The Calf and Kid

A Very Special Gift

2011-12-14T22:08:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely giddy with excitement as I type this, because a project that I've been working on for several months has finally come to fruition: the first annual 2012 Pacific Northwest Cheese Calendar!

I have had to keep this completely under my hat for fear that it wouldn't come together in time, which has been very difficult to do because I'm terrible at keeping secrets. This calendar is so much more than just a dozen pretty pictures (though the pictures are exceptionally pretty), it is one small way of me achieving my grand goal of the entire shop: to foster the connection between local cheese makers and farmers, and the people who love their products.

I knew I wanted the calendar to profit someone other then myself/my business, but I wasn't sure in what way, or two whom. Over the course of the past year many young people have come my way, expressing their want to become a small cheese maker, wondering where they could intern to hone their craft. I have been surprised and amazed by these people, and knowing there are many more of them I thought long and hard about how I could best represent the new generation of small cheese makers and farmers, while giving a much deserved homage to those who have laid the track for them.

I contacted Rick and Lora Lea Misterly of Quillisascut Farm up in Rice, WA, for help on this project. They were incredibly receptive to my idea, and I am both proud and humbled by the opportunity to showcase their goods, along with exemplary cheeses from all over our region.
All profits from sales of this calendar will go into a fund to provide scholarships for those eager to dive into the small farming community at one of Quillisascut's reputable Farm School courses

It was a difficult task to choose only 12 cheese makers from this area. I tried very hard to cover a relative gamut of PNW cheese, and I did rely heavily on what was available for photography at the time. However, I know there are dozens not represented. I see this project continuing yearly, showcasing a different set of cheese makers each year.

I owe many thanks to fellow cheese and animal lover Charity Lynne of Charity Lynne Photography. She donated her time and incredibly beautiful photographs for the calendar.
Also great thanks to all the cheese makers for doing what you do, every day, to make our lives a little more incredible through your cheese.

You can pick up a copy of the calendar at the shop. We'll see you soon!

Time Warp

2011-12-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it's already December! The holidays thus far have flown by, and were awesome thanks to everyone who came to the shop for Thanksgiving cheeses. We broke last year's record by hundreds!

For the next month we have a lot of exciting things in the cheese hopper, and for the sake of brevity:

Book Signing with Kurt Timmermeister of 'Growing a Farmer: How I Learned to Live off the Land'

Saturday, December 10th 11 - 2
You all know and love Dinah's cheese, now you have a chance to meet the man behind the curd! Kurt will be signing copies of his book, and in honor of this event we'll have a special: buy a copy of Kurt's book and get a wheel of his Dinah's cheese for $10!

Cheese Classes
By popular demand, we are now scheduling cheese classes for 2012. We will be offering Cheese 101 on a monthly basis starting in January, and a few specialty cheese tasting courses DTA. You can purchase seats for these classes as a gift for your fellow curd nerds. Just ask when you're in the shop or give us a call at 206.467.5447.

Holiday Cheese Selections
Need the perfect gift for your host/hostess? Or maybe you just want to leave your cheese in our hands? We're here for you with a wonderful selection of 4 cheeses along with the perfect accompaniments of Marcona almonds and Fig jam. These are available for $50 pre-paid, to be picked up on your specified date.

And as always, we will be eager to help you make the perfect holiday cheese platter. See you soon!

I have a thing or two to say about "affinage"

2011-10-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

As you may have already read, or heard, the New York Times posted a very poignant piece about the art of caring for cheese before it is ready for retail sale, or, "affinage".
You can read it for yourself here.
The piece focused on the few retailers in the U.S. who have the monetary and spacial bandwidth to truly give cheese proper storage where it may ripen to that perfect point at which it should be sold. If you can do that, and do it properly, great. I commend you. However, most cheese shops in this country are not that position, and I'm taking a moment to talk about the vast difference between those of us in the cheesemongering industry.

This subject of this piece is prime for the spotlight, as is anything that makes an already specialty food even more 'special'. What pinched my tits about this was the fact that this minor slice of journalism may give consumers the illusion that in order to be a reputable retailer you should have a 'cave', housing an unbeknowst cache of cheese that you are caring for behind the lines of your retail space. The retailers interviewed for this piece are among the very few, the rarest, of cheesemongers in the U.S. The truth is that most cheese bought in this country is from grocery stores, specialty food shops, co-ops, and independent cheese purveyors.

Consider the idea of 'affinage' in a strictly retail space, such as my own. I take in cheese as it is given to me by my distributor, importer, or directly from the cheese maker. I can assess it at it's time of arrival, and go from there. I am very limited in what I can do to a cheese once it's arrived in my shop, but I do what I can.

For example, I receive bloomy rind cheeses at various stages of ripeness. Some are ready to go, so we push them to make sure they are sold when they're at that awesome place of almost falling out of their rind. Others are still chalky in the middle, not yet ripe, so I will let them sit in my industrial fridge until they are at a point of ripeness where I feel confident selling them to my customers. Mind you, letting cheese sit in my backstock is not 'ageing', it is not an ideal environment for cheese to age, however that is what I have available. Likewise, I sometimes I get aged wheels that may arrive sweaty and a tad moldy. I brush them, let them breathe for a day before giving them a vinegar/salt rub, then let them dry for a day before cutting into them. I also keep dozens of other cheeses in my case that may require daily TLC, but I have never considered myself an 'affineur', I am just doing my job as a cheesemonger.

I wholeheartedly respect (the job of) the affineur. I spent many hours brushing and turning wheel after wheel of cheese during a summer internship, and my short stint in and out of the cave was enough to make me fully realize the immense amount of work that goes into making even one wheel of cheese.

To me 'affinage' is what the cheese makers, and/or their care-givers do to make sure their cheeses are prime and ready for retail. Retailers, or cheesmongers, do their best to make sure the product(s) they receive are in the best shape possible. And that is that.

American Cheese Month!

