02/03/11- Ashe County 5-Year Aged Cheedar

The 19th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on July 03, 2011. Present members were Moob, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guests Mary Jo and James were also present. The cheese sampled was a 5 year old Ashe County cheddar. It was served cold with mini-toast and grilled on wheat bread.

Thoughts:

Moobs- I liked the cheese, it's one of the best cheddar's I've had...if not THE best. It's really sharp, but it's not too sharp. It doesn't have a lingering bite to it, after the initial bite it smooths out. The grilled cheese was my favorite application. I would eat it again, but I did not like it on mini-toast.

Scott- Very good cheddar cheese, probably the best I've ever had. It was extremely sharp, but not overpowering. I would have to agree with Moobs, the taste didn't linger too long and that's what made it so good. I liked it best on the mini-toast, but liked it slightly melted too. I would definitely eat this again.

Jesse- It was very good. A lovely cheddar cheese. The sharpness of the cheddar complimented the genuine taste of the cheese. I'm talking about when you put cheddar in it's own category. Taste really good melted, but the best application was yet to be tasted because I think it would go good with nachos. Yes I would eat this again, not the best cheddar I ever had.

Tony- It was a pretty good cheddar, but I like Cabot's cheddar better. The sharpness was pretty good, probably better in a smaller quantity. I liked it best by itself, but it would kill shredded over some nachos.

James- It was a very good sharp cheddar, one of the best. It was the best by itself, maybe with some fruit it would be good. The grilled cheese and toast kind of drowned out all the flavor the cheese had. I would eat it every day of my life, it's great.

Mary Jo- It was good, really sharp, almost overpowering at times. I liked it with the mini-toast best. I would eat it again.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

06/19/2011- Havarti

The 18th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on June 19, 2011. Present members were Moob, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. The cheese sampled was Havarti. It was served cold with plums, almonds and mini-toast. Also it was grilled on wheat bread.

Thoughts:

Moobs- I liked it. I wouldn't say it's anything special, but I would buy it again. I didn't like it with the plums, it was very gross. Kind of a middle of the road cheese, not a very distinctive cheese for me.

Scott- It was really good cheese, like a very mild Swiss. I liked it best either by itself or with the plum. The plum brought out the flavor, but by itself it was a good mild cheese. I would eat it again.

Jesse- A squeaky texture and taste like a soft cheddar-mozzarella. It tasted good by itself mostly. Such a mild cheese it was hidden by all the other things you're eating. Personally I'll skip it because it's so subtle, but I do like it.

Tony- I like Havarti. It went well with the mini-toast and the almonds, but the grilled cheese was prepared improperly and therefore didn't get the fair shot it deserved. I know from experience that this cheese is good on a grilled cheese. I would probably eat it again, I enjoyed it.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

06/05/11- Apple Cinnamon Jack Cheese

The 17th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on June 05, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. The cheese sampled was an apple cinnamon jack cheese. It was sampled room temp with focaccia bread.

Thoughts:

Moobs- I was shocked when you brought in the cheese. I think it's an abomination, the apple cinnamon with a hint of cheese. That being said, I would eat it again. It was surprising.

Scott- The cheese itself was pretty good, a creamy jack cheese. Didn't care much for the contrast between the flavors. I would eat it again though if someone provided it.

Jesse- I kind of seemed like a dessert cheese with the sweet apple cinnamon flavor. I didn't really like it with the bread, kind of lost all texture with the bread. The gummy bear was even grosser, it was a sickening texture. Probably would go good with apples. I would eat it again.

Tony- It smelled faintly of cinnamon and strongly of jack cheese. The taste was surprisingly good because I don't like cinnamon. I enjoyed the contrast of sweet and salty with the cheese. The bread was good with it too. The thing I liked best was that the apple cinnamon wasn't overpowering. Would eat it again, possibly in a grilled sandwich form.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

05/18/2011- Hoop Cheddar Cheese

The 16th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on May 18th, 2011. Members present were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. The cheese sampled was a hoop cheddar cheese. It was served grilled on Italian bread and cold with mini-toast and apples.

Reactions

Smell:

Moobs- Smelled like cheddar cheese.

Scott- It was a nice cheddar smell.

Jesse- It smelled like cheese. Not much of a smell at all.

Tony- I forgot to smell it.


Taste:

Moobs- A very good cheddar cheese, not as sharp as some I'm used too, but still a very good robust flavor. It seemed like a high quality cheddar. Almost the idealistic cheddar cheese.

Scott- It's a good cheddar cheese taste. I like it better than the blocks of Kraft.

Jesse- By itself a canned chicken or cat-food taste. Tasted like the smell of tuna fish.

Tony- It had a kind of rubbery bite to it, but an excellent cheddar flavor. Very good cheese.


Best Application:

Moobs- My favorite was the cheese by itself. I felt like the applications got in the way of the flavor of the cheese.

Scott- I liked it on the grilled cheese the best. The butter used in making it brought out and balanced the flavors pretty nicely. A damn good grilled cheese.

Jesse- The grilled cheese had the best application, but the mini-toast was good. The texture of the cheese once melted was good, not too creamy and a lot of flavor. The grilled butter toast matched the canned preservative taste, overriding the weird after taste.

