Cheese, please?

As I think you know, I'm what you call a finicky eater- the list is long of foods I don't like, but I go one step further by disliking cold foods. The worst of these are meats and cheeses. I like meat. I like cheese. But either one cold is usually a deal breaker for me (as you can imagine I'm no breeze when it comes to lunch).

While I have given up hope on eating meat cold (just can't get past the texture and smell), I am trying to stretch my appetite borders by exploring more cheeses. There was a cheese ball that Joe's mom made for the holidays that was stupendous. Everyone else dove right in right away, and I, feeling brave after a glass of wine, decided to sample as well. It was good- very good- and cold. I was pleased with myself and proceeded to make that same cheese ball at a party of our own.

Still, because I'm such a novice with cheese I still have a hard time guessing what I like and don't. I tend to think it's a taste that requires some time to acquire, so I'm trying avenues here and there, when time and money permits. I also always envied the people who could enjoy wine and cheese at the same time, practically making a meal on just that. S0 one cheese I am trying with that, and currently loving, is brie.

I tried brie for the first time in a home ec class in high school, when our teacher placed slivers on French baguettes and popped them in the oven. I remember the smell and taste being otherworldly, so I figured I had that one down.

Then a while ago I was visiting my friend Kel, and as we were talking she put out some brie slices and crackers for us to snack on. I took one piece just to be polite, and then found myself trying to leave her at least one piece, just to be polite- I could've eaten the whole log.

So on a trip to Trader Joe's I spied what looked like the same brie log, and it wasn't too expensive. Once I had bought some crackers too, I set about having my own cheese and crackers while cooking dinner. I loved it; Joe, on the other hand, wasn't thrilled.

I kept it up until the week rolled on, and it was a few days before I would have my brie again. Now, when I say I am an amateur cheese-eater, I mean it. I looked to see if there was mold growing yet and when I didn't I sliced myself a few slivers.

Joe walked in and saw what I was doing.

"Is that that same cheese?" he asked. I told him yes, and he replied.

"Uh, hun, that cheese is probably bad. It's been open for over a week."

I told him, naah, I think it tasted fine.

I'm not sure if it was his suggestion or if it really had gone bad, but suddenly I began to lose the taste. I didn't get sick or anything, but all of a sudden it tasted as if I was eating pure butter slabs. There was a bitter and salty aftertaste that seemed to linger. I swallowed that last of my slivers and tossed the tiny remainder away.

I'm not saying I'm going to give up on cheese. On the contrary, I intend to head over to TJ's and try something new. And when I wonder if the cheese I am eating is bad, I'll know what to do: compare it to a stick of Land O' Lakes.