Good Eatin’: An Impromptu Cheeseboard and More

List Item: Try 500 of the 1001 Foods You Must Try Before You Die

This post started based on an impromptu cheeseboard because I could not choose one out of four possibly list cheeses in my local Co-Op supermarket. So, I opted to buy three of them with some crackers and grapes and just assumed that would be it and I would have a simple food post to write.

Within 24 hours I went from 3 to 8 so it made sense to group them all here at one go.

Food item: Bleu D’Auvergne, Brillat-Savarin & Appenzeller

This is the group of three cheeses that started this off, and this made for a really great cheeseboard since they were all very different cheeses.

The first cheese we sampled was the Appenzeller. We found that it really felt like a mixture between Gruyere and Emmentaller with a bit more on the side of Gruyere. It was nutty, crumbly and a bit spicy. I can imagine it being perfect grated over the top of some gratin potatoes.

Then we tried the Bleu D’Auvergne. Just from the smell of it you could tell it was a very blue cheese. It resembled Roquefort, with the main difference being that this is made of cow’s milk. It was like a creamier Stilton and no where near as acidic.

Finally, we tried the cheese which became our favourite; Brillat-Savarin. This was so very very creamy to the point that we were able to dip our crackers into the middle of the cheese in order to lazily spread it on.  Apparently this is known as a triple creme since they add extra cream to make it. Bloody gorgeous and I do not care how bad this was for me.

Food item: Langres, Moroccan-Style Olives & Piquante Peppers

The next day we had a long walk to Tescos and we FINALLY agreed to buy the Langres. I have been eying this cheese up for the better part of 6 months and we went for it. The smell of the Langres is powerful but the taste… not so much. If I could get you to imagine cheese made from clotted cream you would pretty much have this one. Rich with a spicy edge.

Then there are the Piquante Peppers (also known as Pepperdew Peppers). I have had these a lot since starting on this food list but I had not put two and two together that they might be the same thing. I have not seen these without the cream cheese stuffing, but why mess with success. They are sweet with a slight heat and go beautifully on the edge of a pizza.

Lastly, there is the penultimate olive on the list: Moroccan-style olives. This is a bit strange since it refers more to the preparation style of the olive rather than the cultivar. The olives themselves were nice enough with a slightly nutty flavour. The major thing is the marinade which was loaded with cumin and citrus flavours.

Food item: Rasgulla

That evening I went out to dinner with some friends, the purpose being to ask my friend Seen Wai (pictured) to be a witness at my wedding under the title of Maid of Dishonour. So we went to a vegetarian South Indian restaurant (seriously, what type of restaurant can you NOT find in London).

While the starter and the mains did not have anything list-oriented I was able to find an Indian dessert that was appropriate. How to describe the rasgulla… basically like squeaky balls of milk that have been made into a cake-like substance. Almost like sweet mozzarella if the mozzarella had a bit more give to them.

Food item: Jamon Iberico de Bellota

So, I thought that would be it. But on the walk from the restaurant to Charing Cross station we got to talking about we had been up to recently and the talking turned to this bucket list and how I got a lot of foods in the previous 24 hours. Then we passed an Iberian ham store and I mentioned how some of these meats were on my list.

One thing lead to another and my friend Rhiannon talked to the guy behind the counter in Spanish and explained my bucket list and how tasting this ham was part of this. He was such a sweetheart as not only did he give us samples of two hams (including the list one) but he also gave some cheese samples to my friend Seen Wai since she is vegetarian.

The ham itself was gorgeous. More on the side of Parma Ham instead of Serrano Ham and it tasted better (and was a lot less fattier) than the Chorizo Iberico de Bellota. The taste was rich, the smell was sweet and it just melted in the mouth. It saddens me that it costs so much to buy this since it tastes so damned good.

Progress: 285/500

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