Shopping for cheese should be fun but for many people it's a daunting task. The reason is simple. There's too much of a good thing!
In the last 20 years, the amount of truly great cheese, cheese that has a narrative—a beginning, a middle, and an end note—to its flavor have flooded the market. Many of them are from America; many more are from Europe and a few are from elsewhere. Thirty years ago, buying cheese meant choosing from a few dozen decent options; now there are hundreds of superb ones. With so many good cheeses out there now, how do you begin to choose amongst them? Here are four things that will guide all of your future cheese-shopping trips.
1. Remember How You're Using It
That may seem pretty basic, but think about it for a second. Do you need cheddar to grate over chili or did your pal, the home brewer, just bring over a growler of his newest porter or stout? If it's the former, you need good cheese but there's no need to go to extremes; a good sharp cheddar will do the trick. If your friend brought you really good home-brewed dark beer, then you might want to get the finest traditional clothbound cheddar available so the big grassy flavors and horseradish finish can contrast with the sweet coffee-like overtones of the beer.
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