My First Limburger

Today I snacked. I snacked my way across Madison. Accompanied by friends and spouse, I hit several high-end yummy-food places and had a gastronomical orgasm of flavors and sensation. And I had my first Limburger cheese.



Among our stops today was a binge at Fromagination, Madison's (and maybe the Midwest's) best cheese store. I had some of a gift card left, so we bought three cheeses to savor. Our guests bought two more, some crackers, and a goat sausage. After a hard day of hunter-gather activity we needed a nosh. And an espresso.



We bought some interesting gourmet cheese: a raspberry soaked cheddar, an espresso dusted ...something...parmesian(?), a blued and aged cheddar, and a Limburger. Our cheese consultant at Fromagination - Priscilla (who rocks) - assured us that the proper way to enjoy a Limburger was to eat it on sweet potato crackers, with onion and unsweetened cherries. Coincidentally, one of our guests had brought us 4 lbs of unsweetened cherries from Door County. So that is how I experienced my first (and second through sixth) taste of Limburger: As a little tiny sandwich of cracker, cheese, onion, and cherry. It was pretty darned good.



Once the espresso kicked in and I was feeling up-and -at-'em, I poured a cocktail to go along with the cheese. I made a Silver Streak, sort of like a vodka martini, but rather than vermouth use a like amount of Jaegermeister. Pretty good.

Amusingly, despite all the espresso my friends are all napping as I type this. It is probably a good idea as the night is going to be long. We are going to experience Madison's take on Carnaval (Mardi Gras, Brazilian style) which means a long night of drinking, dancing, and glitter. Vita brevis, nudus pars.