Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Katie Carter, cheesemonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

When you walk into a cheese shop and that very particular odor hits your nose, you are most likely smelling the group of cheeses we call the washed rinds. Unlike the gentle fresh and bloomy rinds, this class of cheese offers a wide range of bold, earthy aromas and flavors. We can thank the European monks, specifically the Benedictines, for these whiffy creations.

These monks were part of an order that required a life of hard work, self sufficiency, and poverty. Beer became an important part of that life, as well as dairy farming and cheesemaking. The cheeses they developed often integrated their own beer. After production of a simple rennet coagulated soft or semi-soft cheese, the monks washed the wheels with their beer, a simple brine solution, or distilled spirits.

The process of continually washing the cheese attracts a common (and edible) airborne bacteria to the surface, growing as a reddish and sticky “smear”. This bacteria, brevibacterium linens, is responsible for this style of cheese’s characteristic aroma and red rind. It also happens to be responsible for smelly feet, which is why people associate this style of cheese with old socks or funky body odors.

Before you get all grossed out, let me state that the aroma of these cheeses are usually much stronger than the actual taste of the cheese (and, again, the rind is perfectly edible).

Today, washed rind cheeses can be made by any cheesemaker as the bacterial linens are commercially manufactured, allowing for better consistency from batch to batch. Most cheesemakers will inoculate the milk with this culture, as well as add it to the brine solution during washing.

Bergfichte

This raw cow’s milk cheese is made by my favorite cheesemaker, Willi Schmid, in Lichtensteig, Switzerland. It is a soft cheese wrapped in spruce bark from local trees. The cheese has an aroma of rosemary and pine due to the bark, with only a slight hint of farmy funk. The rich, creamy paste is in perfect balance with the other elements of this cheese. The Swiss taught me a very cool trick to enjoying this cheese: eat it backwards. Peel off the bark and eat the cheese from the outside in and you will get the full piney goodness that makes this cheese so wonderful.

Tomme au Jurancon

Hailing from the French Pyrenees, this firm, raw goat’s milk cheese is washed in a local Jurancon wine. Unlike the Loire Valley’s goat cheeses, this rarity has a deep flavor which reminds me of coffee or chocolate. The acidity and herbaceous qualities typical of most goat’s milk cheeses are there but it’s also nutty and slightly meaty.

Taleggio

Taleggio is a classic cow’s milk washed rind cheese from Lombardy, Italy. It is a perfect intro to the world of washed rinds. Washed in a brine solution, this cheese has a soft yet thick paste that is salty, creamy, and meaty. Try it in the next month or so and the cheese will have a hint of truffles.

Also look out for Grayson, Virginia’s most famous cheese. It is a beautifully funky raw cow’s milk cheese made seasonally on a small farm down in Galax.

Stay funky, Arlington!

Katie Carter is Arlington’s first and only ACS Certified Cheese Professional. She has worked in the cheese industry for ten years as a cheesemaker, cheesemonger, and educator. She can be found on Twitter @AfinaCheese. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Meet Zoe, a lovable but sometimes mischievousness rescue dog, and this week’s Arlington Pet of the Week.

Here’s what Zoe’s owners had to say about her:

This is our dog Zoe, a 1.5 year-old mix who lives in Arlington. We adopted her when she was 3 months old from Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation right here in Arlington — she was found on the side of the road with her brothers and sisters, all very malnourished.

She was a little timid when we first got her, but she has long since forgotten her tough past and is now quite the pampered pup. She enjoys strolling through Clarendon and has learned which stores give out free dog treats. When Lululemon has their doors open, she strolls right on in and sits in front of the treat jar until someone gives her a treat (and then her owner is FORCED to go shopping for new Lululemon clothes!).

She also rules the roost at home. Her owners have come home to various destructions, including chewed kitchen cabinets and hardwood floors, a digested Kindle charger, and feathers covering the entire living room from ripped-apart pillows. Despite this, her owners are obsessively in love with her and can’t imagine life without her!

