又中又英 | Cheese afficionados | 褚简宁

　　Many people prefer something sweet, such as chocolate cake, for dessert. People who eat healthy meals often choose fruit for dessert. Some skip dessert, which means to avoid or do without it. Culinary afficionados often have a cheeseboard to share for dessert after a Western dinner. An afficionado is a person who knows a lot about or is very interested in a particular subject. A culinary afficionado is a person who knows a lot about different types of cuisine. A cheeseboard is a wooden tray or large wooden plate for different types of cheese.

　　Some people believe eating cheese after dinner causes vivid dreams, which are intense dreams that seem almost real. Such dreams are often remembered long after waking up. But experts say eating cheese before bedtime doesn't cause vivid dreams. I love eating cheese. It is healthy if eaten in moderation because it contains protein, calcium, and vitamins. But some types of cheese are very stinky! Only cheese afficionados like this type of cheese. I don't mind stinky cheese but prefer ordinary kinds such as cheddar. Raclette is a very stinky Swiss cheese popular during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

　　It is served melted and hot on boiled potatoes or baguette (French bread). Some people compare the smell of raclette to the sweaty socks of athletes after a competition! I tried raclette some years ago during a cocktail reception at a high-end private club in Central. A friend at the reception asked me to try it. It was delicious but my sensitive stomach could only handle a very small serving. Raclette has protein and calcium but is also very high in fat and sodium.

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　　许多人喜爱吃甜的食物作为甜品，例如朱古力蛋糕。吃得比较健康的人，则会选择水果作为甜品。一些人则会skip dessert，意即避开甜品类，又或进餐不点甜品。在西方晚餐后，culinary afficionados常会准备一盘cheeseboard 分享，当作甜品。Afficionado就是精通某一范畴，或某事物的爱好者；culinary afficionado便是熟悉不同菜肴的美食家。A cheeseboard则是在一块木盘或一大块木碟上，放上各种芝士的芝士拼盘。

　　有些人相信，餐后吃芝士会有vivid dreams，即非常生动鲜活的梦。这些梦即便起床久了以后，仍会记得。然而专家们说，睡前吃芝士并不会带来生动的梦（vivid dreams）。我喜爱吃芝士，如能适量地吃它是有益健康的，因为它含蛋白质、钙质和各种维他命。但有些种类的芝士却是非常臭的！只有芝士爱好者（cheese afficionados）会喜欢这一类芝士。我不介意吃臭的芝士，但较喜爱一般的芝士，例如车打芝士。Raclette就是非常臭的瑞士芝士，在圣诞节和新年假期间很受欢迎。

　　它的吃法主要是热融后趁热放在煮熟的薯仔或长法包（baguette）之上。有些人会将拉克莱特芝士（raclette）的气味比拟为运动员比赛后满是汗的臭袜！好些年前我在一个高级私人会所的酒会上，也尝过拉克莱特芝士（raclette），是酒会的一个朋友叫我尝的。它很美味，但我敏感的肠胃只能承受小小的一份。拉克莱特芝士（raclette）含蛋白质和钙质，但也非常高脂和高钠。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