Cheesy Communique from Alex

While I fiddle devices way beyond my mechanical capabilities (power converters, seat backs, tray tables), check out Part One of a recent “lecture” I gave at a local bookstore as an envoy of Nicole’s Gourmet Foods. Evan hid in the bookshelves to chronicle the speech, which was part of the store’s “Expert Series.” (SNAP!)
Reporting from a tin can 30,000 feet above the frigid shark infested waters of the Atlantic ocean – soon I will descend into a deep scotch and Diazepam induced slumber, ending (if I’m lucky) at 7.00 am tomorrow morning in Paris.
Yeah, France.
I am embarking on my first international business trip. I’ll be accompanied by other top minds in my field (cheese): Adam Moskowitz, our patron and the controller of literally all awesome edibles that enter America from Europe, Sarah Zabrowski, a former foot soldier of Murray’s cheese, the all seeing all knowing Brad Dube (who runs a swat team specialty cheese distribution company in NYC), a current sub lord of Formaggio Kitchen, and new friends from Bedford Cheese, a very highly regarded house of caseus in Brooklyn, as well as Kate Arding, the founder of Culture Magazine.
Heavy hitters. I guess this means I rule?
We’re headed first to the Salon Du Fromage (exactly what it sounds like: the biggest cheese show in Europe), a visit to Adam’s facilities on the other side of the pond (i.e. where everything leaves on its way to America), and then off to Switzerland to (gasp) visit 15 cheese producers. Real farm and farmstead heavies (no industrial factory farms here.)
In the mountains. In Switzerland. I will watch cheeses that I’ve known and loved be made. I will smell the cellars where they age. I will (god willing) take innumerable Facebook photos with alpine livestock.

In the meantime, here’s some more gabbing about the cheeses that should be on your next cheese plate. I’m going to ready my proverbial elephant gun for the cheese safari and take a nap before we land in the shit. You will see it all.
– a