A quandary

[Sarah]

I find it very frustrating that cheese, an important component of one of my favorite hot-weather meals (cheese, fruit, crackers) is full of histamines, which I'm wise to avoid in summer, what with allergies and such. 

Scyllas and Charydises abound in this life, do they not?

[dave from knoxville]

I find it very frustrating that cheese, an important component of one of my favorite hot-weather meals (cheese, fruit, crackers) is full of histamines, which I'm wise to avoid in summer, what with allergies and such. 

Scyllas and Charydises abound in this life, do they not?

I have a similar problem, but it's year-round. I find it very frustrating that food is full of calories, and as a result, I look like Homer Simpson, albeit with a full head of luxuriant hair. And if I stop eating, I will die!

[erika]

Hey sarah -- do the histamines come from the aging process of the cheese? maybe you could eat some younger cheeses like fresh chevre or farmer's cheese? they're not as tangy when they're not aged, but still hit the spot with some nice berries and chocolate!

I'm somewhat lactose intolerant (will only get worse as i get older) so I do a lot of research into the different kinds of cheeses I can and can't eat. It's annoying but I NEED my dairy.

[Sarah]

Young cheeses just don't cut it for me (there's a pun lurking in there, sorry; unintended as usual).  The older, the better, and blue is best.  Congestion and headaches be damned!  I will continue to consume moldy, smelly cheese, along with histamine-rich tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, chocolate, and alcohol, more of my favorites.  If one is supposed to suffer for one's art, why not for one's tastes?  Gourmandise is not for the faint of heart!

[erika]

I like my men how I like my cheese?

Old, salty and blue.


(all the foods you listed are high in antioxidants... so maybe there could be some good trade-off there.)

[Sarah]

Yes, I'll have more head-achey days to enjoy.

[Laurie]

I like my men how I like my cheese?

Old, salty and hooked on blue.

I fixed it for you.

[Sarah]

And there you have the explanation for my solitude:  blue has yet to reach Lubec yet.  There should be a special "blue-c" brand just for us.

(In case any of you is astonished by my prolific posting today, know that today--and tomorrow and the day after--I'm editing the ninety-page bibliography of a book on female monastics from the fifth to the fifteenth century.  This should explain my great need for distraction.)