I’m not a cheese person, but one thing that occured to me to say after reading the other’s comments is to call your mom and see if she did anything funky in terms of storage for the cheese between the time of purchase and it getting handed to you.
Q, I might be able to get you some aged swiss. There is a cheese shop in Chicago that specialises in just this sort of thing. They have a 5 year aged gouda that is pure cheese Nirvana, It’s like the most concentrated cheesiness I’ve ever had.
Woo! A reason to go to The Cheese Stands Alone! Yay me:)
Ooh! Where’s it at? I’ve been known to get to Chicago from time to time! Tho not for cheese, I must admit. Seems almost… like treason.
Well, I’ll betray Wisconsin for a good cheese. Especially a swiss.
You’re out of the club. Heathen! 
I want me some of that Mobay. Yowsa.
I have plenty of cheese to practice on, Duff. I specifically asked Mom to get me 4 year cheddar because I’d tried 2 & 3 year, so I thought I’d try the next level. I expected her to bring back a 1 pound chunk. Oh no… She bought a small friggin wheel. It’s got to be 5 pounds. Which would have been excellent if I could handle the stuff.
I made mac & cheese with it tonight, and boy did I have to monkey around with the ingredients to make it edible. Sort of came out tasting like beer cheese. Next time, I’ll cut the cheese (groan) with a milder variety.
She kept it in an ice cooler. Really, it would have been fine if she’d just put it in the trunk (but on a cooler day). That way, it would have been ready for sampling when she gave it to me. Had to let the sucker sit out for a couple hours before I cut into it.
Why bother? If your going to have to go to contortions to make something taste good, then whats the point, no matter how much it costs?
Well, I agree with you. But I had to try it out with cooking. It’s the biggest chunk of cheese to ever live in my fridge and I’d feel awful throwing it away.
Throw it to me! I’m open! 
Note to self: when suggesting that people use cheese as an ingredient, remember to say that they should combine it with another cheese, as the implied message may not get through the internet. Sorry, my fault.
A whole wheel!! put it out at parties! someone is bound to say ‘that’s great cheese’ and when they do, make their day by giving them a big chunk. They will feel indebted and return the favor, hopefully with something you like better. Next time ask Mom for New Glarus or Capital beer.
To store cheese, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and put it in an unused part of the fridge. If you have alot (like 5 pounds) cut it into smaller pieces before wraping. Check the cheese every so often for mold. You can trim mold, you just have to catch it early and trim back 1/2 inch deep from and mold spot. As a note to those who are thinking about it…don’t buy grocery store cheddar and stick it in the back of your fridge for years to get an aged cheddar. They are made with different cultures and a cheese made to eat young will be awful old. A cheese made to be aged has no flavor when young.
Check out Formaggio Kitchen for various mail-order cheese goodness. Their Web page doesn’t show how truly great they are - I get their newsletter, and I can barely read it without drooling. Good cheese, and decent prices.
Of course, I can get Mobay and Kasa at the local co-op, and I’m hoping they’ll start carrying some other Carr Valley pretty soon.
But Qadgop, I would be guilty of feeding your addiction…
Heh- It’s yours if you send me a hunk of manchego of equal weight!
The only other true cheese fan I know is my best friend and partner in crime. And he doesn’t care for my new cheese.
And— Uh, I don’t like beer… OW! OW! STOP SMACKING ME!
I love cheese, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert like some of you evidently are.
:eek: no wonder you sent your mom to WI to do your cheese bidding…we don’t like to let your type in.
Here’s a link to a thread that discusses The Cheese Stands Alone
Warning: pictures of delicious cheese inside.
Hold on. I love the flavor been imparts to food and even the aroma of a nice microwbrew or import… but I just don’t drink it. Does that count for anything?
that should be BEER… :smack:
that depends…how do you feel about brats and brandy (not together)? :dubious: