I have lived in Upstate NY, wintered over in Alaska and was two years in Madison, WI. I have never been colder than in Madison. It was one the only place I've been, that they had someone go around and knock the dogs loose from fire hydrants in winter. : ) But some of the nicest people live there..why? Because misery loves company! LOL
Keep your Fontina, Your Boursin, your brie. But save, if you will, The fair cheesecurd for me.
Here's why. The cheesecurd is the Maria Callas of dairy. What other gelatinous globule of mostly milk protein sings? A Gouda will yield, a Parmesan shrink dryly away at the moment of truth, but a truly fresh cheesecurd will unlock its golden throat and release a glorious squeak. Some curds have a soprano voice, others a dusky contralto. The joy lies in the discovery. Like a freshwater pearl, every cheesecurd has its own shape. No knife has coerced the curd to a faceless block known by number and a weight. The cheesecurd is allowed to bloom, to spread, and to express itself as no other curdled comestible. In a single bag you might find the pyramids of Egypt or the tip of the Door. And yet, despite its many delights, the cheesecurd's chief claim to fame is its taste, its salty savor at home next to a pinot or a pint. Both modest and sublime. Like Wisconsin.