Tony- I liked the grilled cheese a lot. The bread was good and went well with this cheese. The mini toast was kind of gross, might have gone bad.


Final Thoughts:

Moobs- I liked it, interesting to try a different type of cheddar cheese.

Scott- It was a very good cheese, now that I've tried it I would probably choose it over other blocks of cheddar.

Jesse- I had some initial thoughts that this was government cheese, using Google I still stand by it and have a bias against it. In the end turned out to be a good cheddar cheese. Not much flavor though, you'd get more from a Kraft sharp cheddar.

Tony- An excellent cheese. Good substitute for Kraft cheddar. Everyone should try this cheese.

Susie the Cat: Liked it.

05/02/2011- Velveeta Cheese

The 15th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on May 2nd, 2011. Members present were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. The cheese sampled was Velveeta. It was served cold, with mini-toast, warmed over nachos, and apples.

Reactions

Smell:
Moobs- It smelled a lot like American singles, a pleasant smell.

Scott- It smells like processed cheese, a nostalgic smell. Brings back good memories of sandwiches from when I was younger.

Jesse- It's a smell of processed, cheap cheese. A sour smell.

Tony- It smells like a plastic bag that cheese has been in.


Taste:
Moobs- Delicious. Takes me back to grade school digging cheese out with a red stick and smearing it on crackers. Like a creamy American single.

Scott- It's very good. Reminds me of a saltier Kraft single.

Jesse- I don't think so. Very creamy, processed, and cheap. Poor artificial flavoring.

Tony- It taste like crap. Salt and milk. The most uncheeselike cheese taste you can find. Cheez-Its taste more like cheese than this.


Best application:
Moobs- The best was the nacho chips. The saltiness of the chips went well with the cheese. My least favorite was the apple. The cheese brought out a sourness in the apple. A strange taste I didn't care for.

Scott- The nachos. Having it warm and melted on the nachos makes it better. The apple was my least favorite. Not bad, but out of the choices my least favorite.

Jesse- The mini-toast. A pleasant experience. Throwback to Handi-Snacks. My least favorite was the apple, it brought out the sourness of the cheese. Tasted too healthy for such a salty cheese.

Tony- Nothing. I'm not sure why anyone would do anything with this cheese besides throw it out.


Final Thoughts:
Moobs- I would eat it again, especially for the price. It's a lot of cheese. I think a grilled cheese with this might be particularly delicious.

Scott- Very good cheese. Makes me want to make cheese dip and binge on it till I'm sick.

Jesse- I generally don't seek out cheese that's a molecule away from being plastic. Probably not going for it again, but cheese club is opening me up to creamier cheeses. I would go for cheese dip with it though.

Tony- Spend another dollar and get real cheese. Life is too short for awful fake cheese.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

04/25/2011- 6-Month Aged Provolone (continued)

The ICC met again today to continue what was started last night. Only without Richard. Sorry Richard.

Tonight we sampled the cheese again with some mini-toast, an apple, some bread, and prosciutto ham. Cagney, Brennan, and James joined us. Richard was absent (our fault).

Moobs- It was good the second time. The apple made it very sharp, kind of bitter, it was my least favorite. The best was the prosciutto, the spices and flavoring was very good. The toast didn't wow me like I thought it would.

Scott- I liked it best with prosciutto and bread, I made a bit of a sandwich with it. The apple was very good, it toned it down till the very end. The mini-toast was my least favorite.

Jesse- The best, I thought, was with the bread. The prosciutto was a bit too overpowering, the mini-toast was pretty good. That's all.

Tony- Sorry pigs, but I loved it best with the prosciutto. You can't beat it. This cheese is so awesome.

Brennan- I really liked the cheese by itself, the best was with the toast. I agree with James, I think this cheese works well on a sandwich, especially a ham sandwich.a

James- I love it, but it's not the first time I had it. I liked the strong, firm bite it had. The best was with the bread and apple. Anytime you use this cheese in a sandwich, you win.

Cagney- I thought that the prosciutto, toast combo was the best thing to do with it. I loved the cheese, how sharp it was. Had a real presence. Good contrast with our last cheese.

Susie the Cat- Still liked it.

04/24/2011- 6-Month Aged Provolone

The 14th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on April 18, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. New member inducted was Richard. This week we sampled a 6-month aged provolone from Philadelphia, PA. Due to lack of preparation it was sampled only cold and sliced.

Smell:

Moobs- A very strong smell. I didn't think it was bad, just very noticeable. Like provolone with a stronger aroma. Fragrant.

Scott- It smelled pretty rank to me. It smelled like a cheesy butt-crack to me.

Jesse- I having trouble smelling today. It smelled sharp.

Tony- Smells very strong, powerful. Sort of musky.

Richard- Smelled like provolone, I didn't notice anything too unique.

Taste:

Moobs- I liked it, it was a strong cheese, very sharp. Robust. It has a lingering taste to it, but it's not a bad aftertaste. I would have a hard time eating it by itself, but a little goes a long way.

Scott- Taste was okay. I can see it being really good with a cold cut sandwich or crumbled on a salad, but a little too sharp by itself.

Jesse- Off the bat a greasy, almost crumbly, sandy texture. There's that, but it hits you with the second stage. Probably best part of the flavor, a rich provolone, parmesan, Romano pizza taste. Into a third and final stage of the flavor, the aftertaste, a burning, sharp lingering aftertaste.