2011-10-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read it right, October is the first annual American Cheese Month. Thanks to the powers that be of The American Cheese Society and Beecher's Cheese, American cheese is the highlight of Fall!

We are participating in a program spearheaded by Beecher's own Kurt Dammeier. For the month of October, you can purchase a Passport for $10 (proceeds go to the American Cheese Education Fund), and every day indulge in one selected American cheese for 40% off the retail price. How cool is that? Even better, get a passport at our shop or at Beechers, and partake of daily featured cheeses in both places each day.

You can find out our daily selection via our Facebook page or Twitter.

31 days, 31 cheeses.

Work it!

I blinked and then everything happened

2011-09-29T23:42:00.000-07:00

Bloody Hell!

That's about all I can muster for the fact that I have neglected this blog for such a long time. I know I have readers who are, and have been, waiting for the next exciting installment of "The Life of a Newborn Cheesemonger".

If only we had missionaries, who would devote their lives to spreading the gospel of cheese....

Consider me back, if only for a moment. I promise I will not be that shitty blind date who promises to call you but you never hear from. And I will bring cheese.

One Year

2011-04-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

Holy amazingly fantastic curd-loving crap, in just two weeks we'll be celebrating our one year anniversary!

The realization that a year has already flown by is just as surreal as opening day was. Part of me is almost unaware of it, in the same sense that every day when I go into the shop, I'm not entirely absorbing the fact that I made this happen. I know people start new businesses every day, it's not like I'm curing cancer or anything, but it is still an accomplishment that I'm insanely proud of, and yet constantly humbled by. What I do is such a small part of the entirety of American artisan cheese, and I'm glad that I know so many local cheesemakers intimately enough to understand that by comparison, my job is a peach deal. They are the true laborers of their love; up and down before and after the sun, every day, no excuses; hours, days, months, even years spent finely tuning recipes and honing their craft. I feel blessed that I get to be a small part of that by means of bringing their goods to consumers. With every sample comes a small slice of knowledge about how that cheese came to be, and every time I can open someone's tastebuds to a new and different experience I'm reminded why I wanted to do this in the first place.

So year one, overall, kickass! I had realistic goals for the first 12 months: work out the kinks of day-to-day operations, get things running smoothly with a stellar team of cheesemongers under my wing, learn more and more and then some more about what I do every day, be profitable, and most importantly, keep people excited about cheese. Done and done. The icing on the cake are the things I hoped for but wasn't expecting: regulars from day one who come in and give me free reign to create a selection of whatever I'm in love with at the moment, visitors from all over who've followed my progress and made a point of introducing themselves in person and congratulating me for my newfound success, people asking for local cheeses by name after hearing of them elsewhere, making something as simple as cutting a new wheel of cheddar an event to behold. It is far beyond the dreams I had, and there is still so much more to look forward to.

Cheese classes are very popular, I'm so plussed at the enthusiastic turnout I've gotten so far from so many people who simply want to learn. You can expect many more of these in the coming months. Farm tours wound up being more of a logistical nightmare than I had expected, so they were tabled and I'm much better prepared to introduce that element next year. I am constantly on the hunt for new products from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, and there is nothing I love more than the flurry of hungry cheesehounds who descend upon the shop once I've posted an update about goods from a new creamery.

So I suppose I should be saying congratulations to you, Seattle, for helping me make this dream come true. Yes, I wax poetic, and it is warranted! If it weren't for the insanely white hot reception I've received from the Emerald city this year, who knows where I'd be right now? You all rule, thank you so much.

Exercising that cerebellum

2011-01-31T14:21:00.000-08:00

A week ago I hosted my first Cheese Class: Cheese 101! This introductory class is one that I plan to host repeatedly as it covers the basics of cheese history, different milk types and their characteristics, ageing processes, and then a whole lotta cheese tasting.

I have a really difficult time narrowing down my selection when choosing cheeses for an event, and this was no exception. I decided to limit the very large plate to 14 cheeses that would cover seven basic styles of cheese: fresh, soft-ripened (cow/sheep), soft ripened (goat), washed rind, semi-firm, firm, and blue. For each type I chose one classic European cheese and one domestic, so people could taste an example of one cheese steeped in history and tradition, and then see what some of our amazing American cheesemakers are doing in the same style.

In general, the sold out crowd seemed to love it and I got a ton of wonderful feedback from everyone. But you don't have to take my word for it, two attendees wrote very lovely blog posts about the event, so big thanks to Judith Ramey and Leah of Taking Root.

I'll be planning some extra special tasting events with fellow curd nerds that will focus on specific cheese selections by type or origin, and in the meantime keep your eyes peeled for more Cheese 101 sessions!

Cheese 101 Sunday February 13th 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Please call the shop at 206.467.5447 to reserve your seat!

I will tell you what's awesome

2011-01-10T21:35:00.001-08:00

This weekend one of my regulars, Mr. C*, came into the shop. We chit-chatted about our dogs for a bit and when it came time to turn attention to the cheese, he said "What should I buy this week?" I gave him tastes of three newer additions to the case that I'm in love with, each one a home run (his words), and he left a happily cheesed up customer. While that was happening another guy was perusing the case unable to make up his mind. It was obvious to him that Mr. C and I knew each other to a degree where I could make these recommendations, this newcomer remarked on how cool it is to come into the shop and ask for whatever I think they should have. He wasn't buying cheese that day but promised that when he came back he would just buy a selection of my choice.

I don't think I was really aware of it before, but I have this same relationship with several regulars, and come to think of it, that's pretty freakin' cool. One regular always wants a Dinah's cheese and then three or four of whatever I'm currently loving, but she doesn't do super goaty goat cheese nor care much for any of my French tommes. Another woman spends more on cheese than most of us do on the rest our weekly groceries, and she has a wicked appreciation for stinky washed rinds, soupy Spanish sheep's milk torta's, and big, robust blue's. For her it's not so much about conversation, she simply approaches and I start giving her samples of every big hitter I've got. She moans and groans a lot in appreciation, then buys ample hunks of a dozen things to share with her friends.

