Now that Passover is quickly disappearing in the rear view mirror it was time for some leavened bread.
Amazing small batch production at the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.
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It’s one of my favorite places. No matter where I’m headed on that block, once I get a whiff of the cheesy funk wafting out that door I’m in!
That’s some expensive paper.
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Hah! We had cheeses for dinner last night. My son’s girlfriend joined us. I asked her if the La Tur was okay - if it was too stinky - she said it was fine.
My daughter interjected, wondering if people want to throw up when walking into a cheese store and smelling that funky odor.
"It’s all about association. I think it depends on your age. Younger folks in this country tend to have different exposure for food than say, European kids. Cheeses like those in a cheese store would probably make kids here gross out. I know I would have when I was your age.
Adults, on the other hand - those who’ve come to enjoy these kinds of cheeses - like me - well, it’s all about association. Cheeses are often associated with wonderful times. Picnics. Simple meals. Being with others who you enjoy. The Hollywood Bowl. Grand meals where cheeses might be eaten before or after dessert, or maybe even be the dessert. Weird, huh?
These cheeses - they are wonderful with fruit and vegetables, honeys, jams, maybe some preserved meats. And great bread - gotta have that. And wine - very traditional - even beer. Or what ever - what ever works for you. Cheeses just make everything better."
She wasn’t impressed.
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Nice @bulavinaka. 
I wonder how tourists vs. locals would react if walking onto a Durian farm in SE Asia. 
Probably the same type of situation you’re describing (growing up used to Durian vs. those that aren’t used to it).
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Haha!
[quote=“bulavinaka, post:5, topic:5523”]
Adults, on the other hand - those who’ve come to enjoy these kinds of cheeses - like me - well, it’s all about association. Cheeses are often associated with wonderful times. Picnics. Simple meals. Being with others who you enjoy. The Hollywood Bowl. Grand meals where cheeses might be eaten before or after dessert, or maybe even be the dessert. Weird, huh?
[/quote]Exactly. It’s not a pleasant smell, but reminds us of just those times! I’ve been an adult so long I can’t remember what I would have thought as a teen. But I was the last kid at home. They were over it and pretty much treated me like an adult (not always a wise decision). So my palate was pretty advanced 
.
I want some funky cheese!
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@Chowseeker1999, I’m sure the same. Our kids DO gag at durian. The kids in Malaysia and Singapore would dive into a pool of durian segments Willy Wonka-style.
My wife is from Malaysia - we met in Singapore. I tried durian in Singapore several times but unlike the aroma, it didn’t stuck.
My brother-in-law had driven hours to get what ever durian varieties were at their peak at that time of season while we were in Malaysia. He specifically wanted our family to enjoy it. So just our family, him and my father-in-law (wait - who invited him?
) gathered in the kitchen.
He got two types (I want to say the varieties were “mas selang” and “XO”) - the durians were split open, the segments were offered to us, and I had to do my best to keep a straight face. My kids at this point yucked their yum and promptly left the kitchen.
“Hmm. Definitely full of flavor.”
“Have more please!”
“That’s okay - still full from the wonderful dinner that 母亲(mother (my -in law)) made for us. Maybe your kids would like some too?”
Laying in wait at the kitchen doorway, his kids came rushing in not even with any prompting from their father and pounced on the evil fruit.
“Hey - leave some for uncle!”
“That’s okay - I’ve had enough.”
Oh yeah, my wife was sticking close to the durian as well, savoring every bite. The smell of her breathe and her fingers would be heaven to some. That was one sleepless night for the wrong reasons.
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I did just that.
Incredibly, there isn’t as much of a stench as one would expect from a place like this. But then again, durian, when eaten fresh off a tree, tastes very differently that it does after the funk of a few days of decomposition during transport.
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You might like what Thais prefer - from the tree, a little under ripe. I think most prefer it ripe to a bit riper. The ones I mentioned above were from the grower - maybe the day they fell off the tree to one day old. Still not happening.
The farmer who showed me around his durian farm says that the best thing to do is to wait for the dull “thud” as the ripe durian naturally falls from the tree and hits the ground. You then locate that thing, and eat it within the hour.
We listened and did exactly that. Heavenly.
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Good to know, but please feel free to take my thud! 
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Yum. Several years ago I took a cheese loving friend to a tasting / class there for her birthday. As the cheeses got stronger people gradually cried uncle but we kept tasting until the bitter, or rather stinky, end. Lots of fun but afterwards we decided that there was indeed such a thing as too much cheese.
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Mmmm… a cheese tasting. No, but seriously, you’re right. I sometimes wonder if the staff has a set of cheese clothes they wear only at work.
I’m going to try and find the pictures I took of farmers selling them from their boats on the Mekong. I didn’t buy any, because I was too busy obsessing over the giant catfish.
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