She would also like to know when James Hunter Dog Park in Clarendon is reopening (July -ed.), because she misses her playtime with all of her neighborhood friends! And her owners miss how tired and calm she gets after a long day playing at the dog park.

The Arlington Pet of the Week is sponsored by Dogma Bakery, which has locations at The Village at Shirlington (2772 S. Arlington Mill Drive) and the Lee Harrison Shopping Center (2445 N. Harrison Street).

Want your pet to be considered to be the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email steph@arlnow.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and 3-4 photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a $25 Dogma gift card.

Editor’s Note: This new sponsored Q&A column is written by Mathew B. Tully of Tully Rinckey PLLC.

Question: My soon-to-be-ex-husband makes less than I do. Does that mean I have to pay spousal support after we divorce?

The short answer here is probably; however, it can sometimes be impossible to predict what a court is going to do when it comes to spousal support.

In assessing whether you would owe spousal support, the court would look at a number of factors such as your respective incomes, the duration of your marriage, standard of living during the marriage, how property was distributed, and the decisions made during the marriage as they affect your earning potential. So if the difference between incomes is slight and it was a short marriage, it is unlikely that you will pay support. In contrast, if there was a sizable difference in income and you were married a long time, you will most likely pay support.

Even after you owe spousal support, the next step is to figure out how much and for how long you will pay it. Unlike child support which has a set duration and guidelines, there are no statewide guidelines for determining either the amount or duration of spousal support. For duration, the general rule of thumb is half the length of the marriage, but exceptions often occur for exceptionally short or long marriages. If you have been married for a long time, you may owe permanent spousal support. In terms of the amount, some courts have adopted their own guidelines for determining support, even on a temporary basis, as is the case in Fairfax. But most courts, including Arlington, base the amount on each spouse’s financial needs and the totality of the circumstances.

On other side of the coin, if you are the one filing for spousal support before filing for divorce (during the separation period), you can seek temporary support from the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

As you can see, there are many different factors to consider when it comes to spousal support – it is a complicated area of law that you should not take on without seeking the advice of an attorney.

Question: I’ve been paying spousal support to my ex-wife for two years. Throughout most of that time she has been in a relationship with some guy who lives in her home. Even if they don’t get married, at some point will this relationship allow me to stop paying spousal support?

One of the most frustrating parts of paying spousal support is the idea that you’re subsidizing your ex-spouse’s new relationships. While many people know that spousal support terminates when you remarry, spousal support also terminates when the recipient has cohabitated with another person for one year or more.

So what exactly does cohabitating mean? Cohabitation occurs when two people live together in a situation analogous to marriage. If your ex is in a relationship with someone with whom she shares a certain level of intimacy and they live together, they’re cohabitating. If that type of relationship continues for a year, you can request for the court to terminate spousal support.

Much will depend on the circumstances in which you were ordered to pay spousal support. Oftentimes, spousal support is agreed to in a separation or post-marital agreement and, therefore, there may be different standards or rules regarding the termination of your support obligation. Also, the court can refuse to terminate the spousal support if doing so would be “unconscionable.” Before seeking any termination of support, you will want to meet with an attorney who can help determine whether your situation reflects these exceptions.

Mathew B. Tully is the Founding Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC. Located in Arlington, Va. and Washington, D.C., Tully Rinckey PLLC’s attorneys practice criminal defense, matrimonial and family law, federal employment law and military law. To speak with an attorney, call 703-525-4700 or to learn more visit1888law4life.com. 

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Last week I sat down with some of the Arrowine staff (including Katie, a.k.a. Your Cheesemonger, who has some amazing insights regarding the cutting of your cheese — you guys should ask her to tell you about it) to try out some beer and cheese pairings.

