Breaking cheese at Harmon's.

The best grocery store in the area is by far the Harmon's in Roy. An artisan bakery, excellent deli that has some great ready-to-go foods, a great selection of gourmet food stuffs, and, best of all, a gourmet cheese counter! I often find myself at Harmon's on my way home from work, where I loiter around the cheese counter, chatting with John, my favorite of the cheese mongers. And it was fortunate that today I happened up to the counter just in time to watch as John cracked open a whole wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, something I've wanted to see for a long time now.

What luck! And I gotta tell ya, there is nothing like biting into a fresh sliver of Parmigiano-Reggiano, just taken from the core of the newly broken wheel, to die for. ^_^

(You'll have to excuse the poor photos, all I had was my camera phone. It was better than nothing, but doesn't compare to a real camera.)

A whole wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, about to be opened.


John scores the wheel to ensure an even break.


In go the wedges.


It took some work, but he got them all through the rind.


Out comes, and in goes, the big knife.


Ah, a newly opened canyon of Parmigiano-Reggiano!


John, the big cheese of Harmon's. Sorry, I couldn't resist. ^_^;

Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar

I was at Harmon's today (my favorite grocery store!) and picked up a wedge of Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar.

The cheese is a medium cheddar, but before they press the curd, they mix in Irish porter beer, which creates a beautiful marbled cross section. The flavor is nicely filling, and has just a bit o' bite, with a sweetness from the beer. The cheese also has an interesting distinction in that they use vegetable rennet to form the curd, rather than the rennet from a sheep's stomach, so you [i]could[/i] call it a "vegetarian" cheese, assuming you're a lacto-vegetarian, of course; or like me, an ovo-pesco-lacto-vegetarian. ^_^;

I think that a drink pairing is pretty easy here, Guinness, of course! A pint of Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewery would also be a great option.

Slàinte!