So Much Excitement About Cheese...

Whenever I travel, be it to someplace new, or an old haunt, I make a point of stopping into unique food stores.  I'm always on the lookout for new taste experiences.

raincoast fig & olive crisps

While I was in Orleans, MA this summer (part of Cape Cod) My Mom and I happened across Main Street Wine and Gourmet.  I decided that we must have a look inside.  We found these interesting-looking raincoast crisps on the shelf, alongside several others, and quickly came to the conclusion that they looked too tasty to leave without buying.  It was also agreed that they seemed a good pair for the bijou aged goat cheese that we had purchased earlier from PB Boulangerie Bistro (along with a number of to-die-for french pastries) in Wellfleet.
Now I'm going to be upfront about the cheese; it is smelly.  If you're not going to eat it right away (storing it in the fridge) I'd recommend putting it in a plastic bag.  I do enjoy the smell of cheese, but it's not necessarily a smell that is nice to have permeating your entire refrigerator.

bijou aged goat cheese from Vermont Creamery

 
Yes, there are some cheese fanatics who would argue that this is an inappropriate method of storing a cheese, and that you must allow it to breath somewhat, but the bottom line is that some cheeses smell like feet, or other strong odors. And don't get me wrong, I mean this in the best way possible- I love smelly cheese! But in modern days, the kitchen has become more of an entertainment spot at small dinner parties, and not every guest will appreciate eau de cheese cave emanating from your cold food storage.  Shorter story: until I am wealthy enough to afford my own cave (will probably never happen), or another fridge used solely for the storage of wonderfully ripened cheeses (unlikely, but hopeful), I will be resorting to 'bagging and tagging', so that my refrigerator does not reek of cheese.

raincoast crisps, fig & olive variety

Now, with that said, the cheese has a delightfully mild and nutty flavor! It is a delicious cheese that pairs well with rosemary crackers or fig & olive raincoast crisps (there is a rosemary raisin pecan variety of the crisps too; I can't wait to try it!).  The crisps themselves are thick and crunchy.  They have a very nice fruity-oat flavor, with a hint of olive savory, that matches the mild nutty-ness of the bijou, and the extra crunchy texture is an interesting compliment to the creamy cheese.

fig & olive crisp with goat cheese

This is one of those amazing culinary situations where the whole becomes more than just the sum of it's parts.  There is a third, and different, experience offered by tasting the two elements together.  (This doesn't always happen, but I get terribly excited when it does! Like bananas in chocolate.)  It's a great appetizer for your next party, or even just a before-dinner treat to spoil yourself. Enjoy!

Mommy...there's a rutabaga in my closet...

     Yes, when I was younger, I was not very fond of eating my vegetables.  I hated broccoli, carrots, summer squash, and there were several others that you couldn't get me to touch with a ten-foot pole, much less put them in my mouth.  As I got a bit older, I started to like a few vegetables that had once repelled me.  I started to put diced onions on my hotdogs, and every now and then I would take a small bite of pickle.  Small steps, but for someone who, for a long time, considered ketchup to be a vegetable...these were momentous occasions.

     In the last three or four years, however, this vegetable eating has expanded drastically.  To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure this kind of progress was possible.  It all began with my chiropractor.  That's right - chiropractor.  Dr. Mark convinced me to try to eat more vegetables.  I know, I know, everybody and your mother says "eat more veggies." That's true, and they are right, but what Dr. Mark said in conjunction with "eat more veggies" was something that I hadn't heard before.  He said "Stick with it for two weeks, and your body will start to reprogram itself.  After that, your body will start to crave healthy food."

     At that point, my inner-child was trying to convince me that this 'craving of vegetables' was just another fabrication, created to try and get me to eat healthy foods, but I trusted Dr. Mark, and told my inner-child to be quiet because he might be right.  Low and behold, he was absolutely 100% right.  With genuine effort, I began following a more plant-based (and brightly colored - this is very important) diet.  Little by little, just as he said...I began to want to eat my veggies!  (I know mothers and doctors everywhere are rejoicing at this statement, well...at least my mom is.)  It's true; your body can and does 'reprogram' itself; you will crave vegetables.

  That being said, I do admit that the vegetable-eating may be getting a tad unruly.  I have been eating a full plate of raw veggies (usually organic baby carrots, broccoli, and radishes) and a chopped avocado for lunch most days - with a small side of hummus or cheese for dipping, and a few strawberries or some pineapple for variety.  I must tell you that all this vegetable eating does have some excellent side-effects though.  My mind feels sharper, I have few-to-no joint aches (even the occasional Jiu Jitsu or Muai Thai, injury seems to heal faster), my body just feels better.

Thanks Dr. Mark! And Mom, I no longer fear that rutabaga!

If you'd like to read some more about what Dr. Mark has to say, visit his website: Goodlivingwarehouse.com  He also has a whole bunch of great healthy products, and he's adding new stuff all the time.