Un homme qui n'aime pas le fromage ne peut etre bien au lit

Or, in English, A man who does not like cheese can't be good in bed. At least, that's what Collette said. I can't say I agree or disagree but I have to say that I don't understand people who don't like cheese. Not Kraft Philedelphia or prepacked sliced cheese or stuff that tastes like rubber in your mouth, but proper, unpasteurised, mouth watering, real cheese.

I adore the stuff and could live off it - aged, young, smelly, creamy, piquant, I love them all. Unfortunately, growing up in Australia there wasn't much of a choice when it came to good quality cheese except at the local Italian deli. I never understood why my mum always bought farmer's cheese for her strudels and cheese filled pancakes from them instead of the mass produced cream cheese from the local Franklins. But I do now - buy the best, from the best.

I think I became a food snob and put Italy number 1 on my cheese map because of that humble little Italian deli. Now don't get me wrong, I love French, Swiss, Dutch, Norwegian, Croatian, etc. cheeses but nothing gets me going like Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Provolone, Peccorino, Marscapone, Mozzarella di Buffala...

As an ode to good old Italian cheeses, here's a little recipe I came across recently. Don't know if it'll help the libido or improve your technique but it'll sure get the taste buds going! And do buy PDO or in Italian DOC/DOP cheeses - they may cost a bit more but they'll be worth your money.

Risotto quattro formaggi

1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
50g butter
1 sprig rosemary
500g rice
1 glass white wine
1 1/2 litres stock (preferably chicken or vegetable)
50g each fontina, gorgonzola dolce, marscapone (crumbled), parmigiano-reggiano (grated)
Salt, fresh ground pepper

Fry the onion and garlic in the heated oil and butter. When softened add the rosemary and stir a bit, then add the rice and stir until it turns glossy. After this, add the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, add half the stock and slowly add more as necessary. When the rice is almost ready, stir in all the cheeses except the parmigiano-reggiano. When done, stir in the the parmigiano-reggiano and salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat and put a tight fitting lid on for a minute or so, then serve. It should be very rich and very creamy...

Buon apetito,
The Knitting Songbird

PS Australia has thankfully come a loooong way when it comes to cheese making since the 1970's and 1980's when I was growing up. In fact, some cheeses can compare to the greats, in particular King Island cheeses from Tasmania. If you ever happen to come across them, do give them a try, they're heavenly!