In the name of experimentation, we were slightly haphazard in the selection of cheeses and beers — we were looking to be surprised one way or the other by the results we had. Not that we weren’t looking for beers that would pair well but as you’ll see, a couple selections fell into the “I wonder what would happen if…?” category. First, a quick rundown of the cheeses we had to work with:

La Tur: An old favorite of mine and popular at Arrowine, La Tur is a three-milk (cow, goat, and sheep) soft cheese from Bosia in the Piedmont region of Italy. While its aromatics are a little funky (especially as it warms up), on the palate La Tur is very mild with the tang of the goat’s milk keeping it from feeling too rich.

Manchego Artequeso: Classic Spanish sheep’s milk cheese aged for about nine months. This sharp, dry, mild, relatively young Manchego can make for a tricky pairing subject.

Challerhocker: A popular cheese at Arrowine, Challerhocker is a washed-rind cow’s milk cheese that is semi-firm in texture. I find Challerhocker to be salty with bold, earthy flavors but not so salty that it isn’t a good ‘base’ to play other flavors off of it.

Valdeon: An intense Spanish blue cheese, Valdeon was the one I was looking forward to the most. I’m a big bleu cheese fan, and Valdeon pack a big punch for those who enjoy it like I do. The vein of the Valdeon is hot, with a strong, spicy presence on the palate.

Here are the beers we tried with them, with notes on how they were on their own as well as with the cheeses:

Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale: This Saison-style beer from Kansas City is hoppier than a traditional Saison, but manages to be crisp and flavorful without losing its balance. The spicy finish would lead you to think it’d be a great choice for a pairing—and you’d be right. Tank 7 matched with La Tur was the group’s pick for best pairing of the night; with the beer and cheese allowing each other’s best characteristics to shine. It seemed like Tank 7 went well with all of the cheeses — even the Manchego, which proved to be the most difficult cheese of the night.

Leipziger Gose: Gose is a style of Wheat Ale made using coriander and salt. With an alcohol level usually clocking in somewhere in the 4-5% range, think of Gose as a precursor to Belgian Witbier. I thought the citrus character, spiciness, and subtle salinity of Gose would work well with the Manchego, and cut through the richer La Tur and earthy Challerhocker — and boy, was I wrong. Pairing the Manchego with the Gose just brought out the salt in the beer and the intense sharpness of the cheese. The Leipziger played a bit better with the Challerhocker, but in the end this was the one beer that really didn’t go over well with any of the cheese selections. I still love it on its own, however, and think with the right seafood or even a salad with fruit and crumbled goat cheese it would be right at home.

Blue Mountain Maggie Maibock: I’ve been really enjoying this Virginia brewery’s take on the classic German strong Lager style, and thought it would make a good match for the Challerhocker. In practice the rounded mouthfeel and slightly sweet malt character of the Maibock did work, but the Challerhocker cut through on the finish in a way that just sort of threw everything out of whack. Something more mild, like Beaufort, would likely work better with the Maggie Maibock, though I did like it with the La Tur as well.

Maine Beer Company King Titus Porter: By now I think everyone knows how big a fan I am of Maine Beer Company’s work. As much as I love their Pale Ales, it’s the King Titus Porter that I think demonstrates the young brewery’s abilities the best. Rich, boldly flavored, acidic, sweet, roasty, subtle, and smooth all at the same time, Titus was my pick to play off of the Valdeon. While the heat from the blue cheese’s vein found balance with the malty Porter, the saltiness of the Valdeon was too much—a slightly creamier bleu or a richer dark beer would have made for a perfect pair. I liked what Titus did with the other cheeses too, though it was a bit much for the La Tur.

Alvinne Cuvee Freddy: Freddy was my wildcard; I love trying Sour Ales with food, and thought this would be a fun little experiment. Cuvee Freddy is a blend of Alvinne’s Flanders Red Ale with its Stout, which is then aged in barrels for 8-12 months. The result is sour and acidic for sure, but the malts from the part of it that was a Stout mediate that acidity just enough that it isn’t overwhelming. It took Katie and some of our other staff who were less familiar with Sour Ales a moment to get used to the beer, but overall it was the most interesting beer of the night pairing-wise.

