We went to hear Frank Gohlke, a landscape photographer and subject of the exhibition Accommodating Nature Now through March 3, 2009 at the American Art Museum, presented a selection of readings from his catalogue essay entitled Stories in the Dirt, Stories in the Air. Learned more about Wichita Falls, Texas than I ever knew — his hometown. Both black and white and color photos. Cowgirl Creamery sponsored the reception afterward, and they did an excellent job. Very cool cheese cutter — and they had to change the wire several times. They had Mt Tam (Brie like — one of our favs from there) and St George (parmesan like). The photo is after I started eating it, but they had a nice combo of the 2 cheeses, some nuts and a toasted fruit/nut bread. Much prettier than other cheese events where they just let people dig in — and the cheese gets messy. The usual cheese foursome attended this free program. 
The Cheese Quiz
One time we were at a restaurant talking to someone, and they said “I like cheese”, but we doubted them. Well, as you can tell from this blog that we really like cheese, so we decided to develop a quiz to see just how much someone really likes the stuff:
- How many implements in your kitchen (plates, knives, serving trays, forks, etc.) are solely devoted to cheese? (about 15)
- How many pounds of blue cheese have you purchased at one time? (3 lbs)
- Have you ever smuggled cheese into the country? (yes)
- How far have you driven just to purchase cheese? (maybe 15 miles)
- Does your cheesemonger know you by name? (well, not by name, but they recognize us)
- Do you have rennet in your refrigerator? (yes)
- How many cheese books do you have? (3)
Poets have been mysteriously silent
Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. G. K. Chesterton
English author & mystery novelist (1874 – 1936)
New Year’s Eve Cheese
New Year’s Eve before the Kennedy Center. Frigid weather, so cheese had to be easy. W got Italian cheese, Romano and Parmesan from our favorite Bethesda Italian deli, Cornucopia with owner Ibrahim “Ibo” Selmy. As an impulse item, I picked up a Triple Goat Brie Cheese in a cute little box from DC Brookville. For about $5, it was pure heaven to N and me — though is just not a goat fan. Fabulous texture. From a Canadian Dairy, Woolwich Dairy, that now makes some cheese in Wisconsin. Last week we saw it in Safeway.
Champagne complemented it all.
Only goat brie issue: it stained my stainless steel knives and our wooden cutting board. I emailed the dairy who told me that was new to them, but they took the numbers from the box to check into it.
Cheeses for a Desert Island
Video From J in Washington State: Owner of Vinotique Wine Shop in Lakewood, WA from Tacoma News Tribune 1/12/2009
The 3 cheeses the owner would take on a desert island:
Saint Agur: A French blue cheese. “It’s so creamy. It’s the creamiest blue cheese ever. You have to eat it at room temperature.” ($26.99 a pound)
D’affinois: A French cheese. “It’s like brie on steroids. I love pears with it.” ($16.99 a pound)
Iberico: A Spanish cheese. “It’s made from sheep, goat and cow milk. The sheep’s milk gives it a nutty flavor, combined with the goat milk it’s… pungent. And the cow’s milk makes it so smooth.” ($22.99 a pound)
For beginners she suggests: gouda, danish havarti and Italian fontina.