By Carol J.G. Ward Knight Ridder Newspapers Not always pretty, sometimes stinky, knobby or gnarled, and occasionally covered with mold, cheese is chic. You read that right. Cheese is chic. The after-dinner cheese course, a European tradition, is making a comeback on the American dinner table. Restaurants are fueling the trend with cheese courses, cheese carts and cheese boards.
Cheese is chic.
A combination of the availability of good cheeses and consumers' eagerness to sample them is credited with the renewed interest in cheese. A growing popularity of European cheeses also has sparked increased production of artisanal American cheeses. Not to mention that cheese is easy to prepare, delicious and popular. Food markets are overflowing with a variety of cheeses. The American Dairy Association says supermarkets are the leaders in sales of gourmet and specialty cheeses, with 55 percent, followed by gourmet and specialty shops with 30 percent.