2010 HOLIDAY HOURS

Monday 12-20 OPEN 10am-5pm
12-21 thru 12-23 regular hours 10am-7pm
Fri 12-24 Christmas Eve 10am-5pm
Christmas Day CLOSED
Sunday 12-26 OPEN Noon-5pm
Monday 12-27 CLOSED
12-28 thru 12-30 regular hours 10am-7pm
Fri 12-31 New Year's Eve 10am-6pm

The Cheese Shop on Park will be
CLOSED
New Year's Day - Tueday January 4th

We will reopen Wednesday January 5th at 10am

Please have a wonderful
and safe Holiday Season!

Featured Cheese

RONCAL

Roncal is a firm raw sheep's milk cheese from the mountainous Pyrénées region of Navarre in north central Spain bordering south western France.



We like to say that Roncal is Manchego's big, bold brother.


Piquant flavours with a long peppery finish, Roncal is a beautiful addition to any cheese plate and pairs with full flavoured white wines and reds alike. $32/LB


The Roncal Valley possesses stunning landscapes and
contrasting climates.

The southern valley is enveloped in pine trees.
From Roncal to Uztarroz in the center, the valley is squeezed into
a gully of rock, beech and oak trees.

To the north lies the Belagua valley which is the sole glacier valley
in existence in Navarre, formed thousands of years ago from one
of the strips of ice which broke off from the Larra glacier. Its name
comes from the River Belagua. Belagua's diverse vegetation
includes pine, fir, beech, gall oak, hazel, box and lime trees.

Diversity gives this region incomparable complexity - which is most
certainly reflected in the deep, long taste of Roncal's most famous namesake cheese.
Come in and taste the difference!

The Village of Roncal (above) is found in the center of the valley,
with the river Esca running through it. The village offers a very
interesting array of structures (below) due to a number of typical
features which belong to the architecture of the Pyrenean valleys.

New cafe seating, new menu

New Cafe Seating has arrived!

and a new menu to go along with it including salads, themed cheese plates and much more!

Go to our website to check out the details.

http://www.thecheeseshoponpark.com/menu_-_new

2008 BEST GOURMET GROCERY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

The results are in!

Thanks to all our dedicated customers, and everyone who voted The Cheese Shop on Park is the Best Gourmet Grocery on WESH 2's "A" List 2008! We sincerely appreciate all the support and encouragement we have received from the community and our customers these first 7 months and we are looking forward to many many more.

PLEASE VOTE FOR THE CHEESE SHOP ON PARK

The Cheese Shop On Park is competing in Orlando's WESH 2 "A" List for Best Gourmet Grocery. Please click here to register and vote - it only takes a moment. http://wesh.cityvoter.com/the-cheese-shop-on-park/biz/87151

Thank you to everyone who has voted for us so far - we are currently in the lead!! We owe it to our loyal customers who have been so supportive over the past 5 months. The contest goes until August, we'll be sure to post the results.

FATHER'S DAY IS JUNE 15TH

Give Dad something really unique for Father's Day this year - Gourmet Cheese

The Cheese Mongers can help you put together a deliciously special cheese selection. Try a regional selection from France, Italy, Spain, or even the USA. Does Dad love blue cheese ? We have a dozen to choose from - even one from Australia ! (The Roaring 40's Blue).


Custom made Gourmet Gift Baskets are available to complete your selection with everything from select wines and specialty beers to Spanish or Greek olives, raw organic honey (delicious on Goat Cheese), exotic pepper jellies, gourmet crackers and of course our imported meats and pates.

Gift certificates are also available, or give Dad tickets to one of our upcoming Cheese and Wine Tasting Events. The next one is Get Your Goat on Thursday June 19th from 6:30PM - 8:00PM and July's event is Thursday July 17, 2008. Tickets are available at The Cheese Shop On Park or over the phone (407) 644-7296.

NEW ARRIVALS

NEW CHEESES

Gjetost - Norway - $8.50 Each - We got this cheese in via customer request. It is an interesting little cheese, 80% cow's milk, 10% goats's milk. Caramel-esque and deliciously sweet.

Asiago Pressato - Italy - $16.50 / LB - Pressato is the D.O.P name for this young Asiago produced in the Po Valley near Treviso, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. The texture is firm and supple followed by a lingering sweetness.

Widmers's 6-Year Old Cheddar - Wisconsin - $23.00 / LB We actually had this one in earlier this year, but we finally got it again. Aged 6 years this cheddar is SHARP SHARP SHARP, complex, nutty, crumbly and did I mention sharp?

NEW NOT-CHEESE

Dried Mango - $8.00 / HALF LB - We're now selling dried Mango out of the deli case - we'll be adding additional dried fruits very soon! If you love goat cheese, you will be in HEAVEN when you try it "schmeered" on a hunk of dried mango. I have it priced at the HALF pound - mainly because a pound is a heck of a lot of mango!

