The Great Cheese Adventure

Given the choice between a) going into work and reading a million poorly written reports on volcanoes or b) driving into Studio City (2hrs) to go taste and buy exciting cheeses at the Artisan Cheese Gallery ... (their website seems to have some fatal issues)

I'm sure it's clear what E-marathoner and I chose to do... They had an incredible assortment of cheeses. Cheeses made from cows, goats, sheep, yaks, water buffalos. There were no giraffe cheeses, I asked. We tasted them all. Yum!




They also had a wide assortment of non-cheeses. My favourite, for no other reason than the obvious, was the "original & genuine purple condiment with grapemust". I'm sure my favourite based on flavours would have been the pickles. But there you go. Does anyone know what the heck this purple is???

Just recently found out about the purple:

"This ancient recipe for Purple Grape Mustard is perpetuated by the House of Denoix founded in 1839. This tradtion of excellence has been handed down through the generations and today Denoix prides itself in using only the finest igredients to produce the authentic taste of this Purple Condiment.

Purple Grape Mustard is made from grape must, mustard seeds, wine, vinegar, water, salt and spices. There is no better condiment for saucisson than French mustard. The earthy tang of this delicious mustard will not only enhance charcuterie but also roast pork, beef and duck. Used in salad vinaigrettes, Purple Grape Mustard will provide a wine-friendly match.

Each jar contains 7 ounces net weight of Purple Grape Mustard Condiment by Maison Denoix from France."

Below is a close-up of "Roaring 40's" blue from Tasmania. It was fabulous. It managed to be sharp and yet also sweet. It managed to be creamy and yet, also crumbly. How does it do it?


And here, HERE is a close-up of a raw sheep's milk cheese from New Jersey. It's called Oldwick, and it's flavourful like you can taste the grass and flowers the sheep ate. Totally cool. And even cooler was that when you first cut into it, it appears pink. Then it fades back to cheese colour. Any ideas on what that is? Some form of oxidation we guessed. The story is that the sheep eat roses and that's why it's pink. E-marathoner and I looked at each other with glaring skepticism when told that.


In true "Gnat" fashion, I insisted on a photo with the cheese crew. Here they are, the most helpful and friendly cheese people around!