I could easily go on and on, about the gentleman whose voice I could listen to forever, who will taste half a dozen things but only ever really buys truffle cheese and Caveman Blue. Or the awesome couple who want their taste buds assaulted by things so stinky and sticky I save the over-the-hill bits for them and they love it.

I know I sound like I'm boasting, and hell, maybe I am a little! But really my customers deserve just as many kudos for being so receptive to what I'm doing, and that's my whole point. This is exactly what I wanted when I decided to do this - the same personalized experience I used to have at my local cheese shop, but being on the other side of the deli case is WAY more satisfying, especially when one of my favorite regulars, who's been coming in since opening weekend, tells complete strangers "Just ask Sheri, she'll tell you what's awesome."

*Probably nobody cares, but just in case I'm not mentioning any real names

Happy New Year's!

2011-01-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure how to begin this post other than saying WOW, again and again, WOW, thank you Seattle for making the first (partial) year of The Calf & Kid such a smashing success!

It's a little incomprehensible to think that one year ago at this time I was signing my lease and hyperventilating on a daily basis at the excitement and the intense stress of all that had to be accomplished for me to open. Next thing I knew, it was three months later and the cheese-loving population of Seattle was keeping me busier than I'd ever hoped or imagined. So I wax a little poetic; the experience I've had so far is entirely worthy of it.

The holiday season is expected to be a time when one in retail, specifically food retail, makes more money they than do any other time of year. This being my first holiday season, I wasn't sure to expect. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving were very slow, and I was a bit worried about how that food-centric holiday would pan out for my shop, but lo and behold, even in the midst of a snowstorm, Seattlites made their way to our counter in droves for delicious cheeses to share with their friends and family. That week was a blast.
Approaching Xmas (and by that I mean anything anyone celebrates during this time), I spent weeks stocking up and up and up, to the point where I had to face my wonderful staff and say "Well shit, if we don't plow through this inventory by the end of the month then we're screwed!"
And again, so many wonderful customers made the end of December the most amazing days ever. I simply could not be happier about this year, and am looking forward to 2011 just as happy as a kid in a bunny suit.

Stay tuned for some amazing events to keep you going through the cold winter months: Sunday afternoon cheese classes, more amazing cheese and wine pairing events with the illustrious Peter Moore of Poco Wine Room, and field trips to meet the cheesemakers and their herds!

Stay cheesey Seattle <3

The end of an era

2010-12-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share the news that Sally Jackson is reportedly retiring from the cheesemaking business.

As many of you already know, she recently cooperated with the FDA in a voluntary recall of all of her products when they were targeted as potentially being positive for e-coli. I had seven beautiful wheels of her cheese in my possession at the time, and having to dispose of them had me choking back tears. A few days later I hear through the cheese grapevine that she was selling off her small herd of several pregnant ewes, some nubian goats, and a few Swiss cows. I admit I wasn't entirely surprised to hear this, but it still made me depressed and sickened; this is not the way any cheesemaker should go out.

The sliver of a silver lining in all of this is that the public is just as saddened by this as I am. Customers have been coming in to ask after her, and the general feedback that I've received is that of sympathy and great love for what she has accomplished. She is quite simply a legacy in American artisan cheesemaking, and her cheese will be dearly missed.

I've also had many people ask what they might be able to do to help. I don't know Sally very well, in fact I've never met her in person or seen her amazing farm, but I do know that she needs our support as she goes through this incredibly difficult transition. I do know that she is among the most humble people I've come across, and it would mean the world to her to hear from you, so please take a few moments during this crazy time of year to write her a postcard or a letter, send her an email, and tell her how much you have loved her cheeses over the years. You can find contact information for her on her website.

Sally Jackson Cheese recalled

2010-12-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

Today brought the sad news that all of Sally Jackson's cheeses have been voluntarily recalled.

This is the result of a recent outbreak of e-coli in the area, linked to a cheese plate upon which her cheese, among others, was consumed. Tami Parr of Pacific Northwest Cheese Project has a summary here.

This is pretty devastating for me right now, and after speaking briefly with Sally this morning, it is very up in the air as to what will come of this. What I do know is that the strain of e-coli found in the persons who became sick has not been specifically linked to her cheese, this is a cautionary measure at this time.

Anyone who has purchased, or is planning to purchase one of our Pacific Northwest Selections for the holiday season, which feature a wedge of Sally Jackson goat, we will be substituting an equally delicious product from the area.

If you bought any Sally Jackson cheese from my shop in the past 2-3 weeks, please dispose of any unconsumed portions. If you like, you may return any unconsumed cheese of hers in exchange for another cheese.

A marriage made in heaven: Bacon Wrapped Brie

2010-12-14T21:40:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has always been, for me and for so many of us, a time of indulgence. Food, drink, talking myself hoarse among loved one to excess, all part of the gameplan. In the spirit of indulgence, I bring you a very special treat, commonly referred to as a "small wheel of pure sin" in my house, but for the sake of brevity it will be plainly known in the shop as "Bacon Wrapped Brie".

The inspiration for this ridiculously delicious little morsel comes from our favorite neighborhood shop back in Brooklyn, Bedford Cheese Shop. One Thanksgiving or Christmas many years ago we made our usual stop there to stock up on decadent treats before heading to the family's homestead for a few days of eating ourselves stupid, and they had this glorious little gem tucked into the wee side of the case, almost hidden, which I can now understand seeing as they may have had the privilege of taking home those unsold.

It was a small disc of a ripe, punchy brie, wrapped in locally produced, cured bacon.

We snapped it up and salivated the entire 4 hour drive to New Hampshire, thinking and talking about how awesome it would be to sear that baby into a molten, gooey glob of salty pork and tangy curd. What we eventually experienced far exceeded our wildest dreams, and I could not pass up the opportunity to re-create it during this, my first of many holiday seasons.

