Cheese at the Ritz Carlton Dining Room.

WOW.

I arrived at the Dining Room at around 7:30 to meet Ben Hetzel, the wonderful Cheese Buyer I've had the pleasure to interview. When I told the hostess who I was looking for, she told me that Ben was "busy with some guests" and ushered me into the bar to wait for him. I sat awkwardly at a luxurious chair in the dark, nearly empty bar sipping a glass of water. After five minutes, Ben rushed in excitedly. He was very gracious and asked me if I wanted some cheese to munch on. Of course I said YES, please. I waited another five minutes and started to get antsy, wondering if maybe he had forgotten about me. In another minute, Ben came strolling in with the entire cheese cart. He wheeled it right in front of me, opened it up, and began to, very professionally- I might add, present each cheese. They were so great looking. I found my eyes frantically going back and forth from Ben's enthusiastic face as he described all the details and stories about each cheese he personally selected for the cart and the majestic cheeses themselves. As he went through the cart, a pungent smell began to deepen with every second. I was delighted with the stink!

After having been introduced to each cheese, I was eager to taste some. I was wondering how I would be able to choose one or two when he brightly said, "SO!- Would you like to try a small taste of each of them?!" ALL of them?, I wondered. Oh my goodness! "Well, um...YES", I said, shyly. He cut a nicely sized piece from each cheese. We were both silent, as he cut into each cheese, releasing more pungent smells. Finally, he set down a large platter, artfully filled with a huge variety of cheese, in front of me. It was amazing to see so many varieties on one plate. He then set down another platter with crackers and delicious raisin-apricot bread. He then held up a hand and said he'd be back in a minute. Only a few seconds later, he raced back into the room with two small dishes- one filled with blanched almonds and the other with honey.

I felt really happy, but simultanesouly sheepish. Here I was, being treated like royalty for FREE and all I did was send a few e-mails to this guy! I wondered if it was legal, if it was maybe a trick.

Ben told me to enjoy and raced off back into his job. I couldn't beleive he would do so much, offer me so much of his precious cheeses, while he had absolutely no obligation to do so. I beamed as I solitarily ate my way through a plate of every cheese on the cart while a few nicely dressed ladies sipped their scotch.

I worried that I was making too much noise as a clanged my fork against the plate, scraping off every runny piece of cheese onto my bread.

When ben came back in, I was about halfway through the dish. He smiled at my progress and we made chit chat before he rushed back to the dining room.

When I was done with the cheese, I sat there contentedly.

To my surprise and- I must admit- delight, Ben wheeled in yet another cart. The desert cart! This man is a genius, I thought. how did he know I'm as enthusiastic about sweets as I am about desert. He asked me if I'd like to try every single one again. This time, I had to decline. I picked out 5 of the very best-looking sweets. A couple of minutes later, Ben came in and took me away from my desert to show me the kitchen. We both giggled and agreed that it's great fun to see the inside of a fancy kitchen. He showed me a small set of two fridges, not even temperature-controlled. Only a few cheeses were in there. He explaiend that he buys cheese regularly enough that he only keeps enough in there to last about a week.

I thanked him profusely and stumbled back to my desert. I finished and then walked out of the Ritz a very, very happy girl.

The cheeses I enjoyed, as Ben has so kindly informed me due to my forgetfullness, WERE:

Soft Ripened cow's milk:
St. Pat- cowgirl creamery with nettles
Pave d' affinois - France, double cream
Fleur de teche - Gonzales, LA, triple cream

Firm, cow's milk:
Comte- France #1
Ubriaco - Drunk cheese, veneto, Italy
Montgomery's Cheddar - Somerset, England

Goat's Milk:
Tome de Recollets- Goat's and Cow's milk with herbs
Le chevrefuielle- Loire valley cone with ash
Hyku- St Helena, Goat's Leap

Sheep's Milk:
Dante- Wisconsin, firm
Everona- Rapidan, VA

Blue:
Rogue River Blue- Bend, OR, Vella Family
Valdeon - Spain

Washed Rind:
Winnemere- Jasper Hill farms, Greeensboro, VT
Munster- Alsace, France