Visit any flea market in town and within hosts a ghost town of cheese domes.  Large ones, small ones, cheaply made ones, and elongated pretty ones.  All long forgotten and abandoned and most likely snatched up by an eager dealer who knows the value of a good find.  My friend Beth uses her cheese domes to display artful treasures in her home although I daresay she most likely uses them for entertaining as well.  Cheese domes are not just for fancy-schmancy  French aristocrats or cheese snobs.  They are for real people like you and me.

That’s right, my friend.

Let us dust off our cheese domes and use them.

My flea market found cheese dome keeps his living space on my second shelf in the fridge where cheese is unwrapped and ready to go.  When someone drops by, out comes the cheese dome and cheese plate and viola, an instant party awakes.

I think a cheese dome is inspiring.

Not that I won’t welcome a nice slice of orange cheddar cheese when it is offered, but how about keeping a trio of interesting cheeses on hand?  The kind of eyebrow raising cheese you notice at the cheese counter yet we always seem to pass on by.

Why is that?

Maybe it is because it is the taste of the unknown.  If you are lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods, they will let you sample their cheeses.  Pick the cheese monger’s brain and tell them the types of cheese you already like.  Ask them to recommend something just a little outside your comfort zone.  There, that’s a start.

Maybe it is because cheese can really put a dent in the budget.  Yes, that is a legitimate barrier for sure. Thankfully there are retailers that will cut cheese to size or will provide smaller sized portions before you invest in the larger club monster sizes.

Locally speaking, did you know that Fresh Market in Rogers keeps a basket in their specialty cheese section of assorted small sizes of cheese?  This is where I frequent often to try out new types of cheese at an extremely affordable price without having to worry whether or my guests or I will like it.

Maybe you aren’t experimenting with cheese because you are lactose-intolerant or casein-intolerant.  I hear you.  I went fifteen years without dairy products for the same reason and feared of never tasting Brie again. There is a plethora of disgusting pretend cheeses out there and I feel for you.  The closest I found to “regular” cheese was the almond cheese by Lisanatti. Have you tried it yet?  I highly recommend it and you can stock up at Cooks Natural Foods in Rogers. Tastes good enough for the rest of us.

Cheeses have a personality.

One of my favorite things to do is try to figure out the cheese personality profiles of my family and friends.  Nine times out of ten I can pre-determine who will gravitate towards the tried-and-true smoked Gouda and who will go bonkers over the stinky rind delight.

Hey, perhaps I should write a cheese personality post.

Whatever your reason is for sticking with your routine cheese, maybe it is time to come out and play a little.

Say cheese.

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi