Thing 2: Artisanal Cheese Tasting

On my way to the library from work, with the mission of my new blog on my mind, I decided to stop into the Cowgirl Creamery on F St., NW. Ironically, the cheese shop got its start not far from my hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area, but it opened its downtown DC location last year and the Cowgirls are hometown girls, so I think it counts. While featuring their Cowgirl cheeses which are produced back in California, they also sell artisanal cheeses from around the country, and feature many locally made foods - chutneys and jams, bread and wine, soups and meats.

I wandered in and had a look around. The store is very white and clean, everything bright white. Coolers and shelving are lined with delicious-looking gourmet foods. The staff is incredibly friendly, and before I knew it the woman behind the counter was doling me out some free cheese samples! Note: Free cheese is the quickest way to my heart. I sampled their three house cheeses all made in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first was a mild, creamy cow cheese, followed by their "winter" cheese which is encased in herbs. I was informed that come mid-march, they will be switching to their "spring" cheese, which means I will have to go back. The final in the trio was my favorite - a creamy cow cheese that was more pungent and strong than the other two. I like my cheeses to taste just a little bit like the smell of feet. I finished my taste tour with the "cheese of the week", a very nutty-flavored sheep's milk cheese made in Minnesota.

I left the store en route to the library, but not before caving in and buying a small block that incredible feet-tasting triple cream and jar of locally made heirloom tomato soup which I plan on heating up as a small taste of summer if we get any more "wintery mix."