Taste Test: Cheeses

 

  Everyone loves cheese. Everyone. Even people who are lactose intolerant will endure pain and discomfort for the temporary pleasure of a good bowl of Mac and cheese. Personally, I’m a fan of a good cheese board, with a selected variety of cheeses to snack on before the actual meal. I can often be found munching on cheeses as a snack after work or classes. 

  I try the port wine cheese ball with pecans first. It is a deep orange color with a layer of pecans around the outside. I’m partial to cheese balls and usually only have them around the winter holidays when a friend of the family brings his homemade ones to our Christmas Day dinner. 

 

  Before eating, I can already smell hints of its mellow, smooth, port wine flavor. The flavor of this cheese is plain and smooth until the aftertaste, when you can taste the wine flavor. The smoothness is contrasted by its subtle tartness from the grape/wine flavor. I tried it with and without the pecans and the pecans add another layer of texture and nutty flavor that the other cheeses lack and makes me want to keep coming back for more. My mom mentioned that it would pair well with a red wine. 

 

  Second is the Hill Country Fare simply cheese. There is no way to judge its appearance from outside the can it comes in. 

 

  The canned cheese has an immediate grilled cheese flavor and not much of an aroma. By nature it is very soft and smooth. Despite being real cheese, it still possesses a much more artificial flavor. I usually like the bottle cheese on its own, but compared to the nicer cheeses it is very dull. Potentially it might pair well with celery or baby carrots. 

 

  Last is the oak smoked cheddar. It’s appearance is a cream color with a slightly darker side of cheese wax from the block it was cut from.

 

  Immediately there is a Smokey smell which hints at its flavor. Upon tasting it is a much sharper flavor and texture than other cheeses here. Additionally, the aftertaste sticks around longer. Comparatively it has a crumbly texture. I think it would be best paired with a fruit of some kind, personally I would choose figs as the tartness of them could complement the smokey flavor. 

 

  Both me and my mother preferred the port wine cheese over the others. I can imagine serving it to others on a cheese board and enjoying it myself. I would also definitely go back for seconds on the smoked cheddar, given that it is paired with the right food and drink.