Bacon on anything tends to be a no-brainer, for sure, but I find myself in an especially fortunate situation sharing market space with Rain Shadow Meats, procurers of the most amazing double smoked Colorado bacon I've ever laid my tastebuds upon. The difficult choice for this project was the cheese - it needed to be affordable, with a thick rind that could hold up to a bit of heat, with enough punchy flavor to stand up to the salty bacon fat, but not enough to compete with it. The clear winner: Weybridge. This modest 3.5 oz. round is everything you want in a well-balanced brie; creamy, buttery pate with a slight tangy kick that intensifies just so when you reach the hearty but not-too-thick rind. Made with love by Scholten Family Farm in Weybridge, VT, this palatable cheese makes it's way to the west coast via the Cellars at Jasper Hill. I've been eating this cheese for a while now, and have taken much notice to how well it holds its form as it warms, which led me to believe that it would melt like a dream just as the bacon began to crisp, and I was right. Oooohhhhh so deliciously right!

Here is a photo montage of the trial run tonight at our house:

A perfectly ripe disc of Weybridge

wrapped in bacon!

securing the bottom with a couple toothpicks

Searing begins top down, on high heat

Just a little sear to each side piece for good measure

Bottom down now and the cheese is starting to melt and crisp on the pan, mmmm

Bacon seared to just crispy, cheese is a glorious puddle of fromage!

Sliced and ready to inhale, was lucky to nab this shot before we gobbled it like starved children

I will be honest - once cut into this frankenbaconcheese does not present well, but who cares? It's bacon and cheese, what's not to love??

We'll be selling these beautiful babies at the shop this Thursday 12/16 through Christmas Eve. They are intended for immediate consumption, so please plan accordingly. We will be assembling and taking hold requests for them on a daily basis, so please call the shop at 206.467.5447 to secure yours now.
Also note, they are small discs, once cooked can provide a hearty taste for a group of four, or an appetizer if you're a glutton like me, for two.

This holiday season, give the gift of cheese!

2010-12-06T17:05:00.001-08:00

Every holiday season when the fever of shopping is in the air, I always think about how I can direct my personal contribution towards things that promote sustainability. These days, who really needs more stuff? For years I've opted to purchase or make gifts that produce little waste, don't clutter others' homes, and carry a small carbon footprint. Needless to say, I've built a reputation among my friends and family for giving gifts of food. This holiday season, do something that feels good on so many levels, and give the gift of cheese! You'll support a local small business, which in turn supports an entire network of other local small businesses through the independent cheesemakers and local distribution companies I work with, and impress the hell out of people with awesome cheese!

In addition to our usual range of great gift ideas like gift certificates and specialty cheese platters, you can also get your orders in now for hand-selected Holiday Cheese Assortments.

* Pacific Northwest Selections (pictured above): Tumalo Farms "Jewell" (OR), Sally Jackson Goat (WA), Black Sheep Creamery's "Queso de Oveja" (WA), and Rogue Creamery's "Oregonzola" (OR). $35

* European Classics: Delice du Jura (Burgundy, France), Abbaye de Belloc (French Pyrenees), Keen's Cheddar (Neal's Yard Dairy, UK), Valdeon Cabrales (Spanish blue) $35

or go for the gusto with
* Around the world with cheese: 7 exquisite selections of the best cheeses available from the U.S. and beyond $70

Each assortment includes labels for identification and a cheese menu detailing origin, type, and production of each cheese. All assortments are available on a pre-order, pre-paid basis and available for pickup from 12/20 - 12/24.

And as always, we will be fully stocked and staffed to give you the great the individual service you know and love. See you on the other side of the deli case!

Breaking the Cheddar!

2010-12-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

December 11th-12th we're stoked to be participating in the annual Pike & Pine Holiday Shopping Weekend! This is a great opportunity to cruise the neighborhood for dozens of great deals from all your favorite locally owned businesses.

For this event, we'll be breaking a wheel of Montogmery's Cheddar from Neal's Yard Dairy. This mighty British cheddar was one of the first I ever tasted from the Neal's Yard collection over ten years ago, and it is still one of my all-time favorite cheeses - rich, buttery, salty and tangy. Muscling into a wheel of Monty's is just as much a treat for me as it is for everyone else.

That's a wheel of Keen's in the photo, a close cousin to Monty's

We'll break the cheddar at high noon on Saturday December 11th, so swing by for some tasty samples and enjoy 10% off Monty's for the rest of the weekend. See you then!

Book Signing!

2010-11-09T23:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend I am super plussed to welcome cheese maven Sasha Davies to the shop for an afternoon book signing featuring her amazing catalog of cheese in our area and beyond:

Sasha will be at the shop signing copies of her book from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. this Saturday, November 13th, 2010.
This is an excellent opportunity to pick up some early bird gifts for your cheese loving friends! Stop by to chat cheese with her, check out her lovely book, and sample some amazing cheeses from the west coast.

Vive la fromage!

Cheese and "the Man"

2010-10-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

Last week U.S. Fire Marshalls issued a seizure of all cheeses made by local cheesemakers Estrella Family Creamery in Montesano, WA. This final act of shutting down the creamery is the culmination of many months of back-and-forth between the Estrella's and the FDA concerning positive strains of Listeria in some of their raw milk cheeses.

I've been thinking a lot about this issue and exactly how I want to approach it and what I feel is purposeful for me to say as a retailer. Rather than repeat what has already been covered by many other sites, I will refer you to a summary of events by Tami Parr of Pacific Northwest Cheese Project, which also links to the official Report by the FDA and an article in the Seattle Times.

This event has the potential to put the Estrella's out of the cheesemaking business for good, and personally I think that would be a tragedy. They have been making amazing farmstead cheese for many years, and they have built a reputation among the greater Seattle area and beyond for producing stellar products. They are good people who have no intention of harming the supportful community that buys their cheese. I love their cheese, and I really hope that I will have the opportunity to sell it again the near future.