I personally wanted to see what it would do with the Valdeon, and that turned out to be my own favorite match of the evening. The sour and salty flavors found harmony, which didn’t surprise me all that much; out of all the beer and cheese on the table those were the two that I would have wanted to take home to have together. Cuvee Freddy also showed well paired with the Manchego, which I didn’t expect, and its acidity and raisin-like fruit notes brought something new out of the La Tur.

Next time you’re looking to do something a little different than the standard beer tasting, think about picking up some cheeses and meats to see how they pair up. In many ways beer pairing is easier to accomplish that wine pairing, and different combinations can open your eyes to new beers or aspects of familiar ones you may not have noticed before. Let’s see some of your favorite beer pairings—beside pretzels or mixed nuts (which I love too). Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.

Editor’s Note: ARLnow.com will be highlighting the companies that join our Arlington Service Directory this summer. The Service Directory is a place where Arlington residents can discover quality local companies that provide necessary and useful services for people, properties, pets and possessions.

Becky’s Pet Care, named among the area’s best pet care providers by Washingtonian and Northern Virginia Magazine, offers professional dog walking and pet sitting services.

From the company’s Service Directory listing:

Started by Becky as a one-woman show, we are now proud to have grown to almost 100 walkers and sitters in our 14 years in the business. Serving all of Northern Virginia, from Alexandria to Arlington our comprehensive, flexible, in-home pet care programs are delivered by trained employees – pet care professionals providing peace-of-mind for clients and pets.

Editor’s Note: ARLnow.com will be highlighting the companies that join our Arlington Service Directory this summer. The Service Directory is a place where Arlington residents can discover quality local companies that provide necessary and useful services for people, properties, pets and possessions.

Arlington Tree Care is a forester-owned and locally-based company that helps maintain your trees so they stay healthy and don’t become a hazard.

From the company’s Service Directory listing:

Arlington Tree Care is a locally-based company here in Arlington, maintaining the natural health and safety of your trees. Our objective is to provide a seasonal maintenance program to promote natural health and growth for the life of your trees.

Editor’s Note: ARLnow.com will be highlighting the companies that join our Arlington Service Directory this summer. The Service Directory is a place where Arlington residents can discover quality local companies that provide necessary and useful services for people, properties, pets and possessions.

Time for a Walk, a pet walking and feeding business based in Arlington’s Old Dominion neighborhood, takes care of your pets while you’re out of town or at work.

From the company’s Service Directory listing:

Time for a Walk, LLC specializes in helping dogs, cats, fish, birds, and virtually all other pets enjoy their days/evenings at home when their parents are unable to walk, feed, or otherwise care for them. Time for a Walk is a licensed, bonded and insured dog walking/pet sitting employee based business with offices located in Arlington, VA.

Our professional dog walkers and pet sitters have the experience, knowledge, and love for animals, which is necessary for pet parents to feel comfortable leaving their loved ones in good hands whether during the work day or for a vacation or business trip away from home.

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is a long, but lovable Australian Bearded Dragon named “Kirky”.

Here’s what Kirky’s owners had to say about this unique family pet:

When our oldest son was six years old he asked for a lizard for his birthday. Our friends had a bearded dragon that he loved and they told us that it was easy to take care of. Off to the store my son and I went to pick up our baby “beardy” who he named Kirky. Kirky was about 6 inches long and ate only crickets.

When Kirky was about one year old, he was a bit under the weather and we took him to a vet. To our surprise and delight we found out that Kirky was a girl!

As she grew (and grew) Kirky lived in a 10 gallon tank, then a 40 gallon tank and now, 6 years later, she lives in a 70 gallon tank by our picture window where she loves to sun herself. Kirky is about 2 ½ feet long and lucky for us, she is not going to grow any more. She no longer eats crickets but she does love broccoli and celery leaves and her Bearded Dragon Food.

