I knew I was forgetting something. There's a bunch of places that sell specialty cheeses just before Christmas and, having a full refrigerator already, I missed them. Someone remind me next year.

You're not allowed to have any fun in Northfield, MN.

Le Roulé with Cranberries from Rian Soft fresh French 🐄🧀 with added cranberries. Cloyingly sweet, this is like eating cake frosting. Very creamy and soft, with barely perceptible cranberry flavor. Very pretty cheese candy.

St. Saviour from Hoard's Dairyman Semi-soft Wisconsin 🐄 🧀 with bloom rind in Camembert style. Firmer than expected for an aged Camembert, and far less pungent. Nearly indistinguishable from a Brie, it's very inoffensive and a good choice for those new to softer cheeses.

Brie l'Indulgent from Lactalis Semi-soft French 🐄 🧀 with bloom rind. Triple cream richness. Did not run, even at room temperature, though past best-by date. Rind offers a bit of texture, but no typical mushroom or earth flavor. An industrial grade triple creme brie.

Délice de Pommard Soft French 🐄 🧀 with added brown mustard seeds. Triple cream richness, the cheese itself is mild and melts in the mouth. The mustard is not at all hot, but is the main flavor, which balances the richness. A nice spreadable cheese.

Fleur Airelles from Chèvrefeuille Soft French 🐐🧀 with added bilberries. Delicate, with a mild goat tanginess. Main taste of bilberry, which is like a naturally sweet cranberry and adds a second firmer texture. Spreads a little unevenly.

Le Roulé with Cranberries from Rian Soft fresh French 🐄🧀 with added cranberries. Cloyingly sweet, this is like eating cake frosting. Very creamy and soft, with barely perceptible cranberry flavor. Very pretty cheese candy.

St. Saviour from Hoard's Dairyman Semi-soft Wisconsin 🐄 🧀 with bloom rind in Camembert style. Firmer than expected for an aged Camembert, and far less pungent. Nearly indistinguishable from a Brie, it's very inoffensive and a good choice for those new to softer cheeses.

Brie l'Indulgent from Lactalis Semi-soft French 🐄 🧀 with bloom rind. Triple cream richness. Did not run, even at room temperature, though past best-by date. Rind offers a bit of texture, but no typical mushroom or earth flavor. An industrial grade triple creme brie.

Délice de Pommard Soft French 🐄 🧀 with added brown mustard seeds. Triple cream richness, the cheese itself is mild and melts in the mouth. The mustard is not at all hot, but is the main flavor, which balances the richness. A nice spreadable cheese.

Fleur Airelles from Chèvrefeuille Soft French 🐐🧀 with added bilberries. Delicate, with a mild goat tanginess. Main taste of bilberry, which is like a naturally sweet cranberry and adds a second firmer texture. Spreads a little unevenly.

Make someone fall in love with you in three words or less: Today's cheese haul

Tomorrow's reviews are going to be tricky. I'm having internet issues and, once again, I've lost the notes I took so I'll be winging it from memory.

This reminds me: should I review vegan "cheez" on here?

Well, this would be a nice bonus

[Ahem] I've only had the yellow can.

Petit Préféré de nos Montagnes Soft French 🐄🧀 in Reblochon style but pasteurized, with smear-ripened rind. Bread, honey and oak aroma. Mild buttery flavor with hazelnut, mushroom, something unusual (but pleasant): maybe eggy/ammonia? Rich, creamy, doughy, melts in the mouth.

St. Germain from Blakesville Creamery Hard Wisconsin 🐐🧀 with natural rind. Atypical over-aged sample. Woods aroma. Strong, complex earthy and herbal flavor, musky and funky. Heavy, with some goatiness. Very lingering aftertaste. This wasn't what this is supposed to taste like, but suited me.

Beecher's Flagship Cheese Semi-hard Washington 🐄 🧀 in cheddar-gruyere style. A bit crumbly, but can be sliced. Dense, rich, brown butter note, it finishes with a balance of sweetness and cheddar tang. Should melt well. A very nice snack cheese, I'd like to try the aged reserve version.

Harlech English Cheddar with Horseradish and Parsley Semi-hard Welsh 🐄 🧀 with horseradish, which dominates,but isn't pungent. A young cheddar, the parsley is mostly color and texture. Moist inside the wax, it can be spread.i prefer "hot" horseradish, but this is flavorful and a nice change.

Ewephoria from Cheeseland, Inc. Semi-hard Dutch 🐑🧀 in gouda style. The center is delightful, intense butterscotch and toffee, with a nutty background. A few crystals. Toward the rind, the flavor dulls, becomes chewy and less creamy. The buttery sweetness remains in the aftertaste.

Under 50 to go!

Petit Préféré de nos Montagnes Soft French 🐄🧀 in Reblochon style but pasteurized, with smear-ripened rind. Bread, honey and oak aroma. Mild buttery flavor with hazelnut, mushroom, something unusual (but pleasant): maybe eggy/ammonia? Rich, creamy, doughy, melts in the mouth.

St. Germain from Blakesville Creamery Hard Wisconsin 🐐🧀 with natural rind. Atypical over-aged sample. Woods aroma. Strong, complex earthy and herbal flavor, musky and funky. Heavy, with some goatiness. Very lingering aftertaste. This wasn't what this is supposed to taste like, but suited me.

Beecher's Flagship Cheese Semi-hard Washington 🐄 🧀 in cheddar-gruyere style. A bit crumbly, but can be sliced. Dense, rich, brown butter note, it finishes with a balance of sweetness and cheddar tang. Should melt well. A very nice snack cheese, I'd like to try the aged reserve version.

