Smoked Cheese

My dad introduced me to smoked cheese (a.k.a. smoked gouda, but our family just calls it smoked cheese) when I was in grade six, I think. I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover this delicious type of cheese, but I like to believe that, until that fateful evening, my dad was trying to keep smoked cheese a secret from my siblings as I. Turns out I was the only one of us three who really fell in love with smoked cheese. My younger brother thinks it's fine, but nothing exceptionally special and my younger sister absolutely hates the stuff. My mum doesn't like it either. My dad and I don't mind their disdain and apathy for the cheese, mostly because whenever smoked cheese finds its way into our house, there's more for my dad and me to eat!

When my parents came east for a visit last month, they took a short trip up to New England. My mum has always wanted to visit that area and so my parents decided to make the trip while they were out here on the east coast. When they returned to Collegedale, my dad came bearing a special gift for me, a small, probably fairly expensive hunk of smoked gouda wrapped in wax to keep it fresh. Tonight I finally opened the precious bundle. The smell of an outdoor fire filled my nostrils as I unwrapped the package. But it was the taste that made me realize why people always rave about Vermont cheese. The few slices of smoked cheese that I allowed myself to eat tonight were the best tasting smoked cheese slices I've ever eaten. I've fallen in love with smoked cheese all over again... If you haven't yet tried smoked gouda, you've got to get yourself up to Vermont and find some. It'll be well worth the trip!