Cheese of the Week No. 1

So as a way to both survive in the big city and be surrounded by great food more often than not, I've been working at a cheese counter on the Upper West Side. Each week I'll try to bring you my picks for a weekly cheese combo platter. Some of them might be on the pricey side, but if you treat yourself on occasion, you'll be sampling a masterpiece -- the cheesemakers' interpretation of milk as art.

Humboldt Fog: goat's milk, USA; crumbly yet very rich and creamy with a dry mouthfeel, tangy and definitely "goaty," with a distinctive layer of ash in the middle separating the two milkings used to make the cheese; aged to perfection, it's my favorite goat cheese so far; eat with plain water crackers or nice crusty bread and a light bodied dry red wine.

Brillat Savarin: cow's milk, France; soft-ripened Brie-style cheese, though very young with only a hint of cheese flavor; a dreamy triple cream cheese that, when warmed to room temperature, spreads like butter and is perfect on strawberries and other fruit or bread. Great with champagne or a dry white wine.

P'tit Basque: sheep's milk, Spain; a stout little cylinder of semi-firm cheese, it's sweet, a little tangy, not overly "sheepy," really flavorful. Serve with a light red and bread, crackers and fruit.

Raclette: cow's milk, Switzerland. This modest looking cheese is really delicious and full of flavor. Sweet, a little nutty, not too firm, it's pricier than most Swiss cheeses, but there's a reason for it. Melts perfectly; makes a great addition to fondue, mac'n'cheese, or just as a table cheese. Sweet or dry white wine would be a nice addition.

Enjoy!