Parmigiano Reggiano Commercial

Check out this hilarious Italian commercial for Parmigiano Reggiano - the song gets into your head!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmZ28NIQPbM&feature=related

Cheese Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
Doors of The Cheese Shop remain undone
But rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till cheese and charcuterie on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A honey, a wine,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each frowning, cheese-less mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The olives drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For The Cheese Shop won’t open,
Till after Year-end’
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘Your Cheese Monger is not lost; nor doth he sleep!
The Cheese Shop will open after the first,
And quench will we your artisan thirst
With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Please enjoy our rendition of this classic Christmas poem. The original version was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1864

Holiday Wishes From The Cheese Shop On Park

T’was Right Before Christmas…


And all thru The Cheese Shop
We’re hurrying and scurrying almost till we drop.
The finishing touches we’re applying with glee,
To bring you hand cut Wensleydale, Gruyere and Brie.


We’ve papered the windows to avert curious eyes,
For when the door opens there’ll be such a surprise!
Heartfelt thanks to all for your encouraging cheer,
The Cheese Shop On Park’s opening day is near.

Happy Holidays,

From
The Cheese Shop On Park’s
Cheese Mongers

Construction Update

The tile floors are finished - and the deli cases have arrived!

The walk-in cooler to hold lots of cheese.

Cabinets are in, ready for the granite counter tops.

http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/

Where For Art[isan] Thou?

• ARTISAN, ORGANIC, FARMSTEAD. All cool buzz words we Cheese Mongers like to toss about. But what do they really mean? Assuming this composition will not cure the insomnia from which I am suffering tonight I will delve into definitions, comparisons and why these words are important.
  
• AS with my favorite BORDEAUX region, Pomerol, the idea is quality not quantity. Would one expect anything less than perfection from a tiny communal region in France that produces less wine in a year than a certain giant Californian factory produces in six minutes?
  
• One year versus six minutes. Handmade, meticulously cared for, aged to perfection ARTISAN... or stems, leaves, insects and oh yeah grapes cranked out by a machine in six minutes. Hmmmm?
  
• And so is ARTISAN with cheese making.
  
• When I see a cheese maker's website feature pictures of their herd along with their children I think "they must care about their animals, right?"
  
  
  

• Artisan cheese making begins with caring. Caring about the welfare of these docile creatures from which you make your living. Caring about the integrity of the product you put to market, and caring about the craft and the artistry of the traditional cheese making process enough to stay this difficult path. A steel machine and a big sheet of plastic might be more profitable, but the cost of that profit is likened to selling one's soul.
  
• That brings us to the definition of the word Farmstead. A Farmstead Cheese is one that is made from a herd of animals owned by the cheese maker. The [ideal] flip side would be a cheese maker who does not own a herd of animals, but purchases milk from a local farmer [who posts portraits of his animals on his website] .
  
• Organic is a word that wears many hats.
  
• ADJECTIVE:
  Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter.
  Of, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease. [yikes]
  Of, marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin: organic vegetables; an organic farm. [thus organic cheese - milk producing critters fed crops that are not grown with nasty toxic stuff]
  Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals: organic chicken; organic cattle farming. [yes.... this is what we look for]
  Serving organic food: an organic restaurant.
  Simple, healthful, and close to nature: an organic lifestyle.
  Having properties associated with living organisms.
  Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole. [ooookkkaaayyyy]
  Constituting an integral part of a whole; fundamental.
  Law Denoting or relating to the fundamental or constitutional laws and precepts of a government or an organization.
  Chemistry Of or designating carbon compounds.
  
• Of course our main goal is, to sell you cheese :) BUT we want to be clear that we will not knowingly sell ANY product where an animal - or person [free trade is an entirely different insomniatic blog] is mistreated or chemically compromised.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Painting begins

The Cheese Shop On Park - brought to you in Technicolor!

Tile installation - we're looking more like a Cheese Shop every day!

Don't forget to visit our website http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/ - and forward our link to your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.

We love visitors - so please stop in and say hi if yousee the doors open during construction.

As always - if you have any comments, suggestions or favorite cheese requests - please send me an email or fill out our comment form below.

Till next time ! Kirsten

Raw What?

