Ah, le Fromage!

Last year, while Nemesis was off on her British Cheese Pilgrimage (cleverly disguised as "graduate work"), I decided to start a local cheesefest of my own. After all, we'd enjoyed The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and I figured it might be fun to find out what Wensleydale actually tasted like. And to be honest, I was tired of only buying orange cheese and white cheese in those big two-pound blocks. I wanted something more, and Nem was inspiring me.

Costco contributed to my project by opening a new store just blocks from my house, bless them! They sell all kinds of fun cheeses, so I started buying a new variety every week. Wensleydale, Stilton, gouda, chevre, brie . . . they were all welcomed into our home and eaten with reverence and delight. And we all have our favorites, which is fine.

Now, almost a year later, the top shelf of our fridge is dedicated solely to cheese. At this moment, if called upon we could serve Romano, mozzarella, medium cheddar, pepper jack, Jarlsberg, feta, bleu, chevre, gouda, cream cheese, or cottage cheese.

The one I've always wanted to try, but haven't, is the Irish cheese. It comes in that awesome papery wrapping, and let's face, it--anything Irish is cool. But I emailed Nem a while back and asked her about the Irish cheddar, and her response was less than enthusiastic. In fact, I think it was "enh." So since the Irish cheese is expensive, I didn't bother.

Only Saturday, while trying to decide whether or not to get my corned beef now or to wait another week (my favorite holiday approaches and I've still got so much to do!), I noticed that the two Irish cheeses imported by the same company were actually different. One was cheddar, the other was "Dubliner." Before I'd always thought that Dubliner was the brand, and that it was cheddar too. Oh, how very wrong I was!

I purchased the Dubliner, even though daltonboy protested. He always thinks $10 is too much to spend on cheese, until we get home and I give him some with a cracker. Then he almost always changes his tune, unless it's brie, which he doesn't love (more for me!).

And saints be praised, the Dubliner is magically delicious! Its distinctive, rounded flavor is reminiscent of one of my very favorites--Romano--only it's softer, which I like. Nem, I want you to know I bear you no ill will for the sentiments you expressed to me last summer. But rest assured that if you visit our home at any time in the future, you will find a block of Dubliner in a place of honor on our Cheese Shelf. And should you be so inclined, I will be more than happy to serve you a slice with a cracker. I'm just that magnanimous. Maybe it's the enzymes.