We made it, y’all! We have another crazy October under our belts! It was a month of fantastic costumes, excellent Red Witch cheese sales, and seeing old friends who visit us every year as they swing through town for Halloween festivities. Pumpkins, music and confetti abound outside our shop’s doors as people wandered around buying crystals, going on spooooky tours, eating fried dough, and generally having a grand old time.

But now it’s November and the holiday season isn’t creeping up on us, but it’s more like fast walking towards us with purpose. Before I get too carried away with Thanksgiving excitement, which is basically my constant state for the next month, I need to take a breath so I don’t wear myself out before we even really get going. So tonight, I’m not going to scan through Serious Eats, Smitten Kitchen, Cooks Illustrated or NYT Cooking for Thanksgiving recipes. I’m not going to dabble on my computer, looking for platter inspiration and ponder how we will get all the cheese platter catering done. Instead, I’m going to sit with a block o’ cheese and enjoy the quiet moment before the madness begins. Or at least, that’s my goal. It is only the morning, so we’ll see how long my resolve lasts…

Of course this means I have to choose the perfect cheese. It must be all-consuming, or else I will get distracted and wander over to my phone to start scroll scroll scrolling through food accounts. No! I will focus on my cheese! Thus, it must be…drumroll going on in my head…Black Betty! Yes, friends, she’s back! Black Betty is perhaps our most anticipated cheese because we only have it from now until the beginning of January. Black Betty is a two year old goat’s milk gouda from Holland aged by Betty Koster – cheese shop owner, affineur, all around cheese celeb and the person I want to be when I grow up. She ages a very limited supply of goat gouda to two years. The age makes Black Betty deeply rich and sweet while also maintaining the savory, tanginess of goat’s milk. This cheese will certainly keep me focused and occupied because each bite is an irresistible swirl of tang, butter, caramel sauce, and salt. Oh yesss this will do the trick nicely, because now all I can think about is that I need a bite NOW.

For the love of cheese and pre-holiday rest,

Kiri