Travelling To Taste Cheese

If I am somewhere that makes a lot of cheese, I will always try to visit a cheese maker. That's not for work; that's just super interesting for me to see.

Joe and I were recently on a trip to Spain. We were in Catalonia, and the weather was beautiful and hadn't gotten too hot yet, and we enjoyed a few cheesy sights. We bought some goat and sheep cheese from a small farm stand when visiting the Abbey Montserrat. We enjoyed a leisurely cheese plate on a sun-dappled boulevard in Barcelona with a glass of Vermut over ice, and we saw a lovely cheese store with a great local selection in Girona called Cheese Hunters (in Spanish of course), which I just loved the look of. It was decorated so cleverly with cheese boxes, and it really just made a great impression.

I think the most spectacular thing, though, was that we saw the most beautiful, abundant cheese cart I've ever seen in any restaurant yet. We were visiting the town of Peralada, about two hours' drive north of Barcelona. We visited a winery in the afternoon and then prepared ourselves for what was sure to be a lovely dinner with a group of wine and food friends.

We had a fascinating dinner with some inventive combinations, but none of it could compare for me to the moment the cheese cart was wheeled into the room. It was glorious!

The cart was laden with over forty-five cheeses, and the amazing part was that they all looked perfectly ripe, just right for service over the next few days. I knew that there must be a cheese wizard behind such a feat, and there was! A most charming man was pushing the cart and had chosen cheese to plate for our group. His name is Toni Gerez, and he has even written a book about cheese, particularly focused on Spain. We had eight cheeses each, and they were a really eclectic group of local cheeses, which is always my favourite. It's so great to try things you can't try anywhere else. What a treat for Joe and me, but to be honest, everyone in the group seemed pretty excited by the selection. I saw many empty plates and happy faces.

I think this is what is the most fun about travelling. It makes the long hours in the airport and the even longer flights worth it. You go somewhere so different from your home, and you are privileged to try the cuisines of whatever magical place you have travelled to. Enjoy wherever your travels take you this summer, and don't forget to try the local food and make sure to try some local cheese. Cheers, Allison.