed to bring a bottle of wine and a sizeable chunk of their favourite cheese, which would be sliced up and devoured at midnight. A cheese "orgy" seemed like the proper way to end a year of not eating any cheese. When I realized that everyone I would want at such an event was going to be geographically unavailable, I scaled back my plans. A simple cheese plate to be consumed wherever and shared with whomever was around once the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve would suffice. Besides, too much cheese all at once might upset my stomach, I reasoned.

In the end, I broke my cheese fast alone, just after midnight in my parents' Metchosin kitchen, when I sliced off a couple crumbly centimetres of the aforementioned La Scala. I felt like I should make a ceremony of it, my first taste of cheese in 365 days, but I was already wearing my pajamas and Morrissey was singing about having "No regrets" on the radio.

The first taste was somewhat underwhelming: it was a familiar flavour but one I hadn't tasted in such a long time. My tastebuds seemed dulled from either my lingering cold or too much cinnamon gum but I was able to recognize that the cheese had a strong taste, sort of like an extra-aged, sharp cheddar but more sheepy.

Just now, I had a look at the cheesemaker's website to see if I could find out any more about La Scala. Here is the description I found: "A superb blend of Irish Derby and Italian asiago, giving a bold, fruity, rich-tasting cheese with a sharp bite and buttery aroma. Medium aged for outstanding taste. Versatile and delicious in cooked foods, as a snack and on cheese plates. Great with red wine or beer." Turns out the cheese also won 1st place in the 2005 British Empire Cheese Show.

For lunch, I tried a bit more, this time with Finn Crisp crackers and Gala apple slices -- alternating tasting the cheese with bites of hummous. The La Scala definitely tasted better eaten with other foods but I still didn't feel an insatiable desire to eat more than the few slices I had on my plate. But then again, I'm not craving cheese. Not even foods made with cheese that I haven't had all year - like pizza or quesadillas. Maybe that will come with time?

As for the Brie, I may try some tonight or I may save it for tomorrow. I don't want to go overboard all at once...