Category: Madame Fromage

I started back to work this week after summer vacation, and believe me when I say: Grrrl needed a martini. That put me in the market for an after-work cheese, something strong enough to stand up to gin. Enter Pecorino di Pienza, a Tuscan sheep’s milk cheese that loves olives, cured meats, and, oh yes, martinis.

If ever there were a “sensuous” category for cheese, Ardrahan just might rock top placement. It is, in a word, plush. Picture a round cushion of a cheese, give it a satiny gold finish and a rich texture, then meditate on this: peanuts, wild mushrooms, a whiff of pasture. It’s cheese nirvana.

Point Reyes Blue seems to pair well with warm weather. It’s sweet and fudgy with a crisp, grapey sharpness and just a little peppery tingle on the finish. My friend Tracy says, “It’s like an evening on a catamaran.” She says she can taste the Pacific.

Grana Padano, which costs a third of the price and still tastes like joy itself. Grana Padano looks a lot like Parm. It’s dry and crumbly with a fruity smell and golden color. What’s the difference? True Italian Parmigiano Reggiano is highly regulated and can only be made from the milk of cows grazing in certain provinces during the months of April through November.