For those of you who are in the know, I don't need to tell you that I have become a bit of cheese freak in the last couple of years — and I'm not talking about crap like Velveeta or American Cheese. I'm talking about the real smelly, moldy, snooty stuff from Europe where they are unencumbered by thoughts of pasteurization and olfactory offenses. From a fresh Chévre to a fine cave aged Gruyére, I can't get enough of the stuff. But, that's only half of the story for, you see, I am also an unabashed beer snob. I wouldn't touch Bud or Miller unless I had a gun to my tongue. A name brand for me is Ommegang or Hacker Pschorr.

Well, imagine my ecstasy when I discovered that I could bring these two gastronomical wonders together. This past Christmas, Beth gave me certificate good for one free course at Murray's Cheese — a famous cheese shop here in New York. And what class did I sign up for? Why everyone's favorite, High Altitude Pairings: Cheese and Beers from the Alps of course. Hosted in conjunction with B. United International, a local beer and wine distributor, the class was a blast. The cheese was excellent (Hoch Ybrig is my new favorite cheese) and the beer was unlike anything that I have ever tasted. Everything was exotic, rich and flavorful and, while I may not have agreed with all of the pairings, it was exciting to be exposed to such new and different tastes. I practically popped a taste bud.