An Essential Cheesemonger

When you buy a cake or a box of Belgian chocolates, does the merchant usually offer you a free sample? Probably not, if you're more than 6 years old. Why, then, is it accepted practice to be given a sliver of cheese when you're contemplating a purchase?

Cheese aficionados might say it's because of the variety, the complexity, the glorious subtlety of the substance. I think it's because of the "ick" factor. Say you'd never had cheese before and somebody said: "Try it. You'll love it. It's made from curdled milk that's been sitting around in a cave for six months growing hair." You'd most likely respond: "What are you, nuts?"

To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Wall Street Journal.