It’s 12 o’clock in the morning and I am ravenous for a snack. As I creep downstairs to the pantries and fridge, the one thing I long for is not present- cheese. I think to myself, is it too much to ask for a decadent cheese platter at this hour? Unfortunately, it is all I ever crave and all I ever want.

I am not discriminatory amongst my cheeses. Cheddar, Bleu, Brie or Goat, I love them all just the same. On crackers, on bread, in pasta or a sandwich, I must have cheese. There are many others who may feel the same way about cheese and a common phrase is known among us, cheese lovers, “Can I get extra cheese on that, please?” Our friends may think we are crazy, but they clearly just don’t understand that cheese is a wonderful creation we must embrace each and every day. Mac and cheese is our best friend and cheese cubes are an often-afternoon snack. When the waitress tells me to say “when” to stop the flow of Parmesan cheese sprinkled upon my fresh pasta, you probably won’t hear that command. If it weren’t for cheese, I don’t know where I would be or how I would live.

Though, there is an unsettling part to our cheese obsession- the price. Why oh why must fine cheeses be so expensive? This limitation makes it difficult to have fancy cheeses always stocked in the fridge, but it sure doesn’t stop us from wanting it. No matter how many times I try to ignore the cheese section at the grocery store, it’s calling my name and I eventually give in.

For those of you who do not love cheese, I ask you to reconsider. Dive into a cheese platter and stuff your face with Gouda and grapes. Go beyond the usual Cheddar mac and cheese and try some mozzarella and pesto instead. Until you open up your horizons, you may never know what you are missing. We cheese-lovers are inspired and adventurous with our taste buds, but also in our everyday lives. Until you get out there, you never know what could happen.

Cheese is great, cheese is grand, cheese is love and so much more. There are over 500 different types of cheese, so I know there has got to be one for everyone. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner may your meals be filled with cheese and all the ones in between.

Cheese comes in all different shapes and sizes, and they are all beautiful.