Tony- That classic, strong taste. Reminds me of South Philly. I love it. A little goes a very long way.

Richard- I'm not a fan of it cold, I'm sure it taste different cooked. It's all sharp and burn to me, no real flavor.

Final opinion:

Moobs- It's unfortunate we weren't as prepared for this with some fruits or sauces. I really wish we had some bread because it would probably be good toasted. I bet in the right setting it would be great.

Scott- By itself, I wouldn't eat it again, but I would like to try it accompanied by something.

Jesse- Good cheese, all the way from Jersey. Very nostalgic flavor for me, we used to eat it a lot with Italian sausage. Pleased to be able to eat it again and will. Kind of hurts my stomach by itself.

Tony- I love it, one of the best cheeses ever. It reminds me of family gatherings and delicious food. I swore off pork a while ago, but I would devour a pork sandwich with the cheese and some gravy on it.

Richard- Pretty much what Scott said, would love to try it cooked with something.

Susie the Cat- She liked it.

It was decided we will try this cheese again in some sort of sandwich form. Stay tuned around midweek for our follow-up blog.

04/18/2011- Humboldt Fog (Fan Suggestion)

The 13th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on April 18, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guests Richard, James, Cagney, and Sasha the Dog joined us. Tenuous member Old Greg was also present.

The cheese we ate was suggested by a loyal fan of ours, Dottie Brunette of Sylva, NC. The cheese is called Humboldt Fog, a goat cheese with a fine line of vegetable ash running through it. Tony bought it at EarthFare for 7 bucks. It was served with mini-toast, pears, and apples.

Smell:

Moobs- It doesn't smell bad. Smells a lot like the other cheeses we had. The more we do this, the more a cheese has to be very unique to have a distinct aroma.

Scott- It definitely smelled like cheese. The rind smelled stronger than the inside.

Jesse- Kind of buttery, sharper smell. Had like a creamy milk scent.

Tony- A cream cheese smell, nice and smooth.

Richard- A mixture of cream cheese and mozzarella. It was surprisingly pleasant.

Greg- It smelled like cheese, what do you want from me?

James- I'm a smoker so I don't smell very well, but pretty fragrant. Not too pungent, a pleasant odor.

Cagney- I thought that it was mild at first sniff, but it got stronger as you inhaled.


Taste:

Moobs- I didn't really like it, kind of a sour taste. You could taste the ash in it, which isn't bad, but overall wasn't impressed.

Scott- I liked the cheese, I wasn't crazy about the rind. The ash gave it a kind of bitterness, but the rest had a creamy, classic goat cheese taste.

Jesse- By itself it tasted too creamy and buttery for my flavor. I think that a cheese should not taste like you're eating basically butter.

Tony- Like a bleu cheese, cream cheese mix. If you're trying it, go with a bit of the rind, it really compliments it.

Richard- I liked the taste, very close to cream cheese with a bit of sour aftertaste. I didn't mind it.

Greg- It tasted like a really creamy parmesan to me. It was almost like a parm mixed with sour cream and cream cheese.

James- It was good, kind of mild. I've had stronger goat cheeses than that. I could taste the ash and it added a nice dryness to your mouth to compliment the creaminess. It was good, eat it with the rind.

Cagney- I agree, I think the rind is fantastic. I couldn't taste the ash, but I thought it was an excellent cream cheese, goat cheese mix with the sharpness of bleu cheese.


Best Application:

Moobs- By itself. I didn't like the pear, it made it taste more sour. The toast and apple didn't add much.

Scott- I liked the pear the best. It brought out the flavors, all the good things about the cheese. The mini-toast I also liked.

Jesse- The melbatoast. The pear and the apples consistency were a little too healthy. When I at the toast and cheese together it brought back nice memories of cheddar cheese, Ritz packets you can buy.

Tony- The pear was really good with it. Added a nice contrast to the cheese. I enjoyed it a lot.

Richard- The mini toast. The texture was a nice compliment to the cheese, kind of like a bagel with cream cheese.

Greg- By itself, I didn't like the toast and cheese mix. Didn't get to try the fruit.

James- If you want to enjoy it, eat it by itself. It's so mild that the fruit takes over. The melbatoast kind of taste like Ritz handi-snacks.

Cagney- I didn't like the pears, I think pears are sand combined with sugar water. The best was the toast by far. Mini toast kicks ass.


Final Thoughts:

Moobs- I just didn't really like the cheese, a little to sour for me. I wouldn't buy this cheese. It was interesting though, I'm glad I tried it. Never had anything quite like it.

Scott- It was good, but I would never buy this cheese. I would just go with a cheaper goat cheese.

Jesse- For the price, I'm not going to pay that much for cream cheese. It tasted good with crackers, but so would cheddar. I don't have enough respect for that cheese to buy it again.

Tony- Very delicious cheese, I enjoyed it a lot. I never had goat cheese before, but I'm glad I did. Would be good by itself or on a bagel.

Richard- I would buy it, not constantly, but it's something to enjoy.

Greg- Yum.

James- I would buy this cheese, but not by myself. I liked it though.

