Passionate participation–that’s more like it!
Day 14 Results:
Cheddar 64% v. Mozzarella 36%
Chevre 41% v. Parmigiano 59%
Here’s a link to the bracket up to and including the Final Four for your downloading pleasure.
As explained yesterday, today’s pre-championship pits Wild Card Brie against the winner with the slimmest margin from Day 14: Parmigiano. Monday is the Championship match, between today’s winner and Cheddar. You all know the rules by now… ENGAGE, engage with vim and vigor and jpegs, or I will select my own favorites! Democracy only works when it is participatory democracy, and I won’t hesitate to get all FDR on the bracket if I need to!
To round out today’s abbreviated poll, I’m honoring an old request and giving you a brief list of some personal favorite cheeses. Most are artisanal and/or imported; this is stuff that one has access to living in a place like NYC! However, it’s very important to look for any cheeses local to your area; the chevre I fawn over comes from the Berkshires, and certainly wouldn’t be nearly as good for a San Franciscan as a variety made on the West Coast. Google dairy farms and creameries in your area; certain places are obvious hot spots (New York/Massachusetts, Wisconsin, northern California), but small-scale dairies can crop up anywhere.
Happy eating!
Adams Reserve New York Extra Sharp Cheddar
Rawson Brook Farm Monterey Chevre with thyme and olive oil
Valdeón
Fromager d’Affinois
Affidélice
Merlot-washed Cantalet I had on my 32nd birthday–sadly, I forgot to note the source
Pecorino Foglie di Noce
Bleu d’Auvergne
Nancy’s Hudson Valley Camembert
Uniekaas Reserve Gouda
27 replies on “The Big Cheese Bracket: Day 15”
If only this was real life.
Brie because deep fried Brie, Brie with cranberry sauce, Brie between toast with dark chocolate. Brie because it’s the starters model for soft cheese eaters. Brie it’ll be!
Brie with raspberry preserves on buttery crackers…. mmm… I think I need a snack.
Oh, um, that sounds awesome.
We must avenge the fall of feta! Down with Brie!
Sadly, I am still quite the novice when it comes to cheese, and had convinced myself for years that normal cheese was gross and only melted cheese was edible. I’ve luckily come to my senses, but have only really experienced cheddars, parmesan and feta that can be purchased in a supermarket (all of which are amazing, just not adventurous). And now I’m in Japan, where there is only powdered parmesan, plastic-y “singles” cheese and weird ones covered in candy, apparently. As soon as I get home I’m going to buy cheese and cheap vegetables and make a toasted sandwich with sharp cheddar and a Greek salad. Or mac-and-cheese and greek salad. Mmmmmmm.
The tuna melt I said I ate yesterday was made of “American” “melty” “cheddar” “cheese”. It shows how much I like melted cheese that I ate it and thought it good.
You have plenty of time to catch up :) Also, think of it this way: you have YEARS of new cheese experiences ahead of you! I have to go further afield and spend more money every time I want to try something even sort-of new, and while the enjoyment is still stratospheric, the thrill is somewhat muted now that I’ve seriously cheesemongered for a decade. To a certain extent, for newness I’ve gone back to the melted-cheese level, in the sense that I’m doing more in terms of cooking with cheese and seeing what happens (which is part of why I initially described Fontina as “underrated”–it is phenomenal with lots of different foods and melts exquisitely, so it’s extremely useful for experimentation in the kitchen!).
The taste of brie reminds me of something no one should be thinking about when eating cheese. Sorry y’all, but I have to go with parm.
These are my two favorite cheeses in the whole wide world. I cannot choose. Nope, fuck that, I’m going with the Parm. It is such a nice compliment to my beloved pasta.
Not only is parmigiano deeeeelicious, but brie is both weirdly textured and mystifyingly beat my beloved feta. PARM PARM PAAAAAAAAAAARM.
Brie is boring. You might as well just eat a stick of butter.
Parmigiano has taste. Bite. Deliciousness.
This is especially tempting because I just ruined my dinner and am now rather hungry.
I would like to eat, instead, a block of grated parm.
I’m going for Parmigiano, partly because I love it, and partly to avenge my beloved Feta.
I want to take a bite out of that.
I may or may not be considering polishing off the last bit of it I have in my fridge with dinner…
BRIE! BRIE! BRIE!
I had brie melted on a cinnamon raisin bagel with nutella for breakfast. It was SO GOOD! Therefore, vote brie because breakfast.
Oh, god, I want that in my mouth now.
That sounds amazing and I want it immediately.
Brie and Nutella? I might need to try that right now.
I voted for parmesan but a tiny part of me hopes brie wins because I can’t possibly choose between cheddar and parmesan if it comes to that. I can’t.
I am weeping for Chevre. :(
Meee tooo. It’s the only cheese I have in my fridge right now… and, ever really.
Me, too, girl.
Vote Brie to avenge chèvre!
Wow, I am bitter about this. I didn’t realize how deep my feelings for cheese ran until my heart dropped when I saw that chèvre lost. I’m going to go make cheesy pasta to cheer myself up.