CheeseSnobWendy's Xombytes

Because this is my first "Xombyte," and because hopefully you will return again and again to read my posts, I imagine an explanation is in order. After all, I may claim to be knowledgeable about food, but how can you, Dear Reader, be sure, without spending valuable minutes of your time reading my future articles?

Anyone who has ever been in a reputable cheese shop or Italian food store has undoubtedly seen hulking wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano, their 80-lb bulk sometimes acting as tables to display more diminutive cheeses. Upon inspection of the “grating cheese” section of the shop, confusion often abounds. In addition to Parmigiano-Reggiano, one might also find lower priced facsimiles, such as Reggianito, and “parmesan.”

If you are lucky enough to have a Chinatown in your city, or at least a decent Asian grocer, you may have come across a behemoth in the produce aisle. Lurking amongst the demure oranges and tiny clementines are what looks to be props from some lost 1950s B-movie whose plot involved an evil scheme to expose grapefruits to radiation so they would grow to thrice their normal size and crush major cities.

Fear not. It’s just a pummelo.

Maybe “manifesto” is too strong a word. Treatise? “Statement” is far too mild, and fails to convey the raised fist – or fork – I’m pushing forth with the writing of this essay.

There’s no coincidence that in the Spring and Summer we crave fresh, bright salads, leeks, and asparagus. After the leaden Winter, we want something green and vibrant to rouse ourselves from hibernation, and it just so happens these vegetables are in season. Likewise, many a Winter kitchen is warmed by the aroma of cold-weather vegetables - the roots (carrots, parsnips, beets), cabbage, squash – boiling, baking, or roasting, steaming up the windows. In the cold weather, our bodies desire the extra fuel they give, whether we need it to cross the tundra or the subway platform.

During my day-to-day travels, I’m always amazed at how much people don’t know about cheese. Yes, I am probably jaded because I’ve been working with cheese for more than a decade, and most of my business associates “speak cheese.” So, when I go back into the non-cheese-expert world, I have to actually explain myself when I say things like “terroir” and “rennet,” or when I use the word “Alpine” to describe not a mountain range, but a cheese.