Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
– T. S. Eliot.

I could live at the Juhl Haus Market & Deli (formerly the Cheese House which was formerly the Cheese HAUS – one must agree – “haus” is much better than “house” when it comes to cheese). They have a delightful selection of international items (teas, biscuits, chocolates, confections, fondue pots – even fairly obscure articles like vegemite). They make scrumdiddlyumptious sandwiches. They make simply divine lemon bars.

BUTMore relative than this: the CHEESE’s the thing.

They have an mind-boggling selection of domestic and imported cheeses, everything from the rather staid cheddar, demure gouda and unadventurous havarti (a personal favorite, though), to a engaging Chèvre imbued with Anise & Lavender, several flirtatious blues blended with fruit, and the pièce de résistance, Fromager d’Affinois. This is a truly orgasmic triple-créme brie. I’ve never been an especially huge brie aficionado, but one taste of Fromager d’Affinois would make lactose-intolerant people want to commit hary-cary.

Moreover, as the Juhl Haus says:

Our impassioned cheesemongers are anxious to share their knowledge of cheeses with you as they suggest new ways of serving cheese, expose your palette to new tastes, and inspire your quest for the best in cheese.

No kidding – impassioned cheesemongers to “inspire your quest for the best in cheese.” I think I’ll embroider that on a sampler. And speaking of samplers, I do believe The Juhl Haus would feed you cheese tidbits all day: it’s DAIRY NIRVANA, I tell you! I only suggest you avoid the particular cheesemonger who thinks it’s hysterically funny to make everyone taste the “Bierkäse” (yes, that’s “Beer cheese”). Actually, I didn’t mind it, but I am, as you may know, an unabashed turophile. It made my husband want to heave.

RESEARCH NOTE: Gloom, bitterness and ANGUISH. It’s possible that Fromager d’Affinois is NOT a true triple-créme as I was told (and as one often reads), but a mere double créme. Please pardon me while I weep and lament over the shattered pieces of my erstwhile delusion. Then again – the horror – that means Fromager d’Affinois has only a 60% fat content as opposed the 70% of the “true” triple-créme.