A confession: I love cheese. I’m almost Dutch that way – it’s not really a meal unless there’s a cheese product involved. I am happiest standing at the kitchen counter dipping pretzel sticks into flavored cream cheese. In fact, that’s what I had for lunch the other day. I think about most food (outside of cookies) in terms of whether or not it can be considered a cheese-bearing vehicle.
I give you this information so that you’ll understand the magnitude of the bargain I made with my mother (from whom I learned my love of du fromage ). I’d been telling her that she should cut down on cheese because I’ve heard that cheese and dairy can contribute to inflammation and she’s got wicked arthritis, and because she’s been trying to lose weight. So damned if she didn’t call me on my challenge and say, basically, that she’d go cheese-free if I would.
Okay, it’s not quite Sophie’s choice, but still: love of cheese or love of mother?
Mom won. I tossed out the remains of the cream cheese this morning; my lunch was salsa and ham and Wasa (a combination that would’ve been vastly improved with a slab o’cheddar); I can’t even think about dinner.
I told the boys this morning about the bargain I’d made with grandma about going cheese-less and asked them who they thought would crack first. Without missing a beat, they both said “you, Mommy, no way you’re going to make it.” Lovely, their faith in me, isn’t it?
So. An entire month without cheese. We’ll see.
I can always take solace in yogurt, I guess. I agreed to cut out cheese, not dairy, after all. I mean, I love my mom, but I’m not crazy.
I developed lactose intolerance about 5 years ago and I still miss cheese. And yogurt. And lattes. *sigh* Good luck! You can do it!
Michele recently posted..NaBloPoMo: Expat Edition – Masdar City
Well, probably I should do the full dairy, but at the moment cheese is going to be hard enough. I feel your pain, really I do!!
After your month is over, let me know if you want me to send you some stinky stuff from France!
Jacki recently posted..NaBloPoMo – Day 1
gooey and runny, I hope? A long time ago, maybe my first year in college, my mom tried to combat my homesickness by sending me a care package, which include a wedge of pepper jack cheese. Would you like to know what happens to a wedge of pepper jack after it makes its way cross-country through the mail and then sits in a mailbox over the weekend? Ain’t pretty. Sort of stinky & runny but not in a yummy sort of way…
I have a friend who doesn’t eat cheese. It wasn’t until we’d been friends nearly a year that I found out (noticed?) when she ordered a cheeseless pizza. Just meat and sauce. Um…ok then. I think I’ll need to reevaluate this friendship. I’m not much of an exotic cheese eater. Just give me some regular old cheddar, maybe pepper jack, and if you really want me to be happy: crumbled feta.
I wish you good luck on your cheeseless endeavor.
Arnebya recently posted..Sometimes the World and I Don’t Get Along
oh….say it softly…”Crumbled feta.” My mouth is watering. Pepper jack? You’re killing me over here…I don’t know. I’m not good at stuff like this – self-denial, that is – so we’ll see how far I get.
Oh cheese – so hard to go without. I eat cheese with everything. And cream. And I keep thinking something’s got to give because my waistband certainly won’t.
Lady Jennie recently posted..Autumn Glory
Well, like I said, I am trying ONLY cheese-free; yogurt & butter are still in rotation. Lowfat yogurt, butter only in cooking (and usually not things that I’m going to eat). But ooooh cheese. [insert sound of deep sigh here]
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