New cheese fan

[eruheru]

Hi all!
I am a freshman in university and am looking to explore my passion for cheese. Having a lactose intolerant mother, I have been discouraged in the past from partaking in cheesy goodness. Any tips on where to start learning more and (more important) tasting more?
Thanks!

[Cheese Head]

Howdy eruheru, welome!

Sorry for my confusion but are you looking to learn more about Lactose Intolerance or about making cheese?

If it's about lactose intolerance, Search on lactose and you'll get a few hits including this thread. Basically in cheese making the lactose in milk is converted to lactic acid which normally doesn't give a person a stomach gas>wind problem like milk does.

If it's about cheese then tonnes of info on this forum .

[MarkShelton]

Welcome! Sounds like you have been deprived of cheese in a lactose-intolerant household  And you want to find out about all the different tastes and types of real cheese, and recreate it? Yeah?

I'd say check out some fine food and wine stores such as Whole Foods, Binny's, or an upscale local butcher/grocery store. They will usually let you taste whatever you like before you buy it. I have a local market around me (Inboden's Meat Market in DeKalb, IL) that has a nice variety of gourmet cheeses. I especially like Binny's (I think it's regional) The cheesemonger there is always very knowledgeable and helpful, and there is always cheeses (and crackers, and spreads, and olives) out to sample, or I just ask and he'll always give out samples.

I'd say just try a lot of things, and keep in mind what you like. That way you'll have an idea of what you want to make.

Where are you from?

[padams]

Welcome! 

Mark and John are right on....i have learned so much since i got on here.  pick a topic and start browsing!  As for tasting, if you have access to a real cheese store, you are SO lucky!  I'm actually thinking of trying mail order, because I am geographically isolated in northern arizona.

Good luck, and have fun!

[DeejayDebi]

Welcome eruheru -

This is a good place to learn about making cheese. There's also a section on book reviews you might want to check out.

[eruheru]

Wow, thanks for the enthusiastic welcome! I'm currently on long Island. I did a quick search on google maps and found a couple of places that seem like they would have a decent selection. I'll let you know what happens. As for making cheese, that might be something I do eventually but right now I imagine it would be difficult to do in a dorm room.

[DeejayDebi]

Yeah cheese doesn't do well i a microwave.