• You've probably heard some hub-bub about raw milk. Here's the skinny. Raw animal milk - cow, goat, ewe - is used to make the best cheeses in the world. Pasteurization kills all the tiny scary things that lurk in raw milk that could make one ill BUT great flavor, complexity, elegance etc. quickly follows the demise of bacteria during pasteurization.

• Can we get, sell, eat raw milk cheese in America legally? Yes. But only after said cheese has been aged for at least 60 days (the tiny scary things can only lurk for so long). That's good news for all of our longer aged, harder cheeses such as Parmesan, Gruyere and Romano, that naturally require a more gradual ripening process to peak. Bad news for the soft, moist, delicate cheeses such as a fresh raw goat's milk from France that peak two weeks out of the creamery.

• Fear not fresh goat lovers - we are perfecting our preternatural Cheese Monger powers to bring you the very best raw goat's milk cheeses - just to entice you with a few - Bonde de Gatines (raw goat's milk cheese that is light and gentle and aged long enough to make the journey from France) and Caprino Noccetto (from Italian goats, aged for 90 days and wrapped in walnut leaves with strips of raffia holding them in place - Ciao!)

Construction Update

• Painting of the walls has begun - only primer white so far - boring but necessary. We're cutting concrete this week and installing the underground plumbing. Then we'll be ready for the pretty stuff - colors on the wall which have not yet been chosen although we're narrowing it down, flooring, coolers (to hold lots of cheese) lighting, cool counter tops and cutting stations - and don't forget the wine racks. Wait until you see the center piece I have for the wine section!

• If you see the doors open please feel free to stop in and say hi. We met lots of folks over the past few weekends when we've in there painting (yes we're doing a lot of the work ourselves - I personally would rather spend more money on great Chevres!)

• I'll post some more pictures soon. Keep sending your suggestions and comments - we love all the feedback. ***NOTE*** Color scheme suggestions will earn you major kudos!!!

Construction Update

We have walls and a floor! Our permit was issued this week and as you can see by the pictures below progress is in the air!

Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and feedback! We love to get your comments on the blog (see the link below) and our website http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/



View of framed walls from back of shop looking out

The walls are almost done and the AC duct work installation begins.

We are building our inventory list and will be ready to go just as soon as the construction finishes up. We have many delicious and exciting handmade and organic cheeses for you to try as well as gourmet products and wines from around the world.

We are planning cheese tastings and pairings courses as well as a "must be there" grand opening party with lots of give aways and of course gourmet delicacies to try.

We will keep you updated here on The Cheese Shop On Park Blog Blast.

Keep the comments and suggestions coming - and please forward our links on to your friends and family.

Gourmet Gatherings

Reporting back from our trip to Atlanta - The Gourmet Food show was a great success! We placed a few orders, gathered tons of information, and met SO many helpful people.

• Look for Moravian Cookies - the thinnest cookie in the world. These unique, paper thin, crispy wafers might feel delicate (and are low in fat) but they pack a flavorful punch. Made by a family run (we love that) company who immigrated to the US from Czechoslovakia, we will carry three different flavors to start, but you'll have to come in to discover which - and enjoy a taste of each of course!

• We found jellies infused with wine, mulling spices from England (think liquid apple pie), artisan made java biscuits that respect free trade and satisfy your caffeine craving, and must-have chocolates laced with wild fruit flavors whose proceeds benefit wildlife.
  
  
• Amazing Artisan Honey in an array of fancy flavors (pour over Brie or St. Andre, open a bottle of a Washington Riesling and let's talk!) Tea that blooms a flower before your eyes as it steeps and much more.
  
  
• WAIT - WHAT ABOUT CHEESE ??!! We have so many fresh, hand-made cheeses you're going to love, crave, obsess over - STAY TUNED

More pictures will be posted next week of our construction progress - but things are moving along nicely. Feel free to stop by and peek in the windows, and stop in for a bite to eat at our neighbors The Bistro on Park (fabulous salads, sandwiches and Asian slaw!) - Tell Randy at The Bistro "The Cheese Shop on Park sent you!"

Here's a handy link to our website http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/ check back with us for updates and information.

Please fill out the comment form below - we would love to hear from you!

When we say CHEESE, You say...

WINE !