That being said, I keep thinking about Listeria, it seems to be all anyone can blather about in the case of the Estrella's. While I think there is a bigger issue to be addressed, I do want to clarify just a few details about it. Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria known to cause infections of Listeria, is a pathogen that naturally occurs in the environment, most commonly in soil, stream water, and plants. Because it is found in these things, it is often passed through people and animals into sewage and food -- not to be confused with the Seattle Times single claim that it is found in fecal matter, insinuating that only unsanitary and careless cheesemakers would transfer it from animal to product. While Listeria monocytogenes can be harmful to the young, elderly, immunocompromised, and pregnant women, most healthy adults can ingest the bacteria in food etc. and never experience any symptoms of a Listeria infection.

What I find most compelling and exasperating is not the issue of Listeria pahtogens being found in the Estrella's cheese, or any cheese for that matter, but the way that this potential hazard is dealt with by our current federal regulations. I view eating most cheeses, raw milk or not, along the same level of risk that may be associated with eating cured meat, undercooked beef, raw egg in a salad dressing, etc. It is a calculated risk that I personally take because I love the food. I may get sick or not, but what is important to me is that the people serving me these "risky" products educate and inform me of any potential illness that may result from eating them. I realize that an evening spent in the bathroom does not compare to potential birth defects and other long term issues that can arise from Listeria infection, however I still stand by my belief that we should be allowed to make the choice ourselves.

I typically have between 15 and 20 raw milk cheeses available at any given time, and many customers who want to buy exclusively raw milk cheese. I also have plenty of customers who want to stay the hell away from raw milk cheese, and then those who aren't sure about it so I tell them the facts and lay out the most conservative route they may take in cheese buying, but ultimately, it's up to them, and that's the way it should be.

ACS 2010: a recap of sorts

2010-08-30T15:33:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, last week Seattle was invaded by over 1,000 cheese freaks for the annual American Cheese Society conference, loving dubbed Cheese-a-topia. It was a whirlwind, to say the least, and I'll do my best to give a thorough recap of events.

The first thing I realized is that while it's an amazing thing to have the conference in my town, it means a lot of extra work as I bustled between sessions and keeping an eye on the shop. It was really an opportunity that I don't know I'll ever have again in that cheese professionals from far and wide were just blocks from my new baby. I was so happy every time someone walked in ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the space, and I got many compliments from people I've looked up to for years. My ego was stroked as much as a puppy in a park on a sunny day.

The conference: I only got to attend about half of the sessions I signed up for due to demands of the shop, which I expected, but here's a rundown of those I did make it to.

Health Benefits and the Psychology of Cheese
I was really jazzed for this session, however it was a tad disappointing. I expected to walk away with a pocketful of information to relay to customers about the virtues of good cheese in our diets. However the speakers, while all knowledgeable and fun to listen to, generally couldn't come up with much conclusive evidence via studies et. al. as to the benefits of dairy. There was some very interesting talk about changing the overall view of diet and nutrition in the U.S. from outdated perceptions of food as "bad" or "good", to a more cohesive and comprehensive view of all food we eat as a continuum. Myself often being the one to justify copious amounts of cheese by filling my gob with salad and fresh veg, this hit a note for me, but otherwise, I didn't walk away with much.

Last Stop: Cheese Shop
This session was focused on the details of retailing cheese, from deciding what to order and why, to caring for it in the shop, displaying it in the case, pricing, and of course, mongering it to customers. This was the highlight of the conference for me because we got to get down and dirty with some amazing cheesemongers from across the country. We basically dissected the deli cases that were on display from the previous day's merchandising competition, where teams of two were each given one deli case, a box of cheese, and their own tools and ingenuity to create an impressive display. I took away many details that I will incorporate into my deli cases, and the panel was a great little hotbed of lively discussion for all.

Getting Inside the Mind of the Retail Buyer
I misunderstood the brief description of this session (as many others did), in that I thought they would be speaking about getting inside the minds of my customers. Turns out it was more about getting inside my head, and those of other buyers, distributors, etc. This was a surprisingly interesting session as most of the attendees were cheese makers, and we got to hear them ask the panel about the issues they face. I am still a bit shocked at the lack of open discourse we have with cheese makers, and I was biting my tongue to bark out my own voice whenever a cheese maker asked how they should contact us, what's the best way to get their cheese to us, etc. I think what was great to me about this session was not so much what happened in the 90 minutes we sat there, but the internal 'oopmh' I got to keep up communication with my beloved cheese purveyors. They work so hard to make these amazing products for us, and the connection between us (retailers) and them should never be lost, but rather strengthened by consistent contact.

There is more, much more, but this is enough for one post. Photos uploading as we speak...

Welcome to Cheese-a-topia!

2010-08-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since posting, because the shop is hopping! Business has seriously increased over the past couple of months now that all of us in the market are open, and I often find myself buying so much cheese for the weekend that I'm afraid I've made a horrible mistake, only to find that come Monday, the deli case is back to only 75% capacity. It's an amazing feeling, and it's keeping me busier than many bees.

I am taking some time away this week for Cheese-a-topia! This year's annual American Cheese Society conference is being held in Seattle, and I could not be happier. I got to experience this 3 day immersion in all things cheese geeky last year down in Austin, Texas. The conference is such an amazing opportunity to meet people in the industry from all around the world, learn more than a reasonable brain can handle, and eat far too much cheese than anyone should ever eat in 72 hours.

While the conference doesn't begin until Thursday, we are kicking it off tonight at the shop with a reading and book signing with Gordon"zola" Edgar, author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge. He's always super fun and I'm looking forward to hanging out with many of the awesome cheese peeps I met at last year's conference. Tomorrow will see myself and pal Sarah of Mission Cheese on a full day tour of cheesemakers in the area, followed by dinner on the farm at Kurtwood Farms. Thursday the conference officially begins, and I promise rich coverage of every cheesey moment.

