I woke up this morning with the taste of hoof in my mouth. Normally, this would be unwelcome, perhaps even somewhat offensive.

However, when the taste of sheepy/goaty/heifery goodness lingers after a night of big-time cheese eating, you know you tucked into the good stuff. And that we did. Oh how I do love my cheese with a firm slap of barn-yard funk.

My husband and I, along with another couple, enjoyed a self-guided “walking food tour” of Baltimore’s Harbor East last night. If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s high time. Simply pick a restaurant as a starting point, grab a few seats at the bar, order some nibbles and then move on. The sheer number of restaurants in close proximity to one another in Harbor East makes this a prime location for a foodie jaunt.

We started with oysters at Oceanaire and ended with a selection of gorgeous cheeses at Charleston.  In between, we indulged in ceviche at Talara, charcoal-grilled langoustines and calamari at Ouzo Bay and a buttery pile of salumi at Cinghiale.

It’s tough to come up with a favorite, but I do have a love affair going on with Cinghiale’s prosciutto de Parma. I also can’t wait to get my hands on another drippy spoonful of the funkified French cheese, Epoisses. Thank you, dear Epoisses, for the stinky bloom on my tongue.

Epoisses