There has been a special request; a certain red headed cheesemonger wants to hear about the Laughing Cow.  It began as a discussion last evening at the bar and after a few hours, after she had left some of us went to the bodega across the street and bought a little net of wax covered cheese candies.  Some people think of slumming in terms of a one night stand or a deboucherous night at a shady bar- here at the cheese shop we think of it more in terms of industrialized cheese. 

 My parents used to put these in my lunch box when I was in grade school.  The cheese brought back a flood of memories, sitting at lunch in my school uniform, the aromas of Elmer’s glue and construction paper are as much a part of the flavor as the milk itself.  As it turns out we are in good company with these Laughing Cow memories.  The brand is owned by the Bel Group, founded in 1865, it is one of the largest dairy companies in the world.  The group has subsidiaries all over the world and creates marketing and products designed for each country- think the USA to Syria to Spain to Sweden and back again to Tunisia or Chile.  The genius of the Bel Group is mostly in their marketing and advertising.  They make cheese a snack food and a fast food while keeping low calories and health at the heart of their ad campaigns.  Miniaturization is also at the core of the business- the cheese is cute and hooks child consumers from an early age.  And it really works, I mean, we all work at a high end cheese shop and still crave this rather flavorless product ( I beg you to contest my feelings on its flavor, yes you brother).  The cheese also caters to a bachelor’s lifestyle with cheeses designed to make a simple cocktail hour snack.  I think I might pick some more up on my way home, some Tex Mex cubes or some Cheese Yatzi packs, and  mind you I am not being sarcastic- I’m turning into a junkie.