i.e. cheese autoreprogramming, to try to go from "I can tolerate some cheeses and hate most other cheeses" to "I actively enjoy some cheeses and can tolerate most other cheeses". mostly it's an excuse to try a variety of something new and make lists out of it. so here's a list of the cheeses I've had so far1:
| type | status | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sartori old world cheddar | enjoyable | I started out enjoying cheddar cheese, and not much has changed. I like them best in little chunks to nibble on |
| feta | enjoyable | typically I only have feta through pastries like spinach and feta or in a boureka. I don't like them on salads so I think this might be one of the rare cheeses I like hot |
| Président Madrigal | tolerable | my initial reaction was that it was a gross, squishy, rubbery cheese that tasted like someone had washed it in water. I've come around to the taste now, but I still don't like how rubbery the texture is, and I'll probably continue to avoid intentionally eating any cheese with that kind of texture |
| TJ's boursin | enjoyable | I really liked this one! great fun flavour, nice and spreadable on a cracker. I'm not sure it's useful towards cheese exposure because the primary flavour and texture is basically flavoured cream cheese, but I had a good time |
| DaneKo blue | in progress (not going great) | oh god this was a mistake to start out so early. it actually tastes kind of fine but it smells soooo strong and idk if I could ever get used to the smell |
| Roth Grand Cru reserve | enjoyable | this is basically like a tame version of cheddar, being softer and milder without being rubbery. what is "alpine-style" cheese anyway? |
| Kaasaggio robusto gouda | enjoyable | this tastes to me like a more intense cheddar, and the little crunchy bits are really fun, but I think it's way too soft. I'd really like a harder, crumblier version of this |
| TJ's 1000-day gouda | enjoyable | now this is what I'm talking about! it's a really hard cheese (to the point where it crumbles when I try to slice it) and it has the crunchy bits |
| TJ's unexpected cheddar | enjoyable | this tastes just like the Sartori cheddar except with the crunchy bits! I'm very pleased about the crunchy bits |
| pecorino romano | tolerable | tbh on the first bite it tasted like the way dirt smells. I'm still not used to it and I'm not sure this is a cheese I like |
and here's a list of cheeses that have been recommended to me based on what I currently like:
| type | description |
|---|---|
| comté | a hard cheese described to me as a bit salty and fruity |
| TJ's 1000-day gouda | another hard cheese. from TJ's site: "naturally salty, caramel-y, and supremely savory flavor profile" |
| TJ's cheddar/gruyère mélange | saw this at TJ's and thought it just sounded interesting tbh. felt like a hard cheese |
| brie | a mild, soft cheese |
| camembert | like brie, but more intense |
| parmigiano reggiano | a hard, crumbly cheese. everyone talks about this one but it's also rather expensive |
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I've actually also had a block of harvati a long, long time ago, and I started out not liking it and ended up not liking it. it's been quite a few years now and I wasn't in the exposure therapy mindset so who knows, but I'm still reluctant to spend money on a whole piece of harvati to try again, especially if I might end up still not liking it
I haven't been updating The List but here's some off cuts from Whole Foods. I think it's fun that they sell small pieces like this so I can try a little bit of different new cheeses without sinking in the money or food committment
turns out Di Bruno Bros also sels little leftover pieces of cheese. idk what OG Kristal is but it tastes like an aged gouda, v tasty crystals