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Although manufacturers may complain that names like 'parmesan' and 'champagne' ought to designate a generic product of the right ilk by now, I'm still rather charmed by the idea that local names can designate a local product. I don't mind that Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate must be referred to as a being a milk-chocolate-like product. And I certainly don't mind that the EU has just ruled against non-Parma area parmesan makers, saying that it is not "real" parmesan cheese.
In the same vein, I'm often struck by how few cheeses the US bothers with. Cheese is something richly varying and extremely local, at least in Italy, England, and France. There's an astounding lack of variation and creativity in mass market American (or Canadian) cheeses. I'm not saying there aren't good cheese out there... but there's certainly no real tradition of distributing them.
In the same vein, I'm often struck by how few cheeses the US bothers with. Cheese is something richly varying and extremely local, at least in Italy, England, and France. There's an astounding lack of variation and creativity in mass market American (or Canadian) cheeses. I'm not saying there aren't good cheese out there... but there's certainly no real tradition of distributing them.
saying cheese
as for cheese, I love the stuff! since living in Europe I've been spoiled by the variety and quality available, so when I go back to Canada I'm pretty disappointed with what passes for selection in the supermarkets. That said, there are some good delis and some places in Kensington Market and the St Lawrence Market in Toronto that are serious specialty cheese shops.
Re: saying cheese
I've heard good things about the St. Lawrence markets cheeses but have only patronized the Kensington Market ones... which happily sell halvah as well. The one I've been going to makes lousy pesto - but then again, they're meant to be a cheese shop, and they do do that well.
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On Cheese - YES! I can't wait to go to Europe on next year's trip if only to have more cheese.
I just went to a restaurant in montreal called "Toque!" where we had the most wonderful cheese platter, and it was remarked by my companion that we couldn't get cheeses that good in the US, mostly because US cheeses have to be pasteurized. Also because most people in the US have no taste for good food.
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Was it a good restaurant? Worth going back to? I'm sure I'll be back in Montreal at some point and it's always worth knowing about good places to eat!
It's easy to say people in the US have no taste for good food, but I'm not sure it's true. I mostly think that lack of exposure = lack of knowledge about food options = lack of demand for it. There are bright sides, and lots of people involved in the ongoing task of trying to change that. For example, friends of my family are involved in the US's first "real" prosciutto-making native operation. And not all good food is a foreign import either, especially when it comes to really tasty things to do with meat. One of the things I regularly miss most when not living in the US (unfortunately, New England doesn't count, it's no good for this either) is real barbecue. Mmm... barbecue ribs.
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Oh my god yes. Toque (on St. Denis) was the best food I've *ever* had. I also had the best sushi ever up there - Kaizen on St. Catherine's.
As for America - hmmm...I guess I'm pretty happy in Boston, with lots of local restaurants and most people I know here are willing to try new things. However, when it comes to the people I work with outside the city, they would rather go to TGIF every day than try something new, and I find that depressing.