| Before choosing a gourmet cheese gift for | | | | · The Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins |
| friends, family, employees, or even for your boss, | | | | · The Cheese Plate by Max McCalman |
| you need to be sure that whoever you are | | | | In fact, including a book like this with your gift of |
| planning to give this great gift to would truly | | | | gourmet cheese would make the gift even more |
| appreciate genuine artisan cheeses. Gourmet | | | | special |
| cheeses can be expensive and you don't want | | | | Suggestions for Your Gourmet Cheese Gift |
| something this good to go to waste. | | | | Now that you know what you are looking for in a |
| How to Be Sure You Are Getting Genuine Artisan | | | | genuine gourmet cheese you can have some fun |
| Gourmet Cheeses | | | | in designing the perfect gift. Employing some sort |
| Once you've decided to give a gift of gourmet | | | | of theme like cheeses from particular countries or |
| cheese, be sure you do it right. The word | | | | regions allows you to add some variety, while |
| "artisan" is used pretty freely these days to fool | | | | having everything in your gift being tied to one |
| the public into thinking an ordinary product is | | | | particular idea. One fun direction to go with your |
| something that it is not. A great example of this | | | | gourmet cheese gift is with cheeses of the |
| applied to cheese is the fact that Sargento is | | | | Mediterranean. |
| selling a line of cheese they refer to as their | | | | This is a great theme to choose because you can |
| "artisan cheese blends". Mass produced cheeses | | | | include cheeses from at least four different |
| like this are not artisan. | | | | countries, which means four very different types |
| A true gourmet artisan cheese is made by hand | | | | of cheeses. |
| by skilled cheesemakers known as | | | | · Spain produces some very good |
| cheesemongers using centuries old craftsmanship | | | | gourmet goat cheeses. One interesting label from |
| handed down over the years. These cheeses are | | | | Spain is the Tipsy Goat. It gets this name |
| generally much more complex and aged much | | | | because the rind is washed in red wine made in |
| longer than mass produced cheeses. | | | | the area. |
| Frequently, the country or region of origin plays a | | | | · Feta is probably Greece's most famous |
| big part in whether or not a cheese is labeled as | | | | cheese. Feta is very versatile cheese because it |
| "artisan". This is especially so in Europe where the | | | | comes in so many different variations. It can be |
| quality of foods such as cheese is based on pride | | | | semi-soft to semi-hard and mild to sharp. It can |
| and years of tradition that make the | | | | be used in so many different ways, too, such as |
| cheesemaking techniques worthy of preserving | | | | in baked goods or in casseroles, as an appetizer, |
| and passing on through the years. | | | | served with fruit, and as a table cheese. |
| In America, when a cheese is labeled artisan or | | | | · Italy offers any number of great |
| gourmet, that title is based on the process by | | | | choices to include in your gift: mozzarella, |
| which the cheese is made. American gourmet | | | | provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Asiago to |
| cheeses are normally made by hand and in small | | | | name only a few. |
| batches. It is easier to control the quality of a | | | | · Don't forget France. They are most |
| cheese that is made like this. | | | | famous for their soft cheese like Brie, Boursin, |
| A great way to get more acquainted with | | | | and Camembert. |
| gourmet cheeses is to have on hand a good book | | | | There are some great non-cheese items you can |
| that can teach you the basics. A couple of | | | | include with a gift to give some flair and continue |
| suggestions are: | | | | the Mediterranean twist. |