I still have my website running (https://www.cheesefromage.com/), it is dedicated to help catering professional with the service of cheese. You will find other information as well, all relative to cheese, like taste, cheese serving, and descriptions of different products of high quality readily available throughout the world (or at least it should be). Obviously, I still live in this world, and many things catches my attention, especially these last few weeks. So please read further to see what I think.
Well, the less surprising thing that happened recently is the change of president in the US. This is such a land of contrast where most of the population is so poor, most of the population is so less protected, most of the population is looked down, and most of the population is still dreaming of making good. This looks like a lottery land; one might win big and everybody pays for it. Going further, it is a mystery why so many from the south of the country still wants to go there when they could reform their own country and have a much better future; ah, the power of dream!
A cheesemaker at work in his artisanal lab.
The most chocking is certainly the message of the president to Europe. Yes, we have more history, we have more diverse languages, we have more different people, we have more diverse religions (not variations of the same religion), and NO we have not a president claiming to have been saved by God to make him great again (there would be way too much to do!). Overall, the population of Europe is better well off than in the US, each country is trying to look after its population the best it can, the diverse health systems rely on each whole population. We are trying to bring the level up, even if so slowly, for the whole population, we are not trying to make a very few people so rich to the detriment of the whole. Oh yes there are problems in Europe, so many people envy us. We were the first to believe in the right of man and woman, and we were the first to believe in the freedom of man and woman (with no bondage allowed…!). We believe in respectful dialogue, we even believe in the freedom of fools to say what they want, you might even find some following them, but we prefer freedom and the freedom of man.
We, in Europe, like quality. Most of Europe like cheese. So, obviously, we have many cheeses recognised as products of quality, and we like them. We like them because they represent an history of quality and people. They represent as well a specific area where there has been history made, people lived, animal grew, and cheese was made. Being in Europe, the cheesemakers tried to make their cheese the best way possible respecting the area and the local customs, always trying to bring quality to their product. And yes, there was some variations due to seasons and the years having a different climatic feel, but the cheesemakers always tried to make their product the best they could. Therefore, the cheeses which are recognised by the diverse signs of quality of the European Union are to be celebrated for their values. And for their quality of course.
So, these are European values and if the US is jealous, they do not have to do a tantrum about it, eventually they will grow up! At least in Europe we understand democracy with all our different governments and know that in 4 years things will change again. In the meantime, we can rely on China, they are dependable, they understand about history, we can rely on Putin as well, we know his type, we have history with Russian tyrants, we know what to expect! As to the Middle East, we know that only time and education on both sides can only start to resolve the issue of understanding, and we long to the times when Muslim leaders were leaders of learning, supported the arts, and were happy with a thriving society.
The nonsensical comments of Trump and his representants are laughable. We know that he likes when people talk about him, that he wants people to talk about him, but he is supposed to be a leader, a credible president, and the only thing that is happening is that he diminishes the US. He was not credible the last time he crawled in front of Putin to lick his boots, so we can only guess that he needs to shine them now! He his desperately trying to make people forget about his first time as president when the world realised that he was hopeless on the world stage, and this is not his latest prats that will change anything. Furthermore, what is only made in the US? Computer chips are made elsewhere, their cars are not competitive, and their industry is definitely not environmentally friendly. With the current US environmental policy, the world went back 25 years and it might take 3 times as much to come back to the current level, thanks the cow-boy; on the global stage if you are alone you achieve nothing. Once again China is dependable, they have problems and recognise them, they want to work for the world they live in.
One person that you have to respect is Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President. He said something that I have been thinking for some time now: Europe have a president, a commission, a parliament, and many institutions, but we need a European army of some sort. We should think about reforming NATO, with the European Union on one side with all its armies and the US. This would not diminish the US, well not really anyway, but this would affirm the importance of Europe for Europeans. On top of all of this, we have seen recently that the supposed US technological defence dominance is non-existent as to the European level of expertise. We still need to improve our propulsion technology, but we can get there with a good push. Obviously, we need more Europeans to believe in Europe and take this very seriously. As we have recently seen that the US is not serious about honouring some of their agreement if this do not suit them at a particular time, Europe need to be serious about its own defence; and on top of this, it makes sense.
For people who have read some of my comments, you might have realised that I do not like some aspect of the internet. I do not like the fact that people look at all what is said on the internet, and then that the internet will sent back to the same people some more of what they have already seen. People might not be able to think in a general way with a clear mind but be troubled with a specific idea due to the fact that recently they have seen one subject repeatedly. It is the same with AI, it is not because we have the possibility to have more information that we should be restricted to only a very fraction of it based on a few clicks. After a while this will distort our view and then we will not think in a broader way and rely too much on our electronic tools. This should even be more important when talking about our kids. They should have tools that help them express themselves and give them ideas, but they should not have any tools restricting them, and a smartphone will do that if they rely on it, especially for recreational purpose when they are supposed to be studying. Students need to make their mind work, not have a tool do their thinking. A tool is to do something, and we need first to be able to understand the tool and what it can do, and then to practise with the tool to see what can be done or which way it can be perfected.
Anyway, this is just me, but at least I think with my head. I have always thought that with a good education, not restrictive and manipulated, the Human Race would progress.
This is certainly why I like Europe, there has not been a general war in Europe since WWII. We have benefited from peace and progressed from Empires to a culture of the idea of togetherness. We should make Europe stronger first within itself to be able to benefit our neighbours after; maybe concomitantly but slower at first with some restrictions. Realistically, both the US and Russia do not like the EU, they would be happy do diminish any attempt to make it stronger.
There are many things, so many things in fact, that are good about Europe. We are so diverse, with so many different kinds of way of thinking interlaced with the same history. We might have troubles some time to recognise the diversity, but we realise it at the end. It is a fact of life that people are different, and with so many of us on Earth it is natural and beneficial.
So, we are now in the cold months of the Northern Hemisphere. It is a good time to enjoy good cheese (like there would be any bad time!), but it is especially a good time to enjoy a good melted cheese, think Raclette there, or an excellent Mont d’Or, even with some warm potatoes and cold pieces of meat or vegetables. As for diversity, some people might prefer a good gratin of pasta, or even some toasted cheese with some nice sauce to agreement it.
We should celebrate the diversity of cheese in Europe, the diversity of the people of Europe. Let celebrate Europe with one of its best produce, CHEESE, and I mean TRADITIONAL CHEESE of the best kind of course!
Open your palate and mind, and let’s celebrate.
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