4 cheeses that should be in your circle of friends.

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to just stroll around a cheese aisle. To nudge a triple creme to see if it’s ripe. To revel in the newest mixing of cow-sheep-goat-buffalo milk for cheese. School’s been heavy and taking most my time, so when a few days ago I had the chance to just space out in a cheese aisle, I did just that. It was awesome.

I wanted to let you know what caught my eye just in case you too are in need of cheese inspiration. Buffalo milk gouda, coming up!

Here are 4 cheeses to meet, to re-introduce yourself to.

1. Vacca Nera: Called a semi-cooked cow’s milk cheese, Vacca Nera is an Italian cheese made from the milk of cows wandering the Beragamo Valley of Italy. Jealous of those cows. Semi-cooked means that the curds are stirred and warmed for longer periods than say, mozzarella, or manchego. While aged, the cheese is rubbed with olive oil and ash to make a dashing black rind. Flavor profile is between a Monterey Jack and a Fontina. Pictured at top.

2. Central Coast Buffalo-milk Gouda: A first for me, too! This newbie by Central Coast Creamery is a charmer. Buffalo milk is a higher fat milk so except a rich-tasting cheese that lends itself to more intense pairings. I loved this one with honey-poached-kumqouts but also loved it with a dark honey. It tastes like a goat gouda-cheddar hybrid and the milk comes from Morsey’s creamery. Coming soon on my Instagram, more for photos. Above, middle row, right.

3. Pecorino with stuff in it: I forgot how good sheep’s milk cheeses can be when studded with peppercorns, saffron, or in the case of the sheep’s milk I picked up this time, pistachios. Try one from your local cheesemonger too, you just might be as surpised as I was. Pair younger pecorinos with medium-bodied, high acidity reds like Barbaras or Carignans, and aged pecorinos stuffed with peppercorns with heavier wines like Zins or Cabs. Middle row, left in photo.

4. Chiraboga Blue: If you’ve been reading for a while you know that Bavarian Chiraboga is no stranger around here, but I haven’t seen it around in a bit so it was like running into a long lost lover. (do they get lost?). This double-creme, sweet, blue cheese is the blue cheese for either those who a) think they don’t like blue cheese, or b) or who those who like thier blues richer than the Kardashians. So preadable. I served it with a rose-petal confit.