Cheese!!!

It's no secret that I'm a cheese fan.  Did you see the amount of cheese I brought back from the US?  There's a reason for the size of my haul - Japan doesn't have a lot of milk based cheese.  Most of it is oil based and not my cup of tea.  When I do find cheese that I want, it is expensive and very basic.  Although I'm a big fan of cheddar, there's more to a cheese plate than just cheddar (and mark my words - not all cheddar is the same!). 

My husband found a cheese store and determined we needed to check it out, even though our fridge is currently full of cheese.  We hopped on our bikes and rode across town to see this cheese mecca. 

It was a small shop that featured 3 cooler cases with a nice sampling of cheese.  In true Japanese style, most of it was in little bite size pieces and sold in three cheese plates. 

Someone asked me if dairy intolerance is popular here, and I'm not really sure the answer to that.  I knew more than one student that got severe stomachaches after moving to the US and partaking in the dairy heavy diet that is popular there.  Pizza, cheeseburgers, and tacos don't sit well on Japanese stomachs.  It leads to very unsettled tummies.

The cheese sections in most grocery stores feature kraft style singles, a variety of grated oil-based cheese, and cream cheese.  Laughing Cow cheese is also pretty popular, as is boursin soft cheese spread.  What you don't see is blocks of Tillamook cheddar or balls of mozzarella or packages of string cheese.

The store wasn't super exciting.  It didn't thrill me like the cheese monger shops in Seattle.  The lack of cheese wheels and extensive amount of plastic packages didn't allow for the lovely cheese smell often found in gourmet cheese shops.  There wasn't anything extremely exciting or new either.  No matter the feeling I had, we still purchased some items: a pizza kit that included crust, cheese, and tapenade (only missing the tomato sauce); shredded mozzarella; and parmesan crisps. 

My son enjoyed making the pizza and I was very appreciative of the shredded mozzarella that I used in various ways.  If I am up a creek without a paddle, I'm sure I'll head back and buy some more.  In the meantime, I will just enjoy the cheese I brought back from the US and call it good.