Wha, little 'ole me??

2010-07-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Just as the shop is celebrating 3 months in business, I am completely amazed and dumbfounded by the amount of awesome (and free!) press that's circulating about Calf & Kid and the rest of the Melrose Market.

Recently we've had dozens of highlights among local food bloggers, local rag blogs, etc. Last week the whole market got a nice little writeup in the Thursday edition, then lo and behold, the Sunday Times featured a lovely bit about yours truly! The online piece doesn't feature a kickass photo of myself with a hearty wedge of Woman of La Mancha from the esteemed Gothberg Farms. Also hailed in the article (among others), was Black sheep Creamery's Queso de Oveja. I am beyond plussed at how many people have come into the shop after reading the article demanding Black Sheep's cheese! As some of you may know, I spent a short stint at their farm/creamery last summer in the spirit of learning the in's and out's of cheesemaking first-hand, so their cheeses have a very special place in my heart.

This little piece of press has brought people into the shop from all over, clamoring for the cheeses I mentioned, and I couldn't be happier! It's one thing to embrace the popularity of my shop, but it is quite another to have people come in asking for the local cheeses that I so dearly love. I know that the cheesemakers are feeling the trickle-down effect of this with my weekly orders for more, more, more cheese!
Major kudos to you, Seattle and beyond, for jumping on this bandwagon de fromage.

Summoning HR superpowers

2010-07-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

First off, I must apologize for the lack of posts. I've been busy! This is a very good thing, duh, but it also means I opt out of the things I should be doing for my dear readers, all 4 of you.

The past few weeks have been full of amazing cheeses that I've been posting regularly on my Facebook account, which is automatically linked to my Twitter account. That's where you can find almost daily updates of what's hip-hop-happening at the shop.

In the meantime, I've been consumed with the lovely ordeal that is scheduling. I remember so many other jobs I've had where the people in charge of such a beastly task were constantly complaining about "the schedule", and I often thought, "how hard can that possibly be?" Well, now I'm eating my words along with my daily cheese intake, and I have more sympathy with my former managers than I ever imagined I would (and that was a lot to start with).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am incredibly lucky to have the amazing employees I have. They are a large part of what has brought me the very nubile success I have, and I love them to death. However, I know that I can't pay them enough to be completely committed to just me, and understanding that I have to work with them to accommodate the other jobs they have that essentially afford them being able to work for me. So it turns out that I need to have many a part-timer willing to sling cheese alongside me.

I've been on the hiring end of many different jobs in the past and I always hate it, the whole Human Resources part of being Mrs. Bosswoman is my least favorite part by far. But it has taught me over the years that there are a few things I personally need to take into consideration when hiring people. First, I hire based on personality almost entirely. I can't count how many times I've watched my employers wave off amazing candidates because they don't have experience in an entry level job. So, so stupid. How do you get experience at entry level without being hired at entry level? Anyway, I'm much more concerned with how I'm going to get along with someone personally than how much they know about cheese, learning what's available in the deli case and beyond in an ongoing process that will never end. One of the best ways for me to gauge how I'm going to get along with someone is with humor, so I employed an old tactic that got me hired as a baker at one of my all-time favorite jobs ever a million years ago: tell me a joke. You can tell a LOT about a person by what they're willing, or not willing, to reveal in a joke. I know it's kind of flippant but I don't even read the emails or the resumes unless the joke makes me laugh out loud or snort.

So there you have it, my golden rule for hiring. So far, so good.

Ah, to be the bosswoman

2010-06-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

While the past few weeks have been a steady continuation of making great cheese meet wonderful cheese freaks, there have also been many reality checks around what it really means to be "the boss". Since I know I have readers out there who are interested in potentially starting their own shop some day, I figure it's more than worthwhile to share some insights on this otherwise incredibly droll subject.

When you open your own business, regardless of industry or trade, you suddenly take on a ton of responsibility that is pretty delicate in nature. You may be the boss, but really every person you make a transaction with is the boss, plain and simple. It's definitely an odd feeling to have so much and yet so little power all at the same time. While I am the end where the buck stops to my employees, and to some degree, my suppliers, I am on the other end of the spectrum in relationships with customers and neighbors. I would definitely say that if you've never managed subordinates in one way or another, you'll be ill-prepared to run your own show. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, I've known a handful of people who just have the type of personality that lends itself to assuming authority without being an asshole - a very delicate balance indeed. One thing that I've noticed, as much as I absolutely abhor making generalizations based on gender, is that men are given much more wiggle room when it comes to asserting themselves in the workplace. I don't agree with it, I really wish it wasn't this way, but the fact remains that when a man is in charge and asserts himself in the eyes of those under him and his equals, he can get away with a lot more and still remain simply assertive and demanding of respect. When a woman does the same thing, it's a fine, fine line between asserting the power she has in her position and being perceived as a squaking, arms-flapping, irrational bitch.

I've crossed this line a few times in the past few weeks, and while I'll save you all the details, it's overwhelmingly frustrating. You speak up for yourself diplomatically over and over again, it repeatedly falls on deaf ears, and when you finally decide that enough's enough and make a more bold statement in the spirit of finally being heard, suddenly you go from being seen as a Cathy to The Chicken Lady. If only I could lay fresh eggs!

And so it goes. I knew I'd come up against situations in which I'd feel my novice status reeking off me like onion breath, so it's not a huge surprise, but it still sucks.

On the positive side, I have the pleasure of being "the boss", of some really amazing employees. I seriously could not be operating without them, and I am forever grateful that they happened up on me right out of the starting gate. I've been through the hiring process before in several different jobs, however I was never the final say in who got the job. I've always been one who leans towards hiring for personality; learning curves are learning curves no matter how much experience a person brings to the table, but if you can't work well together then what's the point? I've looked for people with a passion for cheese and personalities much like my own; vibrant, friendly, and hard-working. So far, so good, and just two months in I already have a full day off that I can enjoy stress-free knowing that my shop is being cared for by people who mirror my own level of commitment as much as I could possibly ask. So cheers, Calf & Kid Cheese Vixens!

