Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Couldn't resist, although my list of "can't gets" is probably longer than yours.

Mary

Not obscure unless you live in Southwest Colorado...Brillat-Savarin. Although I can occasionally get it here. There are others, but that's the one I'm craving right now.

Amy

Good gosh, what I'd give for a bit of Maytag blue right now!

Or a trip to the Rogue River Creamery, which Fuzzy may be aware of but I don't know if their reputation has spread outside of the Northwest.

No idea how obsure it is, but if you can get your hands on Quality Cheese's ricotta....heaven. We know the owners and live near enough to their factory so getting some is never an issue, but eating the entire tub is.
My husband is partial to their Borgonzola http://www.qualitycheese.com/products/cow-milk.html

Our tastes in cheese run to the pedestrian, a really good fresh mozzarella, old (AKA sharp in the USA) cheddar, parm reggiano, trentino grana (as that is my part of Italy), gouda, emmental, goat cheese and brie or camembert are almost always in the fridge. I can't keep a wedge of asiago for more than a week before the boys inhale it, great in minestrone.

Not obscure in this part of the country, but if you love Epoise and want to try a less expensive domestic version, try MouCow ColoRouge....a washed rind cow's milk cheese very similar to Epoise and very yummy.

I really like the comtes -- much better than gruyere and make the best fondue -- plus I can get them in various ages.

Oh, yes, it has. At least among cheese fiends. At this point, I seldom buy it because it's gotten too expensive; I yearn for the days when Oregonzola was $6/lbs!

I stopped at my parents tonight and they had just been to Quality Cheese and gave me a package of cheese. I asked my mom what kind it was and she said "smoked". I tried to get the what kind of smoked cheese it was...but to no avail. So chances are we'll love it and have no idea what it is without calling the store and asking the owner what he gave my mom.

Can you purchase comtés in the States? I imagine it is pretty pricy. I look forward to trying a bit when we get back there. I thought comtés was a Gruyère. I have a lot to learn about cheeses.

Tatoosh,

My grocer has Comtes. I think it's $18/lbs.