Harlech English Cheddar with Horseradish and Parsley Semi-hard Welsh 🐄 🧀 with horseradish, which dominates,but isn't pungent. A young cheddar, the parsley is mostly color and texture. Moist inside the wax, it can be spread.i prefer "hot" horseradish, but this is flavorful and a nice change.

Ewephoria from Cheeseland, Inc. Semi-hard Dutch 🐑🧀 in gouda style. The center is delightful, intense butterscotch and toffee, with a nutty background. A few crystals. Toward the rind, the flavor dulls, becomes chewy and less creamy. The buttery sweetness remains in the aftertaste.

Today's cheese haul. Christmas came early!

*Epic* cheese haul photo coming in a couple hours. I got my Christmas bonus.

Deer Creek Private Reserve 5 Year Cheddar Semi-hard Wisconsin 🐄 🧀. No aroma. Firm, bit crumbly texture with crystals so large as to be a flaw; I thought I chipped a tooth, then that there were foreign objects that would chip a tooth. Quite sharp, lemony, becomes complex with toffee note, lingers.

Le Cyprien a la Liqueur de Noix from Rodolphe le Meunier Firm French 🐄 🧀 wadhed with Perigord walnut liqueur. Walnut aroma with a bit of alcohol. Springy smooth texture. Intense walnut flavor, especially in aftertaste. The cheese itself tastes ot toasted nuts and maple. I liked this a lot.

St. Helga's European Style Swiss by Caves of Faribault Semi-hard Wisconsin made/Minnesota cave aged 🐄🧀 in Emmentaler style. Sweeter than Swiss, young, with little Pediococcus (bacteria that makes Swiss holes) flavor or scent. Nuts detected in background. A sandwich cheese.

Deer Creek Private Reserve 5 Year Cheddar Semi-hard Wisconsin 🐄 🧀. No aroma. Firm, bit crumbly texture with crystals so large as to be a flaw; I thought I chipped a tooth, then that there were foreign objects that would chip a tooth. Quite sharp, lemony, becomes complex with toffee note, lingers.

St. Helga's European Style Swiss by Caves of Faribault Semi-hard Wisconsin made/Minnesota cave aged 🐄🧀 in Emmentaler style. Sweeter than Swiss, young, with little Pediococcus (bacteria that makes Swiss holes) flavor or scent. Nuts detected in background. A sandwich cheese.

Le Cyprien a la Liqueur de Noix from Rodolphe le Meunier Firm French 🐄 🧀 wadhed with Perigord walnut liqueur. Walnut aroma with a bit of alcohol. Springy smooth texture. Intense walnut flavor, especially in aftertaste. The cheese itself tastes ot toasted nuts and maple. I liked this a lot.

I'm eating a glorious cheese right now, but I'm not reviewing it tomorrow. You'll have to wait a week.

The FDA is urging customers to toss certain brands of grated Pecorino Romano; at the same time, it escalated an existing recall of numerous shredded cheeses. n.pr/48yohW6

Caveman Blue Cheese from Rogue Creamery Semi-hard Oregon 🐄 🧀 with blue mold. The aroma is the only subtle thing about this blue. Crumbly, but fudge texture and a few crystals. Strong blue and salt flavor, with a background of pecans, bacon, and maybe roasted root vegetables.

Campo de Montalban Firm Spanish 🐄 +🐐+🐑🧀 with thin green wax rind. A Manchego (previously reviewed) made with other than sheep milk. It was starting to dry out, has a more intense flavor of buttered nuts than Manchego and the flavor was lasting.

Champignon Brie from Hofmeister Kaserei Semi-soft German 🐄 🧀 with added cremini mushrooms. Triple cream, so very rich, the flavor and texture of mushrooms are at the forefront. The pockets formed by the mushrooms create a more open texture than usual in Brie. I devoured this quickly.

Donnay Chevre Very soft Minnesota 🐐🧀. More tart than most chevre and the packaging allowed some moisture to drain. Very nice as a spread.

Vacherousse d'Argental by Fromagerie Guilloteau Soft French 🐄 🧀 with washed bloom rind. Mild aroma, creamy texture, paste melts on the tongue and is buttery in flavor. The rind is a bit firmer on the palate.

Caveman Blue Cheese from Rogue Creamery Semi-hard Oregon 🐄 🧀 with blue mold. The aroma is the only subtle thing about this blue. Crumbly, but fudge texture and a few crystals. Strong blue and salt flavor, with a background of pecans, bacon, and maybe roasted root vegetables.

Campo de Montalban Firm Spanish 🐄 +🐐+🐑🧀 with thin green wax rind. A Manchego (previously reviewed) made with other than sheep milk. It was starting to dry out, has a more intense flavor of buttered nuts than Manchego and the flavor was lasting.

Champignon Brie from Hofmeister Kaserei Semi-soft German 🐄 🧀 with added cremini mushrooms. Triple cream, so very rich, the flavor and texture of mushrooms are at the forefront. The pockets formed by the mushrooms create a more open texture than usual in Brie. I devoured this quickly.

Donnay Chevre Very soft Minnesota 🐐🧀. More tart than most chevre and the packaging allowed some moisture to drain. Very nice as a spread.

Vacherousse d'Argental by Fromagerie Guilloteau Soft French 🐄 🧀 with washed bloom rind. Mild aroma, creamy texture, paste melts on the tongue and is buttery in flavor. The rind is a bit firmer on the palate.

URGENT: Cheese Recall - Listeria Walmart & Sam’s Club pecorino romano recalled for possible Listeria. Brands: Locatelli, Boar’s Head, Member’s Mark, Ambriola, Pinna Dates: Expires Feb-May 2026DO NOT EAT. Throw out or return. Dangerous for pregnant women, elderly, immunocomp. flip.it/nqYAxK%E2%80...

A nice piece of cheese lore. I've heard that it's illegal in France to bring Epoisses on public transport, but I've never seen proof.