Let’s talk cheese.
I once visited Paris, the world’s cheese Mecca. There were cheese shops on every corner. I gazed longingly through the cheese shop windows but I never entered; I was too intimidated. How do you choose a cheese when there are 500 cheeses to choose from? Especially when you must read the labels in French?
I’ve always regretted my cowardice on that trip and wondered what I missed out on. I’ve found a chance to redeem myself here in South Africa, at the Cheese Gourmet in the Joburg suburb of Linden.
There are lots of cows in South Africa so it makes sense that there is also lots of cheese. The Cheese Gourmet has it all – hundreds of varieties of cheese, all but two of which are produced in South Africa. (The shop carries two Italian imports.) Cheese Gourmet also sells charcuterie and all kinds of local gourmet food products.
Massive cheese selection aside, the Cheese Gourmet is a nice place to visit. It’s a cheerful space and the staff are friendly and eager to assist. They’ll let you taste as many cheeses as you want for free.
I have a confession to make. I’ve been to the Cheese Gourmet twice and haven’t purchased anything yet. And I think I know the reason. Before I go cheese-shopping at the Cheese Gourmet, I like to stuff myself with a cheesy meal at the attached Cheese Café. (Cheese Gourmet. Cheese Café. Get it?) Once I finish eating, I am too full to shop.
Not surprisingly, cheese features prominently in just about every item on the menu at the Cheese Café. (Sorry, lactose-intolerants. The Cheese Café is not for you.) The Café also serves good coffee and breakfast all day. My only complaint is that there is no macaroni and cheese. Note to the Cheese Café chef: Please consider adding this excellent American dish to your menu. I promise you won’t regret it.
If you like cheese and are passing anywhere within a 20-mile radius of Linden (a charming suburb a few kilometers northwest of Melville), you must visit this cheesy slice of heaven.
The Cheese Gourmet/Cheese Café is at the corner of 3rd Ave. and 7th St., Linden.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.