Kirky enjoys sitting on her log under her heat lamp to warm up. When the TV is on, she watches with us. We even tried to take her on walks but that didn’t work out too well. She just sat in the grass and did not move! She is incredibly easy to take care of and is a joy to have around the house! Guests who come into our home are fascinated by her!

The Arlington Pet of the Week is sponsored by Dogma Bakery, which has locations at The Village at Shirlington (2772 S. Arlington Mill Drive) and the Lee Harrison Shopping Center (2445 N. Harrison Street).

Want your pet to be considered to be the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email steph@arlnow.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and 3-4 photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a $25 Dogma gift card.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Adam Gallegos of Arlington-based real estate firm Arbour Realty, voted one of Arlington Magazine’s Best Realtors of 2013. Please submit follow-up questions in the comments section or via email.

Question: We just put our house on the market.  In anticipation of finding a buyer we would like to prepare for the inevitable home inspection. Can you provide any advice?

A professional home inspector will go from room to room testing the heating, air-conditioning, plumbing, electrical, appliances and smoke detectors. He or she will also evaluate the structure, roof, interior and exterior of the home.  What the home inspector finds to be positive and negative about the home will greatly shape the homebuyers perception of the investment they are in the process of making.

Don’t forget that the standard home inspection contingency usually provides them with the ability to cancel the contract. Yes, this does happen regardless of the market. Even too many little things can spook a homebuyer because they consider them clues about the overall condition of the home.

It’s a lot easier to be proactive about preparing your home for a home inspection. You will avoid opening up negotiation over a laundry list of repair requests and/or monetary credits. It leads to a transaction that is likely to progress smoothly and it is likely to save you money.

One of my favorite real estate authors (Jennifer Allan) put together a home inspection checklist for sellers that I have borrowed from and added to over the years, resulting in the following:

• HVAC system — have it cleaned and serviced. If repairs are needed, make them. Make sure it has a clean filter.
• Clean heating and cooling registers and vacuum inside if needed.
• Make sure your windows open, close and lock.
• Check for leaks in faucets and under sinks.
• Make sure toilets flush properly and are not wobbly. If wobbly, replace wax ring and bolt down firmly.
• If warm enough outside, de-winterize hose bibs.
• Make sure all light fixtures and light bulbs are working.
• Ensure that sinks and tubs drain quickly.
• Clean gutters.
• Replace cracked or broken window panes.
• Caulk around tubs and showers.
• Clean out grime in faucet filters (to maximize water pressure).
• Ensure doors open, close and lock smoothly.
• Ensure drain spouts extend away from the foundation.
• Make sure anti-tip bracket is in place for the stove.
• Run all appliances if the house has been sitting vacant. Listen for odd noises and check for leaks.
• Inspect roof and make repairs as needed.
• Test electrical sockets for the correct polarity.
• Test smoke detectors.
• Provide receipts and warranties for recent repairs and servicing.

If you are living in the house, chances are you know of other fixes that should be made prior to the home inspection.  It’s always better to make the fixes upfront than to have someone else mandate how the fixes should be made.

I have not yet employed this strategy, but I have seen listings where the seller actually has a home inspection completed on the home prior to putting it on the market. The home owner can use the report as a guide to proactively making repairs. He or she may also decide to furnish the report to potential buyers if they think it positively reflects the condition of the home.

Inspections can range anywhere from $250 to over $700 (depending on the size of the home) so this is not an inexpensive endeavor. It will however, put you in the best position to catch all the fixes that will show up in a home inspection and offer a truly move-in ready home.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Always Best Care of Arlington, located in Lyon Park, provides in-home care for local seniors.

From the company’s Service Directory listing:

Since 1996, Always Best Care has helped families with non-medical in-home care and FREE assisted living facility placement services. With Always Best Care, every client receives extraordinary care in an inspiring environment with caring people. We have worked with more than 25,000 seniors across the country. We’re here to serve you!