Ask the expert: Tia Keenan answers your cheese questions
When it came time to take calls from listeners for our 100% cheese-filled episode "Say Cheese!," we knew there was only one person we could turn to for both entertaining and expert advice, the fabulous Tia Keenan. Keenan is a cheesemonger, activist and author of the books The Art of the Cheese Plate and Melt, Stretch and Sizzle: The Art of Cooking Cheese. She is absolutely obsessed with cheese, and it was a pleasure to have her in the studio for this call-in segment. Listen to the full segment on the audio player above; use the times below to find specific questions. Keenan also left us with her recipe for a decadent French-inspired cheese dish, Aligot (Tuber Fondue).
00:00-00:32 - Keenan Introduction
00:32-06:46 - Suggestions for a milder blue cheeses and ideas for using them in salads, sauces and on cheese plates
06:46-09:00 - What is an affinuer and how does their work and expertise affect a cheese's character?
09:00-13:25 - Advice for exploring new cheeses and for building well-rounded cheese plates
13:25-19:30 - How do you determine what cheese to pair with specific food?
19:30-26:41 - What is good funk and what is bad funk? Plus, good cheese-buying practices.
26:41-28:45 - What are washed-rind cheeses?
28:45-35:00 - What cheese would you bring to a "Cheese I Have Never Heard Of" Party?
35:00-37:47 - Should you eat the rind? (It's complicated)
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