After lots of feedback - we decided to take your advice and take the plunge. Into an aged french oak barrel of Bordeaux Wine that is (and american oak, and steel, but those who know me know... my heart goes out to Pomerol). Our current vision is to carry approximately 30 to 40 different wines for sale by the bottle. Eclectic selections that compliment our cheeses, our list will include wine that is ready to drink and ready to accompany your posh wine and cheese tasting party or a romantic picnic in the park. Please feel free to send me your favs or finds in the comment section below.



CONSTRUCTION UPDATE


The design of our space is finished ! We submitted to the city Thursday, August 15. Our thanks to everyone at The City of Winter Park Building Department who have been so helpful and patient in answering all of our questions. Our landlord is commencing their work, pouring the concrete floor is first, then on to the demising walls.

Here is our "Coming Soon" sign which should attract lots of attention.





Below is a view of the shop from across Park Avenue.




Happy September and I hope everyone had a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend!

Here's a handy link to our website: http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/

The Cheese Conference

Lake Champlain, Burlington, Vermont

Our Trip to the American Cheese Society (ACS) annual Cheese Conference was a great success. We attended Retail 101, 201 and various marketing and merchandising sessions and came away with fantastic information and the confidence that we are on the right path. Each specialized session was panelled by experts in the industry who are passionate about their businesses and of course passionate about cheese! We attended the welcome reception and sampled lots of local artisan cheeses. We came home armed with helpful resources and contacts to guide us through our journey of bringing the finest products to our shop and ultimately our customers. Shelburne Farms http://www.shelburnefarms.org/ was an amazing and beautiful place. Set on 1400 acres, they are super into education and it truly was the perfect setting for the event. Above is a photo of the outside of the Breeding Barn where the reception was held, and below is Alan inside the reception.

Alan at the ACS Welcome Reception at Shelburne Farms, Burlington Vermont inside the Breeding Barn

In addition to the conference, ACS holds an annual Cheese Competition. This year marks the 24th year. And the Best of show winner is: Leelanau Cheese, Aged Raclette. There were many categories and 52 pages of the judging results (there were over 1200 entries!). Some of the other categories include, Fresh Unripened Cheese, Soft Ripened Cheese, American Originals (you know - Monterey Jack, Muenster, Colby, Teleme etc.), Blue Mold Cheese, Hispanic and Portuguese Style Cheese, Feta (yum), Flavored, Smoked, Farmstead (which means the cheeses and fermented milk products are made with milk from herds on the farm where the cheeses are produced), Marinated Cheese, Cultured Mike Products (Creme Fraiche, Fromage Blanc, Plain Yogurt), Butters and Cheese Spreads. Whew and that is not even the complete list! The Cheese Shop On Park may need a bigger store!

Don't forget to check out our website which morphs a bit each week. http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/ Let your friends and family know if they would like to be added to The Cheese Shop On Park Blog Blast email to head on over to the website and fill out the form under "Contact Us" - We promise no personal information will ever be shared or sold.

Also - feel free to add questions, comments, suggestions or cheese requests to the blog comment section below.

Next week: The Cheese Shop On Park build-out update!

The Cheese Shop On Park

We're back from the American Cheese Society's (ACS) annual cheese conference. Armed with a wealth of information and the confidence that we are actually on the right path in our quest to open Central Florida's first gourmet cheese shop.

At the conference we tasted lots of domestic cheese -all artisan, hand made. We are learning more and more about cheese every day and the one thing that I can't wait to perpetuate in our shop is the huge difference between freshly cut, handmade cheese and the dried out, suffocated, supermarket cheese that we are all [unfortunately] used to eating.

Our location - Park Place at 329 Park Avenue North in Winter Park (hence the store name The Cheese Shop On Park). Park Place is the beautiful new building just North of Central Park. Our space is currently undergoing its landlord work. Dirt floors are awaiting concrete. Walls and a ceiling will follow and then our work will finally commence. We've picked out our beautiful hardwood floors - a natural hickory - and I will be haunting antique shops for eclectic display pieces.

Stay tuned for pix from our trip to Vermont, as well as the progress of our buildout.

We are attending a gourmet food's trade show in Atlanta next month and will hopefully be going home with oodles of yummy and fun accoutrements.

Check out our website at http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/ or feel free to email me with questions comments or suggestions at kirsten@thecheeseshoponpark.com

"Because life's too short for supermarket cheese!"