As cheese prices continue to rise, I find myself grappling with the issue of value.
Is any cheese worth more than $30 a pound? What about $40 a pound? Does a cheese that costs $40 a pound have to be twice as good as one that costs $20 a pound?
These questions aren't unique to cheese. People pay hundreds of dollars for shoes to make a style statement, and hundreds of dollars for cult wine to prove that they can. Yes, there's pleasure in wearing a well-crafted shoe or tasting a wine that's considered best of class, but I think the thrill might come in flaunting your ownership.
Not so with cheese. The impulse to splurge is less about prestige and more about taste. So a costly cheese really has to deliver. When I pay a lot, I expect a cheese of distinction, showing compelling aromas and flavor and apparent artistry.
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