Cagney- I would eat this again, it was a good cheese. I enjoyed it, I think I liked it the best out of all of us. I wouldn't buy it, I mooch all my cheese.

Sasha the Dog- Liked it

Susie the Cat- Liked it

04/10/2011- Mahon Do Mitica

The 12th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on April 10, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guests Richard and Brennan joined us.

The cheese we ate was Mahon Do Mitica aged 12 months from Spain. Scott bought it at EarthFare for 7 bucks. It was served with mini-toast, strawberries, and in a grilled cheese form.

STATEMENTS


Smell:

Moobs- It smells a lot like the other cheeses we've had. A general cheese smell. Like parmesan I guess.

Scott- It's a good smell. The same as all the hard cheeses have been. Comparable to parmesan.

Jesse- A rich, creamy, kind of sharp scent.

Tony- Quite pungent, bordering on unpleasant. Very strong.

Richard- Smelled like parmesan, a little hint of nuts.

Brennan- I have to agree with everyone else, it looked and smelled like parmesan. I didn't like the smells as much as parmesan, didn't really like the smell. Thought it was gonna suck.


Taste:

Moobs- I wasn't really sure if I was going to be impressed with this cheese. It was similar to some of the other cheeses we've had. It was really good though. A very salty cheese, but I liked it in that way.

Scott- I agree with Moobs and Richard, it was a good cheese, but it had a salty, nuttiness with it. I like this cheese.

Jesse- I thought the cheese was good. It was so salty it dried my tongue by itself. A very sharp cheese. It had a very poignant aftertaste, almost spicy.

Tony- A strong flavor with a nice bite. I enjoyed it a lot. Not as hard as some of the others we've eaten.

Richard- Very dry, it crumbled apart easily. No spice, to me, but rather a vinegar kick to it. It was good.

Brennan- At first I didn't like it by itself. It tasted awful. Once we started with the breads it was good.


Best Application:

Moobs- The grilled cheese. The combination of the butter, the salt, and the bread was very good. It all worked together very well, melted together nice. Very chewy.

Scott- I'll have to go with the grilled cheese also. It melted together very nicely and was chewy. The mini-toast was a close second.

Jesse- I didn't really like the strawberries, felt like you were just eating calories. I did like it on the nacho chips, the saltiness of the cheese and chips was a match made in heaven. Left my tongue pleading for water.

Tony- The mini-toast. It opened a lot of nice flavors in the cheese.

Richard- I liked the grilled cheese. The guys said it, it all melted together very well.

Brennan- The best was the grilled cheese. It tasted awesome.


Final Thoughts:

Moobs- I liked the cheese, was better than I was expecting. It went really great with the breads and by itself, but I probably wouldn't eat it by itself. A good compliment cheese. The strawberries and that cheese don't mix.

Scott- Liked it, I would even buy it again. Makes a damn good grilled cheese.

Jesse- Compared to other harder, sharper cheese we've had (like the gouda) I thought it stood up well. It seemed a little too sharp to be eaten cubed. I would it eat it again, if I was in Spain.

Tony- A nice cheese, nice to take a break from French cheeses and try this one. I might eat it again.

Richard- It was a good complimentary cheese, I would have it again. I don't think it would go well with fruit, maybe a Granny Smith apple.

Brennan- If I had to choose between this cheese and anything else at the store, I would probably choose anything else. Worked well on toast, but I didn't like it otherwise.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

04/03/2011- Cantal

The 11th meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on April 03, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guest Richard was in the house.

Smell:

Moobs- The smell reminds me of the parmesan we had before, kind of sharp.

Scott- The inside smelled good, like a good sharp cheese. The rind part was quite pungent, not very good.

Jesse- I'm not a big fan of the smell of cheese in general, it's basically hardened milk over time. It smelled kind of sour.

Tony- It had a strong, sharp smell. Kind of exciting in a way.

Richard- Smelled like a mixture between parmesan and mozzarella. A very dry smell.


Taste:

Moobs- It reminds me of another cheese, parmesan. As far as texture, it's similar to the Dubliner. It was good, but not very exciting or special. Kind of middle of the road. The rind enhances the flavor and leaves a sharp, bitter aftertaste. I didn't care for that aspect.

Scott- Reminded more of parmesan, romano type thing. Texture was hard, but it wasn't as hard as parmesan usually is. The closer to the rind the cheese got, the worse it tasted. A very bitter aftertaste.

Jesse- Very classic, rich full flavored cheese.

Tony- Similar to a very sharp cheddar. I liked it, but wasn't thrilled by the texture. It was alright.

Richard- Honestly it kind of just tasted like your average sharp cheese with a texture like parmesan.


Best application:

Moobs- The mini-toast. With the breads in general it cuts the sharpness of the cheese. The grape was good, the juices affect the taste of the cheese. It wasn't unpleasant.

Scott- The mini-toast cut the bitterness, gave it a more creamy taste. The grape was okay, the sweetness brought out some of the subtle flavors.

Jesse- I didn't like it with the grapes. By itself it was good.

Tony- By itself it was good, but with the mini-toast it was good. The grapes were a nice compliment. Not horrible, but too juicy for cheese.

Richard- With the mini-toast it started like a bleu cheese, it was alright. The grape it kind of turned it into play-doh.