A tidbit of downtime

2010-06-06T16:38:00.001-07:00

Today marked a really important achievement for me: my first Sunday off! After just six weeks open, I think that's one hell of a thing. I have my amazing staff to thank for this, as I feel entirely comfortable leaving the cheese reins in their hands so I can take a few hours off here and there. Tomorrow will be the last Monday "off", spent running errands and catching up for the week, after which I will be open 7 days a week to meet the demands of the cheese-loving population of Seattle.

On the business end, I could not be happier. I can't believe so much time has gone by so quickly, and that's a testament to how busy we've been. Every week I order hundreds of pounds of cheese, and I look at my overstuffed deli cases and fridge of back storage and think "crap, how am I going to sell all this?" Then by Sunday the case is down to three quarters of it's capacity and I am amazed over and over again at how much the product just sells itself. Of course, it's not really all as cut and dry as that, I monger the heck out of my cheese, and I love it. Long ago when I was coming up with bits and pieces for my "elevator pitch" for investors, one of my favorite lines was "You will walk away with a cheese you love and a great story to tell." I'm so plussed to say that is really the case. If you ask me what day of the week it is, I'll be stumped for five minutes, but ask me about amazing washed rind cheese from Jean Faup of the Pyrenees and I'll give you a 2 minute history lesson.

On the cheese end, I am beyond stoked to have some really unbelievable cheeses in stock this month. Locally, Gothberg Farms up in Bow, WA has been making greek style yogurt that is transcendent, as well as some amazing grilling cheese called Queso Blanco: pressed curd with a little apple cider vinegar that carmelizes upon hitting heat and is just Delicious with a capital D. Also from Ancient Heritage in Oregon comes an aged cow and sheep mixture called Hannah Bridge. I am doing cartwheels over this cheese. I'm twiddling my fingers with delight at the thought of the first rounds of Queso de Oveja from Black Sheep Creamery near Chehalis, WA, which should be leaving the cave very soon. There are so many more, but those are a few at the forefront of my brain right now.

From across the giant pond, I am expecting my first delivery from Neal's Yard Dairy, which will bring all the great cheddars and stinky Stilcheton my devoted customers have been pining for. From France, I have a few rounds from Jean Faup, a third generation cheesemaker and affineur from the Pyrenees. His cheeses are absolutely divine; perfectly balanced and delivering a flavor experience that makes you feel as though you're sitting among the high mountains of northern France. Also arriving next week will be a small air-shipment of lovely, delicate cheeses from France and Italy, including my much-loved La Tur, a three-milk bloomy rind mound of cheese ecstasy, and more of the "brain cheese" from France; the stinky, creamy, gorgeous Langres.

I'm very proud of Seattle for loving these crazy cheeses that make my knees buckle every time they hit my mouth. Vive la fromage!

Seattle, I salute you!

2010-05-24T19:48:00.001-07:00

The past week has been crazy busy, thank you Seattle cheese lovers!
I've been selling out of many favorites such as Kurtwood Farms Dinah, the lovely Camembert-style round that is taking the Pacific Northwest by storm.

Also in demand lately; Gioia Burrata, authentic Italian family-made Burrata from L.A. It is affordable, delicious, you'd never know it wasn't coming from across the giant pond as the family moved their entire production from Italy to California years ago and continue to make a stellar product.

New in the case (and almost sold out!); Ascnootney Mountain from Cobb Hill (aged by Jasper Hills in Vermont), this cheese is one I'm saying should have a 12 step program named after it. Also from Jasper Hill, a new favorite of mine, Oma from the Von Trapp Farmstead Creamery, this cheese is way up on my list of amazing washed rind domestic cheeses. Kudos to the Von Trapp folks, and to Jasper Hills for this amazing cheese!

In other news, last Friday, May 21st, marked the one month anniversary/birthday of the Calf & Kid! Thanks SO much to everyone who has made it into the shop, I can't believe that I already have "regulars", and to boot there are people waltzing in every day figuring out that we're open. I am just over the moon as a new cheesemongress :)

By popular demand: Stacey Von Cheesemongress!

2010-05-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

It took me a few weeks to nail down my other fabulous employee, Stacey, for a quick photo op so I could give her the blogging love she so deserves.

Stacey came to find me in a roundabout cheese-geeky way that makes for an awesome story. She had just finished reading Gordon "zola" Edgar's awesome memior, Cheesemonger: Life on the Wedge, and was in love, both with his book and with cheese. She emailed him with well-deserved compliments on his book, and to ask if he had any advice for getting into the cheese biz. Gordon, the awesome dude that he is, remembered me from last year's ACS conference in Austin, and told her to look me up. She did, months later we met for an informal interview over coffee, and the rest is history.

Stacey's deep love of fine food took her to Chocopolis where she has been since they opened just over a year ago. While honing her expert knowledge in all things chocolate, she continued to learn about cheese on her own, and snagged the coveted Seattle Cheese Festival Scholarship in 2009.

Stacey clearly has a great foundation for her budding new career in cheesemongering, but it's her outgoing, friendly personality that made me hire her. She's a ton of fun to talk cheese with, and I'm super happy to have her in the shop. Here she is with a round of cheese that I'm calling my new boyfriend, Le Grand Lou Bren, a raw sheep milk cheese from the Larzac region of France.

That stride, I'm feelin' it

2010-05-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

Just over two weeks into the shop and I am amazed at how much I already feel at home in my new second home.

