Monsieur Camembert

When I was a teenager, there was a restaurant called Death By Chocolate (it must have been that era of themed restaurants – I remember a lot of ranch-style places as well... maybe there still are and it’s an age-related thing...?). It probably overdid things in a slightly over-enthusiastic way – much like those of us that went there! Max Brenner it was not (there is regretting too much chocolate, and then there is regretting too much chocolate with a smug, overstuffed feeling that it was worth it...).

It is definitely still about chocolate but, far more than was the case back then, it is also about cheese (among, possibly, numerous other things)…

Picture: The Joy of Cooking

I don’t know that I’m ever going to get to a stage of having miniature alphabet pastry cutters, so although these would lose some of their impact if they were just normal cracker-shaped, they would taste the same. Another thing to add to the ever-lengthening baking pile...

But crunchy and cheesy is only one of so many possibilities...

... fluffy and cheesy is especially good...

Picture: Raspberri Cupcakes (soufflé from Tabou)*

... fried and cheesy is asking for trouble, but very tasty...

Picture: Raspberri Cupcakes** (deep fried camembert from Una's)***

... squishy and cheesy is another option...

Picture: Eat Show And Tell (croque madame from La Gerbe d'Or****)

... or gloopy and cheesy...

Picture: Grab Your Fork (cheese fondue from JPB Restaurant, Swissôtel)

... but perhaps the simplest, and certainly the easiest, is toasted and cheesy...

Picture: The Stone Soup

The only sort of cheesy that doesn’t appeal is the cottage variety. Further proof that healthy cheese is about as much fun as sugar free chocolate.

* I can well and truly vouch for this soufflé being fabulous...
** Who, in addition to a great blog, seems to have rather similar tastes in food to me!
*** Can also be vouched for, but should not be tackled lightly...
**** Looks tasty, but would have a job to live up to Sel Et Poivre