Final Thoughts-

Moobs- A mediocre cheese. Nothing too exciting, what I consider 'safe'.

Scott- I did like it. I would eat it again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

Jesse- A well done cheese. It's a cheese of cheese. Pretty well rounded, they've got it down. For the price I wouldn't go back to it. Sets the precedent for other cheeses, the ball that got everything rolling.

Tony- An okay cheese. For the quality and price, not bad, but like Scott, I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again.

Richard- Doesn't really stand out, a mediocre cheese.

Susie the Cat was indifferent.

03/27/2011- Epoisses

The ICC met for the 10th time on March, 27th. Members present: Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guests: James, Richie, and Rossco. The cheese: Epoisses.

Sniff before the slice:

Moobs- a landfill

Scott- trash...pure and simple...trash

Jesse- like a fat person's leg crack

Tony- a used cat box in a garbage can that's not been emptied ever

Richie- full to the brim trashcan that's been there 2 weeks.....like someone
draining a boil

James- straight up garbage

Ross- cat piss

Thoughts on the taste:

Moobs- This is the worst cheese i've ever had.....of all the nasty things I've put in my mouth, which there are MANY, I can only think of one or two items worse than this....worse than the vomit jellybean. Has an ash aftertaste. Tasted like rotting dreams.

Scott- Better than it smells, but I don't like. It tasted like trash. The aftertaste was a very, very bitter cheese. An awful taste.

Jesse- I am the king of the creamaphobe. Really psyched out about the smell and the texture. Eating off a plastic spoon, felt like a hobo experience. I had to bite the spoon so I didn't get the cheese on my lips, I broke the spoon. My brain blocked the flavor the first couple times, but once I ate the grape and the cheese it hit me. Tasted really bad.

Tony- One of the top 10 worst things I've ever put in my mouth...ever.

Richie- It was okay, but still the worst cheese I ever had. The initial taste was terrible. The aftertaste was bitter, but alright.

James- Initially it taste fine, kind of creamy, but the aftertaste lingers. It wasn't bad.

Ross- I thought it tasted a lot like Easy Cheese. The rind gave it an ashy taste. I liked it.

Best application:

Moobs- The cheese went best with the grapes.

Scott- The raisin toast. It completely overpowered the taste.

Jesse- In the store.

Tony- I can't think of where this would be good at all. I almost threw up.

Richie- The mini-toast. The texture compliment (soft and crunchy) was good. The toast absorbs a bit of the taste. The cheese and the grape was the worst, I can't STAND that. The liquid from the grape and the cheese was awful.

James- The mini-toast added a butteriness to the texture of the cheese. Raisin toast just covers it up.

Ross- Grapes and cheese almost made me want to throw up. The mini-toast was probably the best.

Final thoughts:

Moobs- I really wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Smells, tastes like, and is going into the garbage. Worst cheese ever. Best meeting ever though.

Scott- Pretty vile substance. Only the French would take something so horrible and call it gourmet.

Jesse- It's a sickening cheese. Almost made me puke four times.

Tony- Throw it out and never look back.

Richie- I'm never sitting next to Jesse again. He sounds like a dying goat.

James- I wouldn't want to eat it, but I wouldn't be afraid to try it again under another circumstance. They could use this to train police dogs to find corpses. Napoleon is full of crap (editor's note: Napoleon's favorite cheese).

Ross- Way more expensive than it should be. I agree with Scott, only the French.

Susie the cat- Didn't like it.

03/21/2011- Gouda (Aged Two Years)

The ninth meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on March 21, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat.

The cheese sampled this week was provided by Jesse. It was a 2 year aged Gouda, served cold with Ritz crackers.

Thoughts:

Moobs- This is one of the better cheeses we've had, but it's also the hardest. Really sharp and similar bite of a sharp cheddar. The Ritz was good with it, complimented it well. Never had any other kind of Goudas, but I enjoyed it. Interesting to have a cheese that crunched every now and then.

Scott- I like this cheese a lot. It wasn't my favorite, but it was up there. The flavor kind of reminded me of a mixture between cheddar and a parmesan. Texturewise it was a very hard cheese. At first the crunchies in it disturbed me, but once we learned what it was I was fine with it. Good by itself, but great with the crackers. Would eat it again.

Jesse- My initial reaction was that it smelled gross, like sour milk. When you bite into it you get the firm cheese bite, but also the hard grains add a crunch. Once you get pass the smell, it crescendos into a nice flavor. I did try it with some corn chips, it tasted the same. I give it an 8, only because of the initial bite.

Tony- The gouda was an alright cheese, very sharp and strong. It had an interesting texture, very crunchy, but not unappealing. It was like an extremely sharp cheddar. The Ritz crackers went phenomenally with it, an excellent combination. You don't need a lot of it, but I would eat it again.

Susie the Cat- Didn't like it.

03/13/2011- President Brie and Jarlsburg

The eighth meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on March 13, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat.

This week we sampled 2 cheeses to make up for our absence last week. This week we tried President Brie and Jarlsburg cheese. The brie was served warm with Ritz crackers. The Jarlsburg was served cold with Ritz.

Opinions:



Moobs- The first way I tried it was without the rind, just the creamy center. I didn't think I would like it, but I didn't mind it. Very good. Not much of a taste at first, but has a good aftertaste. The rind gave it kind of a sour taste. It went good with the Ritz, seems like a good accent cheese.

