• 12 cheeses of christmas,  Accompaniments,  Aged Cheese,  Artisan Cheese,  blogging,  Blue Cheese,  brie,  British,  British cheese,  Cheddar,  Cheese,  Food,  food festival

    How to Make the Perfect Festive Cheese Plate

    December 10, 2016

    In my view, whatever the question, the answer is ALWAYS cheese. And, as the weather cools and the year draws to an end, ’tis the season to be…eating as much cheese as possible. Whether it’s catering to a big crowd of friends and family, or settling in to watch Netflix on a weekend, or just because,  cheese is the ideal entertainer. I know, I’m biased. But frankly, it can be the perfect end to a dinner party, or served as a spread at any party But it’s not always easy to choose the right cheeses. So I’ve joined with Lulu Qatar and Chocolate Fish Parties to show you how easy it is to creative…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Artisan Cheese,  Blue Cheese,  brie,  Cheese

    The Secret Life of Cheeses and Other Ugly Truths

    November 18, 2014

    Like many things in life – sausage making lawmaking being two – I try not to dwell on the finer points on what makes cheese taste as awesome as it does. I mean, we all know it’s about mold, and bacteria, but frankly, if we think too hard about it we wouldn’t ever eat it again. Which is why this piece on the BBC website both fascinated and repelled me at the same time. The Strange World Inside Cheese Read it at your own peril. Spoil the mystery if you must.

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  • Accompaniments,  Aged Cheese,  Artisan Cheese,  Cheese in Cooking

    Fromage Fortifications

    October 25, 2014

    As a cheese blogger, having a fridge full of the good stuff is an occupational hazard. As of yesterday I have leftover pieces of Manchego, Parmesan, Swiss, Cheddar, Gorgonzola and several unidentified randoms. Now you know how I hate waste as much as losing perfectly good cheese, so I dug out this recipe by the amazing David Lebovitz for Fromage Fort. Fromage fort is a French cheese spread, literally “strong cheese”. It is traditionally made by blending together pieces of different leftover cheeses, white wine (or other spirits) with garlic, herbs and whatever takes your fancy. I made mine with around seven kinds of odds and ends cheeses The recipe calls for…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Artisan Cheese,  Australia,  Australian Cheese,  beer,  Blue Cheese,  brie,  Cheddar,  Cheese,  Cheese in Cooking,  Cooking,  Food Trends,  Turkey

    Party On – How to Be a “Grate” Host

    June 9, 2014

    You’ll always find me in the kitchen at parties, especially my own. I have inherited my mother’s love of cooking for a crowd. I have also inherited her love of reality TV, but that’s another story. But everyone can hone their skills especially in this ‘Post Post Emily Post Era’, and the great people at King Island Dairy have produced a free guide for the perfect dinner party and cheese plate. The Perfect Dinner Party is free to download and a wealth of foodie information. http://www.perfectdinnerparty.com.au There is some great a advice in here – like balance your ambitions with your abilities. I for one have been waaay too ambitious…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Artisan Cheese,  Cheese,  European Cheese,  Food,  France,  French,  Goat Cheese,  Restaurant Reviews,  Travel,  Unusual Cheeses,  Washed Rind,  White Cheese

    100 Cheeses Down – You Cheddar Believe It

    June 26, 2013

    It seemed like a good idea at the time, but let me tell you this whole caper is trying 365 cheeses in 365 days is no easy feat. Which is why I am celebrating milestones where I can. What started as a simple catalogue of cheese i have eaten and the occasional good meal thrown in, has now evolved into something more – travelogue, food porn site, political commentary, restaurant review and general whingefest blog. That’s the beauty of a blog I guess. So the journey marks it’s first significant moment – my 100th cheese. This tranche of cheese moments is brought to you by my friends at Grand Hyatt…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Cheese,  European Cheese,  France,  French,  Travel

    Quiche De Resistance

    June 4, 2013

    I am so old that I remember when quiche became really trendy in Australia. I am hoping it was the 1980s, but I have an ugly suspicion it was the 1970s. Suddenly it was everywhere and even Sara Lee was making them… Although known as a classic French dish, the quiche originated in Germany. The word quiche means “cake” which came from the German word Kuchen. Today, quiche is considered as typically French. And to be honest, it has become one of my favorite foods over time. What’s not to love about eegs, cheese, pastry and of course, cheese. Quiche lorraine is a popular variant that was originally an open…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Cheese,  European Cheese,  France,  Italy,  Spain,  Travel

    In Queso Emergency…Send Cheese

    May 17, 2013

    How can you not like Spain? Its economic prospects are in the toilet, yet they still live, eat and love like nothing is wrong. The Four Seasons Doha recently held a Spanish and Portugese Wine and Food Fair, showcasing the best of the Iberian Peninsula. The evening was more of a fair and included samples from selected winemakers from the region, plus tapas as well as cheese offerings. The cheese on offer was more of a tour of Europe. Of course there was the Spanish national icon – Manchego. On a visit to Madrid last year, I believe I ate this at every meal. For five days. made in the…

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  • Aged Cheese,  Dutch,  European Cheese,  Gouda,  The Netherlands,  Travel

    East of Edam…aka Pass the Dutchie

    February 15, 2013

    OK, so my last post about my apparent dislike of Gouda cheese caused a bit of a firestorm of protest from Dutch blog readers and friends. Apparently I insulted their national icon. Various other words were uttered, they may have been bad, all Dutch words sound dirty to me, so I wouldn’t know. I should have been a diplomat. In the spirit of reconciliation and being able to show my face around town, I searched for the famed aged Dutch Gouda cheese many had told me about. I found it at Dean & Deluca here in Doha – two year aged cheese from Wyngaard. The Reypenaer VSOP Gouda is aged…

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