I remember it well. A large wooden cart with small golden wheels. When you rolled it over the cobblestones (because that was the floor of the restaurant), it made a lot of noise.
On the cart lay cheese. Lots of cheese. Goat, sheep, cow, hard, soft, and even softer from a small bowl. For days I sat at home struggling with the names and flavors. I had postponed it for weeks to avoid having to do it. When a guest ordered cheese for dessert, I always came up with a big excuse to let a colleague serve it. Like: ‘I need to set that other table’, ‘I believe I suddenly need to go to the toilet’, or ‘There are a few other guests waving over there, so I'm going to head over there for a moment.’.
I have even dreamed about it. The sound of that rolling cart. I woke up sweating.
Look, eating cheese, you can wake me up for that. But explaining what all is on such a cart, what flavor, where it comes from: a nightmare. Now that I think about it, I feel the blush rising again. I always got that in advance when I was about to have to roll that cart to a table. I believe I actually tried it once and then casually said that a small, soft époisses tasted like steel. Like STEEL. How I came up with that, no idea.
Nowadays, when I order a cheese platter myself and I see out of the corner of my eye an intern or a young person from the service approaching me with the plate in their trembling hands, I immediately get nervous again. I try not to look at them, but especially to nod at the cheese with a smile. Really, that helps. I also found it terrible when guests stared intently into my eyes while I was trying to explain something.
This was my cheese-fear story. Yet I also absolutely love it. I know, cheese doesn't make you thin. Now there is no food that makes you thin, but this one really doesn't make you thin. And yet, give me a platter with vacherin Mont d’Or, brie truffé, pecorino, bleu d’Auvergne, and a glass of wine on a Saturday night, and you make me a happy person. Screw being thin.

Here you can eat cheese:
Wild Boars
One of my favorite restaurants in the city. Here you only eat Dutch cheeses.
Bar Boca’s
Perfect for Friday afternoon drinks.
The Cheese Room
Of course, you don't have to go out to eat for a good cheese platter. For example, stop by this shop on Saturday afternoon. Make sure to have everything explained to you and taste. You can be sure you'll go out with a bag full. Wonderful on the couch. With a glass of wine.