Scott- Not a big fan of brie. Without the rind, it's a very subdued flavor, can't taste much at all. Very light and creamy. As far as flavor goes, a slight moldiness to it. Definitely strong with the rind, but I'm not a fan of moldy cheeses. The Ritz didn't bring out any new flavors in the cheese.

Jesse- On a gag factor of 1-10, I give it a 3. It makes me gag, but not a lot. Can't say I like, the flavor isn't there. The rind doesn't taste like you should be eating it. Taste like you're eating fish skin. Pricewise, not much flavor. I give it a zero.

Tony- The brie was really good. It had a nice buttery taste to it. The rind didn't really compliment it well, but it wasn't awful. The Ritz brought out the flavor even more. Very good stuff.

Susie the cat- She liked it. Did not eat the rind.




Moobs- First thing I noticed is that it has a strong odor. It wasn't as pungent as the sheep's milk, but still strong. It was alright, not what I was expecting. It wasn't something I would eat by itself, the taste was too strong. The cracker was good with it, but not really a snacking cheese.

Scott- I really liked it. It was very similar to Swiss, a lot stronger. I would like to try it with different things than just a cracker next time.

Jesse- Thought it was a good cheese. Initally very strong and sour, but it seemed like a high quality cheese. Had a good Swiss flavor though, but I liked the texture and bite of it best of all. A man's cheese. For the price I would buy it again, but it doesn't seem like a high quality once I knew the price.

Tony- A very strong odor with a nice Swiss taste to it. A firm cheese with a good bite to it, enjoyed it a lot. The Ritz was an okay compliment to it. Probably would be good grilled.

Susie the cat- Did not like it.

03/01/2011- iStara P'Tit Basque

The seventh meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on March 1, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Jesse, Scott, Tony, and Susie the Cat.

This week's cheese was provided by Scott and it was a p'tit basque, a french sheep cheese. It was served cold with sliced apples and Ritz crackers. Also was served melted over nacho chips.

Opinions:

Moobs- There was a lot of hype around this cheese. We were told ahead of time this might not be the best tasting cheese and the strong odor that it had once he unwrapped it didn't help. However, once I got past the first bite and I realized it wasn't as bad as I thought, it was alright. By itself it had a very unique and strong flavor, I never had sheep's cheese before. The Ritz kept the flavor consistent. I didn't care for it with the apple, they didn't mesh well together. The nachos were good, but I tasted nachos more than the cheese. I would eat this again with the right item.

Scott- I was also thrown off the by the hype. Slicing it, it smelled very unpleasant and I was dreading it. After the first bite I liked it. By itself nice and creamy, but it had a bitter aftertaste. Taste good with the Ritz. The apple brought out all the flavors more including the bitterness. The nachos were okay. I would eat this again, very surprised by it.

Jesse- It's good cheese, it's the flavor I look for in cheese. Reminds me of high quality mozzarella or provolone. Very good by itself, it had a good cheese flavor. It was kind of greasy, this would probably be a good pizza cheese. Not much flavor on the nachos though. The apple gave it kind of a sour taste. One of my favorites so far. The quality and the price, it was reasonable and I would try it again.

Tony- I was not looking forward to this cheese, but it surprised me. A strong, flavorful cheese that was nice and creamy. The Ritz added to the good flavor of the cheese, it was very tasty. The apples brought out a kind of unpleasant taste, not that great. The nachos were just as bland as any cheese we try melted on nachos. I wouldn't hesitate to try it again.

Susie the cat- Liked the cheese.

02/22/2011- Cahill's Porter Cheese

The sixth meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on February 22, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Jesse, Scott, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Special guests joining us were Brennan and Irene.

This week's cheese was provided by Scott and it was an Irish porter cheddar. It was served cold with sliced apples and pears. Melted over nacho chips and butter snap pretzels. Grilled on potato bread. Brennan, Scott, and Irene drank some Guinness with their sampling.

Opinions:

Moobs- The cheese was alright, but I'm not sure what porter's supposed to taste like. By itself, it was bitter and with the apple it was very bitter. The pear was very sweet and complimented the cheese very well. I tasted more pretzel than cheese, it was better with the nachos. It was better baked than by itself. The grilled cheese was odd mix of flavors and I'm not sure I would it eat in again like that. Probably not my favorite cheese or that I would buy it.

Scott- I really liked the cheese. By itself, it was very bitter and stout. You could definitely taste the hint of porter with it. The apple was okay, but the pear brought out the taste of the cheese better. The butter snap pretzels overpowered the cheese, the nachos were pretty good. I felt like grilled cheese was very good, the sweetness of the potato bread brought out the flavor of the cheese. The Guinness brought out the porter flavor from the cheese. I would buy this cheese again, probably for an appetizer with a sampler platter.

Jesse- Inital reaction, it tasted like the smell of a dried wet towel or an armpit. Not sure what application this has unless you were drunk. The quality of the cheese was decent, but this is the second Irish cheese we've eaten. The Dubliner cheese seemed like a higher quality cheddar. Apple and the pear just tasted flat, like I was eating cheese and apples. The chips brought out the burntness of the baking pan they cooked it on. I would never buy it or recommend it to anyone.