LIBATIONS

Leyris Maziere LiAiguier, Sauvignon Blanc Blend from the Languedoc region, France - $23.00 This is the white ORGANIC cousin to that big, bold, organic red you big, bold red lovers (me included) are dreaming about. Well rounded as you come to expect from a Languedoc wine, it's fruity, dry, diverse and oh - so lovable.

Trivento, Torrontes from Mendoza Argentina $12.00 - I am drinking this wine as I am writing this blog (this is my job - I love my job!) My first reaction when I took my first sip was - WHOA! It reminds me of my beloved Vigonier. Floral on the nose, bright, fruity with a dry and rather pleasantly tart finish. This wine is very pale - but don't let the flaxen, waif like exterior fool you, it packs a ton of flavour, trust me and try it. For 12 bucks - you'll be back for more!

Wine 101: Torrontes is the grape. The Torrontes grape is cultivated in the Argentine provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Juan and Rio Negro. The Torrontes wine made from this white grape is considered the best of its kind in the entire world. Torrontes is the most distinctive of all Argentine wines, including both white and red, because Argentina is the only country to produce it. It is considered a wholly Argentine variety.

Te Hira, Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand $22.00 - I ask you, from where else would a tiny cheese shop get their Sauvignon Blanc if not New Zealand? (OK France see the Leyris above) Zing, zip, gooseberry and steel this is your above average, boutique NZ SB with a lively palate and a lingering finale.

New Arrivals and Party Ideas

Our importers and distributors can't believe how quickly we have reordered cheese, but thanks to every one's wonderful support - we are reordering for the 3rd time in... 12 days!

NEW IN THE CHEESE SHOP

Stilton Thomas Hoe Stevenson Stilton is in! Thomas Hoe Stevenson was one of the original Stilton Cheesemakers from the Heart of the Vale of Belvoir. This amazing, popular blue cheese is mellow yet tangy with a well balanced flavour and creamy texture.

Leyden - from Holland, a lovely firm cow's milk cheese that is infused with real cumin seeds - and lots of them. Leyden is one of Holland's favorite snacking cheeses - and indeed it is tasty. I am going to try cooking with it - perhaps melting it over chicken or grating it over a nice hearty vegetable soup - I'll let you know!

Truffle Tremor - From Cypress Grove Farms the classic flavor of truffle meets the velvety perfection of ripened goat milk cheese. Earthy, elegant, and sophisticated, it's sure to make even the most distinguished taste buds shake! We got one 3(ish) pound wheel in on Friday morning and by 7pm Friday night we were left with less than a pound. Fear not - we've already placed an order for 2 more wheels. If you would like to reserve a wedge please give us a call (407) 644-7296. Reserves are taken in 1/2 pound increments $27.50/pound.

Purple Haze - Fresh chevre also from Cypress Grove (we love them!) Flavoured with wild fennel pollen and lavender this cheese is smooth, creamy and quite unique. Comes in small disks that are about 6 ounces at $9.00 each - they just about sold out in less than 2 days, but the reorder will be in this week as well and we are taking preorder reserves for this one too (407) 644-7296 - or fax your request to (407) 644-7242 - OR email me at kirsten@thecheeseshoponpark.com

Vermont Goat Cheeses Bijou & Bonne Bouche - An American line of ripened goats’ cheeses, Bijou is mild, sweet and creamy with notes of fresh flowers, citrus and hazelnuts. Bonne Bouche has a sharper goat flavor and is coated in ash. Both are great in salad or on a cheese plate with nuts, a drizzle of honey and dried fruit.Vermont Butter & Cheese Company crafts artisanal dairy products in the European style through a vital link with local farms. Based in the town of Websterville, the company supports a network of more than 20 family farms, providing milk and meeting the highest standards of purity. While Vermont Butter & Cheese Company has earned worldwide recognition, the company is proudest of its contribution to the health of local agriculture. After all, as Allison learned on a family farm in Frangource, quality originates at the source – with the people who work the land and the pride they take in the yield.

CHARCUTERIE [not cheese]

Palacios Chorizo - Hot or mild Spanish Sausage. This is the real deal! Made from a generations-old recipe by a family owned company in La Rioja. Distinctive smoked paprika sets Spanish chorizo apart from sausages of any other country. The first authentic chorizo available in the US. Featured in the New York Times and Wine Spectator. Fully dry-cured, ready to eat with your favorite cheese and wine. Simply slice and serve.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS FEBRUARY 3RD (2 WEEKS) ORDER YOUR CHEESE PLATTERS NOW AS PROVISIONS ARE LIMITED. Pick up only, we don't deliver.

Don't settle for boring, flavorless no-name cheese for your superbowl party. Treat your guests (and yourself) to hand crafted English cheddar, French Raclette (think adult grilled cheese sandwiches) or a cave aged Swiss Gruyere so strong it will bring tears to your Dragonhead Scottish Black Stout (which we also carry). Pair everything with the authentic Spanish Chorizo and stuffed Greek olives.

Seriously fabulous gourmet fare. You're worth it. Call early (407) 644-7296

Hello SUPERBOWL!

Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement. Please feel free to fill out the comment form if you have any questions or suggestions. Check out our website at 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

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!

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!"