Given the eye-popping prices at the cheese counter these days, the bargains stand out even more. Some (not all) of the selections selling for $35 to $40 a pound are fabulous, but none of them is better than the beauty pictured above. I paid $19.99 a pound for this charmer, a raw-milk wheel made in Switzerland by a single family with milk from their neighbors. I’ve admired this cheese for a long time, but these days I’m blown away by the astonishing quality for the price.
Read moreCool Tool
Cheese plane lovers of the world, unite! I am certainly in the cult. I love the silky feel of a paper-thin slice and all the aroma released by the blade. This genius implement, invented by a Norwegian carpenter almost a century ago, is not universally appreciated. You won’t find a cheese plane in many French, Italian, Spanish or Swiss kitchens, but the Norwegians and the Dutch make up for that.
Read moreBest Beer-Garden Cheese Plate
Why can’t we have Oktoberfest all year? I love those malty Oktoberfest brews, and they’re awesome with cheese. If you haven’t picked up a mixed six-pack to enjoy this month in your backyard beer garden, get on it. These once-a-year beers are always gone before the month is. And I have the perfect cheese plate to go with them.
Read more