Tony- I wasn't a fan of the cheese from the start. By itself, it was very strong and bitter, not that pleasant. The apple was extremely sweet and blocked out the cheese flavor, but the pear was actually decent with it, probably my favorite application of the cheese. The pretzels just tasted like butter and the nachos enhanced the bitterness of the cheese. I wasn't a fan of the grilled cheese at all. My main issue here with the cheese was the weird coloration of it. It was a yellowish-white with brown marbling in it, not very pleasant and didn't make the cheese go down any better.

Brennan- The first taste of it, it was not very good. However the cheese with an apple was VERY good. The pretzel was not as good as the apple. The chips were probably my favorite and tasted the best. The grilled cheese tasted really good too. I can make that and eat it for a snack. With the Guinness, it really wasn't that bad.

Irene- I thought the pretzel was delicious, especially after I drank the Guinness.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

02/13/2011- Habanero & Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese

The fifth meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on February 13, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Susie the Cat, and Tony. Old Greg was absent for the meeting this week. Special Guest Brennan joined us.

The cheese this week was provided by Jesse and Tony's mom Pat. It was a Troyer's Habanero & Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese. It was presented cold with Ritz, sliced with apples, shredded and warmed over nachos, and melted over sourdough bread.

Opinions:

Moobs- It's cheddar cheese, which is delicious. I didn't taste the habanero right away, but the heat kicked in after a moment. With the cracker it was, of course, delicious. The apple changed the flavor of the cheese for me, I could taste the peppers more. My favorite was with the bread. It melted and toasted together very well. The nachos were excellent. I really enjoyed it, the peppers added something to it. Nice change on an old classic.

Scott- I liked it. It was a very mild cheddar and that helped balance the spiciness. The heat lingered, it didn't go away very quickly. I can still feel it a bit. I liked it by itself best. The apple was good, but the sweetness conflicted with the cheese. The nachos were decent, better than last time. The cheese bread was alright too, it would probably make a good grilled cheese. My only complaint is that it had almost a sweet processed cheese taste, but I would eat it again.

Jesse- I like the novelty idea of the two peppers in the cheese. Regarding the quality of the cheddar is that it was too creamy and sour. I thought with the apples it amplified the low quality of the cheddar. The nachos were naturally a good fit, even still it was ridiculously spicy. I would not eat this cheese again. The jalapeno flavor was a joke, it added to the sourness.

Tony- I loved this cheese. Super spicy and super tasty. By itself, it was incredible. Add Ritz to that equation and you got an awesome combo. The apples enhanced the spiciness and texture, which was nice and firm. Nachos were why this cheese was made, so they were delicious too. The best, though, was melted on the sourdough. I'm eager to try this as a grilled cheese. My favorite cheese we've done so far.

Brennan- Definitely my favorite cheese I've tried so far. I think my favorite was on the nachos. It tasted awesome and I would serve those at a party. The apples were a good snack, not something I would go out of my way to do again. I've had better cheeses on bread, nothing special. The Ritz added a lot of flavor, it was really good.

Susie the Cat- Didn't like it

The ICC will meet in a week. Scott will be providing the cheese.

02/06/2011 - BelGioioso Fontina

The fourth meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on February 6, 2011 at 8:40 in the evening. Present members included Moobs, Scott, Jesse, and Tony with special guest Old Greg attending and providing the cheese.

The cheese sampled was a BelGioioso fontina cheese. It was served in 4 different options: cold with Ritz, cold with apples, melted on nachos, and melted on sourdough bread.

Reactions:

Moobs- Reminded me of mozzarella, which I love. Good by itself and with the cracker. The apple enhanced the saltiness. Not as strong as our previous cheese, very subdued, which I enjoyed. The sourdough complimented it very well. The nachos were good, but the flavor wasn't as strong.

Scott- It was good. A very mild cheese, kind of reminded of creamed Havarti. I liked it best with the apples, which brought out the flavor very well. All the other options masked the flavor. Okay on the bread and nachos. Subtle creamy and saltiness to it.

Jesse- This is a good cheese. Would go great with fresh mozzarella and basil on a pizza. Liked it most with the apples. The sweetness really brought out the flavor of the cheese. On the chips, you might as just went with a cheddar. I do recommend this cheese. Very bland in the world of cheese, but for the price would go great with other applications.

Old Greg- I agree with the other assessments. The apple really brought out the flavor of the cheese the best. I wished we tried a warm version of it by itself. I thought it was great with the sourdough, the combination was better than the parts alone. The nachos was really about the texture, not a lot of flavor. Traditionally it's used in Italian cheese sauces, so having it in mixed in as a texture and an undertone taste, makes this cheese work.

Tony- A tasty cheese, very reminiscent of mozzarella. Great on the Ritz and with the apples. The nachos weren't my favorite, but the cheese seemed redundant on it. The application of it on the sourdough was alright, but once again the flavor of the bread overpowered it. Yummy stuff.

Susie the Cat- Liked it.

Upon completion of cheese sampling and assessment and after a unanimous vote, Old Greg was made an official member tonight. He's already skipped out of the next meeting, but plans to attend regularly after next Sunday.

01/31/11- Dubliner Cheese with Stout

The third meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on the 31st of January, 2011. Present members were Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and Susie the Cat. Visiting member was Old Greg of Cullowhee.

