Cheese. Simply put, it is the epicenter of my world these days. I consume it quite regularly. In some form, it happens into most things that I cook up. Take for instance the garlic lover's pasta that I just whipped up for the deli case. Noodles noshing with parmesan cheese, regional cherry tomatoes, and an herby, creamy dressing. Yum. Or the Warm pasta salad I made for my dear Addie, with sauted spinach, a heavy dose of garlic, canneli beans, lemon, thyme, and a dollop of chevre. It was a victory dish ( a victory dish is one that will be consumed by a 2 year old)! I should mention that I'm currently snacking on a crisp, organic pink lady apple that I've slathered with Fromager d' Affinois double cream cheese. It is blowing my mind!

So it seems that as I'm growing with my culinary creations, I am always turning to my trusty cheese sidekick for a little reassurance. I think of cheese as a staple. Something to always have on hand. An ingredient to add another level to a dish, or one to feature.

If I was to close my eyes and think about the staple cheeses that I've currently on hand in my fridge at home.....Widmer's aged cheddar, Eichten's smoked string cheese, Montchevre fresh goat cheese, and a chunk of a run of the mill parmesan. Nothing too extravagant. A working class cheese collection. I think you can do a lot with these cheeses. Smoked string cheese and a two year old, well that's a no brainer. Two year olds are completely satisfied by the task of 'stringing' cheese. Try it sometime. Plus it travels very well, so no hike is complete without a couple of pieces tossed into the bottom of your backpack! The chevre is awesome smeared on everything. It has made an appearance on sliced fruit, graham crackers, pancakes, frittatas, bison burgers, and warm pasta recently. Widmer's cheddar. It is my go to cheese when I need a companion for my glass of wine. Throw in a bowl of popcorn and we are now talking about my favorite dinner. Not only can this cheese be the star of a cheese plate, but it also melts well, and I love the way it works with dried fruits and spiced nuts. The parmesan is more of a flavor layering compound. I really enjoyed the spark of flavor it added along with lemon, to the roasted cauliflower soup I made. Throw a bit in broths to pick up the flavors for soups. Shave some on a salad. Think cheese.