The world is full of all types of amazing food. One of the best things about food is that it can be a geography lesson. There is just so much to learn about food and where it comes from and just how that affects the taste.
I often talk a lot about wine and how where it comes from dictates the flavor. You can have the same grape grown in four different locations and each one will taste different. The same goes for coffee and tea. But there is another genre of food that relies heavily on where it comes from.
Cheese has to be one of the greatest inventions of all time. Dating all the way back to the ancient Egyptian and Roman eras, cheese making has always been designated as an art. To this day there are master cheesemakers throughout the world perfecting their craft.
Quality cheese begins with one key ingredient: quality milk. Whether it be cow, goat or sheep milk, when made into cheese the flavors can be anything from super sharp to lush and creamy. And even though the process of making cheese is the same, the variations are vastly different from country to country.
The varieties of cheese are endless and very regionalized. Certain regions are known for their cheese making efforts and even have cheese named after the towns they come from; much like wine making. Cheddar cheese, for example, originated in the small village of Cheddar in Somerset, England. Brie was named after its originating French region. Even Monterey Jack hails right from Monterey, Calif.
With so many different flavors, how do you know what you like? Well just like with all good food, trying as many different types as you can is the best way to discover what tantalizes your taste buds.
Although I have been to some of the most amazing cheese shops in New York City and Paris, here in our little town of San Diego we are lucky to have a shop that is passionate about cheese.
Venissimo Cheese has four locations and two of them grace our city sidewalks in downtown and Mission Hills. Whether you are looking for rich Camembert or chunky sharp Cheddar, they will have a ton of varieties to choose from. Just like all great cheese shops, they have a menu full of quality. Broken into six different categories, (cow, goat, sheep, raw, pasteurized and vegetarian) I haven’t counted them all, but they offer hundreds of cheeses from all over the world.
If you are just dying to learn more about the world of cheese, they offer great classes and seminars. They call it the Academy of Cheese and they mean business. Learn how to make Mozzarella or Ricotta or taste a flight of American cheeses. Whatever you are looking to learn, their cheese experts will be happy to help. Check out their Web site for the class schedule.
If variety and learning wasn’t enough, Venissimo offers great party trays and gift baskets. They will also ship anywhere. So next time you need a gift for your foodie cheese lover, make a trip here, you will find everything you need to make a great impression.
Venissimo also offers a fantastic cheese lovers club. A pound of cheese plus a perfect pairing such as honey and preserved nuts is ready to be picked up or delivered to your house every second Friday of every month.
So whether you are studying the art of cheese, the making of cheese or just eating the cheese Venissimo is the place to go to for all of the above. You just can’t go wrong with this place.