The cheese for this meeting was a Dubliner cheese with stout. It was served in 4 different varieties: room temp with Ritz, cold with apples, sliced with sourdough bread, and shredded and melted on Nachos. Jesse tried it with dark Godiva chocolate as a wild card.

Moobs- Overall it was a very strong, stout cheese. The cracker made it very palatable. The apple not as good, a little harder that I liked. The nachos were the best. The sourdough bread amplified the bitterness of the cheese and I didn't finish it.

Scott- It was good, my favorite so far. I liked it by itself best, but was pretty strong. On the nachos second. Didn't care for it with the apple. The bread was alright, but it masked the flavor of the cheese.

Jesse- The harder the better. I was freaked out by the bitterness and I started hunting for the stout flavor. The warm cheese texture threw me off a bit, but I liked the flavor. With the apple it tasted better than by itself, the stout flavor complimented the sweetness of the apples. The nachos were very good. The saltiness of the cheese and the greasiness of the cheese was a good combination. The dark chocolate and the salty cheese tasted good. The rich flavor of the chocolate opened new flavors in the cheese. Overall I would it eat it again, if it wasn't for the price.

Tony- It was a decent cheese that reminded me of a strong provolone. It went well with the Ritz cracker, I liked the texture of it at room temperature. With apples, the sweetness unlocked a whole new flavor with it, but the coldness made it a bit too hard. The nachos were alright, but there wasn't enough cheese on them. The sourdough bread was going stale and tasted gross, did not finish.

Old Greg- My initial impression with the warm cheese was that it was very soft and creamy. The headiness of the stout was very smoky, which I enjoyed and it went well with the Ritz. I enjoyed it with the apples as much as I did with the crackers. With the chips it was absolutely delicious and it seemed like it was created to be part of a nacho dish. After the oils had been separated from the rest of the cheese it made it almost a new cheese altogether. The bread brought out the bitterness and it was the only flavor that really stood out.

Susie the cat- Didn't like it.

The International Cheese Club will meet again next week. Cheese tba.

01/23/2011- Blue Marble Jack

The second meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced on January 23, 2011, a Sunday, at 8:00 in the evening. Moobs selected the cheese for this week's meeting, a BlueMarble Jack (combination of blue cheese and monterey jack) and took the liberty to prepare it in several varities. First up was the standard slice with Ritz crackers, followed by shredded on blue tortilla nachos, and concluded in a grilled form on sourdough bread. Members present were: Moobs, Scott, Jesse, Tony, and newest member, James.

Opinions:
Moobs- The cheese by itself was smooth and creamy with sharp, metallic aftertaste. The cracker helped for a moment, but the aftertaste remained. The nachos worked the most as far as getting rid of the aftertaste. The sandwich was alright, but once again the aftertaste was just overpowering, but the cheese melted nice. Jesse can have the rest of it. Wouldn't buy it again.

Scott- It was alright, but I probably wouldn't have it again or choose to eat it. The moldy cheese aftertaste was something I'm not crazy about.

Jesse- I normally don't like creamy cheese at all, I'm a big creamaphobe. It brought to mind an evergreen wreath Christmas tree aftertaste. After contemplation I've narrowed it down to a dark olive aftertaste. I liked the cheese and when it was on the nachos it added a depth that made it work. By mistake there was a little bit of butter on the cheese and it revealed to me that it cut out the aftertaste.

James- I liked it. I think the jack did a good job of cutting the blue cheese and not make it overpowering. It was best on the nachos, maybe because it was used sparsely. Would definitely eat it again.

Tony- A nice combination that works good in small doses. Worked well on the nachos and grilled in sandwich form. The aftertaste that is typical of blue cheese wasn't nearly as strong as it could be. I feel like Moobs paid too much for it.

Susie the cat- Sniffed it and ate it. Enjoyed it.

The next meeting will happen in a week.

01/14/2001- First Meeting of the ICC (Babybel)

At 9:15 the first meeting of the International Cheese Club commenced. It was decided by our founder, Moobs, that the first cheese of the club would be Babybel original. It would be sampled with fresh Ritz crackers.

Members Susie the cat, Moobs, Scott, Tony, Jesse, and Brennan were present along with visiting member Liz. Everyone was dealt a single serving of Babybel. The Ritz were optional.

Reviews:

Moobs- I thought it was good. Very creamy, reminds me a lot of mozzarella. The crackers are always nice. For the price it's a good deal (for the fancier cheeses).

Brennan- Enjoyed the wrapper, it reminded me of a Christmas present. It's f**kin' cheese man, it taste better than brie.

Jesse- It tasted like a sour mozzarella and was too creamy. Not sure why it was packed in a hard plastic. (Declined the cracker option)

Scott- It was alright. Kind of sweet with a bitter bite. Also reminds me of mozzarella. Like it better with Ritz.

Tony- A nice creaminess with a bit a subdued tangy flavor. The Ritz were superb and fresh, adding a proper crunchy texture and a nice saltiness.

Liz- Soft and squishy and delicious. I liked the added crunch and salt of the Ritz.

Susie the cat- (ate all of the cheese)

It was decided this was a successful meeting and look forward to our next meeting.