Cheese has been described as everything from "food for the gods" to "a surly elf, digesting all things but itself". The very word cheese conjures up a different image to everyone. The scope runs from Cheese Whiz to the majestic king of cheeses - English Stilton. In between there are the great Bries of France, the wonderful Gorgonzolas of Italy, the Classic Leyden of Holland, the deliciously different Gjetost from Norway, the fun Feta from Greece and so many more, too numerous to name in the confines of this gazette.

Cheese, like many gastronomic pleasures, is older than recorded history and has been a staple in the diet of mankind since animals were first domesticated. It may, in a way, have been the earliest of the "convenience foods," for the basic process of turning milk into dry curds transformed a highly perishable liquid into an edible that could be stored successfully for use in another season.

For the most part, the thousands of varieties of cheese are really little more than a form of artificially coagulated milk but, the craftsmanship that has developed over the ages has modified a rustic recipe to the point that there are now eighteen distinct categories and the variations number in the thousands.

In America, during the 70s, the serving of cheese to guests became increasingly popular. Today, a tray of assorted cheese and crackers is appropriate for any entertaining situation and tastefully traditional for the holidays.

Slabs, wedges and rounds can be arranged attractively and they deserve careful selection. Aside from choosing a whole cheese, from which guests can appease their appetites as they see fit, there are almost infinite variations of canape's - hot or cold - which are based on cheese.  A whole Brie, a Stilton, a large wedge of Canadian Cheddar, a delicate Chevre (goat cheese), a spicy Leyden and a Smoked Gouda would make a wonderful presentation. Serve these with an assortment of the wonderful biscuits and crackers that Carr’s makes for cheese.

Don't forget the wines. The confirmed wine lover is, by nature, a philanderer among cheeses and soon finds no food that better prepares the taste buds for the appreciation of subtleties in wine than does cheese in any of its myriad manifestations. Conversely, wine often heightens distinctions of flavor.