First 1001/101 Goal Achieved: #11 Tour a Cheese Cave

NEW YORK, New York

Word of the day: affinage (noun), French – the art of aging and maturing cheese. One who is professionally trained in affinage is known as an affineur.

As a confirmed Dairy Diva and Cheese Fanatic, touring a cheese cave was absolutely going to be one of the things I achieved on my 1001/101 list. But instead of waiting to travel to France, I found I could do it a little closer to home: Murray’s Cheese in Greenwich Village opens up its legendary cave once a month for tours. For $10, you get a 45-minute tour plus two tastings, and they had water and snacks out for us before the tour as well. It’s cheaper than a movie ticket, which is currently $12 in Manhattan.

There are different caves with different environments based on the type of cheese and its type of rind. There was an entire cave with nothing but goat cheese! If you are in New York or traveling there on Murray’s Cave Days, you should definitely sign up for one of the tours.

And now, mesdames et messiurs, le fromage…

Left: goat cheeses becoming all ripe and wonderful in their own dedicated cave
Center: an 85lb. wheel of parmesan, approximately $1500
Right: Stinky, wonderful washed-rind cheeses

Left: The cutest cheese in the cave
Right: Our tasting platter, with Grayson, a stinky cow’s milk cheese from Virginia in front, and Monte Enebro, a soft goat’s milk cheese from Spain at the back

But this photo really sums up the experience:
This is Constant Bliss, from Vermont – of course there would be a cheese named for happiness!

The requisite $100 for completion has now been stashed away in celebration. One thing down, 100 left to go!