Monger's Wedding

At the cheese shop, I help people make decisions every day. While these decisions are not always objective, I do my best to steer my customers down a path of tasty enlightenment. So why is it, mere days before my wedding celebration, that I still cannot decide which cheeses to serve my family and closest friends?

As a cheesemonger, I live in a land of luxury. I have cheese at my fingertips, literally. With so much to choose from, this makes my decision quite difficult. How can a single selection of cheeses represent my husband and me, satisfy my desire to have both European traditionals and American originals, and delight all my guests? As in any marriage, a compromise is in order.

“Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue” the famous wedding cliché goes. This adage could be grounds for inspiration for this cheesemongering bride. Grafton Village Cheddar, Sartori SarVecchio Parmesan , or Vella Dry Jack could be contenders for the “old,” aged & firm category. Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor, Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk, or Mozzarella Company’s masterpiece, Hoja Santa--each of these are young cheeses and relatively “new” in concept for the U.S. Featuring a “borrowed” cheese would allow me to tap into our shared love of alpine delights and represent some of our joyous travels together. Jasper Hill Farm’s Winnimere, Uplands Cheese’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve, and Thistle Hill Farm’s Tarentaise base their recipes on European originals. Finally, blue, blue, I love you. The possibilities are endless! If I want to spoil my guests, I will serve them Rogue River Blue, the American Cheese Society reigning champion. Or shall I represent my great state of New Jersey with Valley Shepherd’s Crema di Blue? Either way, I must stash a piece of Stilton in my garter for good luck.

Whatever selections are made, these cheeses will not disappoint. A mountain of treasure it will be! All will gather ’round oooing and ahhing, diving into things they’ve never had before. Swilling wine, beer and cocktails and diving in again, smearing and popping mouthfuls. All greedy with delight, into the wee hours of the night.

MM