Welcome to the first Saturday Cheese Course. I am thrilled at the prospect of discovering a new cheese each week, learning a little about where it's from, how it's made and what to pair it with to make it shine. In anticipation of this big event, I took a short field trip to St. Kilian's Cheese Shop, the neighborhood cheese purveyor. Hugh O'Neill, one of the owners, and usually found behind the counter, never lets me down. He is always ready with a sample, a suggestion or a new cheese to pair with the wine you picked up next door, and has become a bit of a legend in the area. As I explained my new cheese quest, I saw a twinkle in Hugh's eyes. Before I was done talking, Hugh was already reaching into the case to lovingly retrieve a small mound of cheese heaven. "If I had a food blog", he tells me, "this is the cheese I would write about. It's creamy, smooth and wonderful by itself, but also would be nice on top of a salad, or in scrambled eggs." I could tell by the look on his face that I needed to look no further for my premiere cheese. "Truf, a specialty of Caseificio dell' Alta Langa", an Italian goat cheese from the Piedmont region, flecked with bits of black truffle.
When I returned home clutching my prized cheese, I tried to do a little research, but I could only find a couple of references to the producer, who are better known for their Robiolas, and only a few more for Truf. The few I did locate however, were prayerful testimonies to it's exquisite creaminess and flavor. I opened the package, and a deep earthy smell wafted up to me. A taste - delicious! Rich, tangy, elegant (can goats be elegant?) and by far the creamiest goat cheese I have ever had. It feels soft and light in your mouth, and is moister and smoother than the goat cheeses I typically buy. The truffles added depth and a vaguely mushroomy flavor that reminded me of goats grazing in a field. I could see why this was Hugh's first choice, and I will be enjoying it both on a salad and in scrambled eggs (if it lasts that long!). Thanks for sharing it with me - I can hardly wait to see what's in store for next week.










As I read her post, I could almost smell the warm, fragrant breeze - clearly Bali has captured her heart. Visit Ubud and the cafe Tutmak with her. Sit back and enjoy a cool drink while you read
Tigerfish's post also provided the last perfect sentiment for the Meals Abroad Scrapbook- 