The New Years' Resolution

Before I delve too far into anything, I suppose I should start with an introduction. My name is Christina, I'm 29, and living in Portland, Oregon. For 2016, one of my (many) New Year’s resolutions was to get 'into' cheese. I mean, already I'm a huge fan; my grocery cart at in the checkout line speaks for itself, I have more varieties of cheeses in my basket than any other food group. But, I wanted to get into cheese. The way that people get into wine. At first, I had the idea that maybe I could get 'into' wine while getting 'into' to cheese; a two birds/one stone deal. This was quickly squashed by the crushing reality of my bank account, AND the fact that who am I kidding? I like shitty wine; the on sale 5 dollar bottle (two-buck Chuck if you're in the neighborhood), or maybe (and I mean maybe) a 10 dollar bottle of wine–if it’s a special occasion. Really, I just like wine for the purpose of getting drunk. Also, I won’t always pair the cheese with a wine, but again, see previous statement.

The cheese blog didn't come into fruition immediately, in fact, the idea didn't come together until week two, after a push from my mom in the right direction. From there, it snowballed into the idea I have now; a weekly get together (though who am I kidding, I anticipate a few weeks of getting drunk and eating a block of cheese alone, something I'm familiar with anyway) to try a new cheese, how to serve it, and what pairs well with it.

To start, there are some cheese that are off the table, mostly because I've already tried them. They are (and I may add as I think of them): regular cheddar, smoked cheddar, American, Swiss, provolone, mozzarella, parmesan, Havarti, Asiago, feta, bleu cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, Gouda, smoked Gouda, fromager d'affinois, brie, and Boursin (garlic & herb).

FAQ:

Where am I getting my cheese from? So far Fred Meyer. They have a huge selection, and the folks working in that department that are very knowledgeable and helpful. If/when it comes down to it I’ll go to a specialty cheese store, but I don’t see that having to happen in the near future.

How are I grading/ranking cheeses? I was asked if I’d have any sort of grading scale, for example a 1-10 scale on smell, taste, consistency, etc. Like I’ve mentioned before, I like cheese a lot, but am by no means a connoisseur. This is more about expanding my palate, refining my tastes, and experiencing new foods. For the time being I won’t have a grading system, just enjoying this experience.