AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

DO YOU PICK UP THA PHONE

2-YEAR CHEDDAR

from GRAFTON VILLAGE

I usually try to review cheeses virginally - that is, ones that I’ve never had before. In this case, this is a cheddar I’ve had many times before. But I couldn’t leave it off the blog, what with its obvious appeal to leather and rubber fetishists.

As far as cheddars go, Grafton’s 2-year aged isn’t going to shock you. It’s mild, light on the salt, with a slightly sweet and grassy flavour. It’s got a nice texture. It’s dense, more moist than I expected, and smooth.

So what is the deal with the gummi suit on this cheese anyway? Well, cheese has obviously been around a lot longer than fridges. Fresh cheeses like mozzarella are too moist to last very long outside of a cold place (bacteria and fungi do so love damp places), though I don’t think anyone was too mad about eating that stuff quickly. But cheeses that have been aged (and dried) more have some more preservation options, which is where cheese wax comes in. The wax is a physical barrier, stopping fungal spores from landing, and also blocks moisture and air, making the cheese a pretty unfriendly place to grow. Even drier cheeses can be bandaged in cheesecloth and then slathered in lard to preserve them while allowing some ventilation.

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus), male, HE SCREMMM!!!, family Cotingidae, Colombia

unauthorized fucking thing!!!!!!

(warning: loud chirping throughout)

the osprey here are mostly just a bit concerned because, typically, the reason why an unidentified fucking thing shows up in your nest is because it wants to eat you or your eggs. but I THINK? the ospreys here are semi-aware that the starling fledgling isnt an actual threat, but theyre still pretty nervous. which is why Iris is screaming. the starlings parents are pretty fucking scared tho which is why they're screaming. im honestly more surprised that they arent divebombing the ospreys personally but maybe they arent because they were literally nesting under the ospreys so they got used to them being around.