Business has been great, the first weekend and week were full of those who have been devotedly following my progress and no less than a dozen congratulatory bottles of bubbly, beer, and vino have been graciously handed over to my blushing face. It has been so exciting to meet many well-known food purveyors of Seattle. Each time a chef, cook, small foodie business owner or otherwise has stopped in to buy some cheese and introduce themselves I have been maximizing my plussed factor. The rest of the crowd have been those foot-traffiker's I've been waiting for; those who are wandering around the area in our glorious Seattle spring weather and just happen to stumble upon us. So many people are just realizing that we are, in fact, open while other construction is being done, and they are just as excited as I am about our new space. Already we have regulars, and they love trying new things out each time just as much as I love recommending them. In the mix have also been a few of the self-important food snobs of the area making their stink among the cheese, but at the end of the day they are a good, grounding reminder that although I am now "the boss", I am really answering to every person who walks through the doors of the Melrose Market. Oh, and yes, that is now our live site! Big fat thanks and kudos to Dax Borges of Dax Digital Design for cutting us a great deal on website development. He will certainly be getting some massive cheese love from yours truly.

Onto cheese news, the Burrata and Burricota has been flying out of the deli case! I am so incredibly happy and proud of the Seattle community for loving this product. Fresh products are always a bit of a gamble as they have a much shorter shelf life than aged cheese. While I had a few people out there tell me prior to opening "if you carry Burrata, I will be your whore", I was still a bit nervous about putting this delicacy on the shelves as it is something I can't really sample out, and I worried that people who weren't familiar with it wouldn't "get it". Turns out, so many shoppers have had that awesome face light up and almost inaudible squeak when they say "you have Burrata!" Those who I have "sold" it to, in the sense that they hadn't encountered it previously, have come back just days later for more. I am super happy to say that I cannot supply the demand for this luscious product.

In addition to all of the amazing cheese, both local and from beyond the giant pond, I am really stoked to be carrying Washington's own fresh farmhouse butter and mozzarella from Golden Glen Creamery, fresh cheese and sheep's milk Ricotta from Black Sheep Creamery, a wide selection of delectable fine goat cheese from Gothberg Farms, and gods, so many others this post could go on forever!

Keep checking in for daily news via Facebook and Twitter for the goods as they arrive!

xoxoxoxoxo to you Seattle

My new familia

2010-05-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

Among the many saving graces I have for the opening and ongoing success of the shop are my staff. Other cheese shop owners I know in various parts of the country have had great luck finding people who are smart, capable, and have a deeply vested passion for fromage. In fact, some of their employees have been with them from day 1 and still going strong years later. I was hopeful that this would be the case for me, but expected to slog through hundreds of replies via craigslist and the whole hiring thing was not something I was looking forward to. Fortunately, I started getting inquiries and resumes from interested people almost a year before opening, so when it came time to start interviews I had a good handful of awesome cheese lovers to chat with, without having to post a help wanted ad at all.

Among those gregarious cheese freaks are my first two employees, Kristin and Stacey, and they both deserve a big fat kudos for helping me get my cheese baby off the ground.

Kristin hails from San Francisco, and has been an avid foodie for years. She was a server at The Corson Building since it opened just a few years ago, and she has a passion for great food that matches my own. She is one of the most fun, energetic, magnetic personalities I've come across in a while, and it's no surprise that she's formed many great relationships with other members of the Seattle food community. If you're a food lover, chances are you've encountered Kristin and her adorable smile and wicked wit at some point.

She is an absolute natural behind the cheese counter. She loves people and talking to them about cheese and food in general, I couldn't be happier and more grateful for getting her awesome energy in the shop. Here she is on the day before opening with our first round of cheese cut and ready to go into the deli case.

You'll likely see and speak with Kristin just as much as myself when you come into the shop. She is one hell of a cheese vixen in training.

Limited Time Only!!

2010-04-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Enjoy super buttery, soft and pillowy cheese? We will be slicing into Cremeaux de Bourgogne, also referred to the wedding cake of cheese, this Saturday! Think fluffy “blooming” rind, snow-white, buttery triple creme, this cheese is pure decadence. Make sure you come visit the Calf & Kid this weekend to experience this unbelievable fromage!

Groovin' right along

2010-04-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

The first real week of being a cheesemonger *and* small business owner, I have to say it suits me well.

Despite the agonizing pain stubs that are now my feet, and the slightly thawed frozen pineapple that has become my brain, I am exceedingly comfortable and as ease in this new role. I never had any precise expectations, but I certainly had many a vision of myself behind the counter flustered and unable to handle the unending chaos that can be running your own business of any kind. Many a nightmare involved me with a bare case and a line of customers panting for cheese, or conversely a case packed with cheeses that I didn't know and could not rightly talk about to my customers. As it has turned out thus far, each and every cheese in there right now is a little baby of mine; I know their stories and talking them up to people comes so naturally I'm constantly amazed at myself (and the cheese, of course).

I see this ease of transition as a real testament to one of the basic tenets I held closely in this whole process: never let a speedbump throw you off track, learn how to use it to your advantage. All those months that passed due to the lag of making finances and finding the right space come together were a big opportunity for me to continue learning about my newfound craft, and it has paid off in spades. Last year when it became apparent that I would not be able to open shop in the spring as planned, I took that as a chance to attend educational seminars and conferences, work on a sheep dairy, consistently pester and work with the amazing Steve Jones of Steve's Cheese, now The Cheese Bar, and read, read, read about fromage. So I'm waxing a little poetic here, but I must say that had I not done these things I would never feel so naturally at ease behind the counter. While I'm no ego-centric freak, I do know when I do something well, and this is it. Sometimes the key just fits, and it's cheesetastic.

Holy Cheezus!

2010-04-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Opening weekend. WOW.

I am still trying to take it all in, and there is so much to tell of the crazed week that preceded the final birth of my cheese baby. I will try to invoke a wee bit of brevity in my re-telling of events, but no promises.

The week leading up to opening was insane, of course, and I expected it to be. In fact, I must say that a year plus of preparing put me in good stance to take the final barrage of hiccups in stride like a Tennessee Walking horse, but there were still some freakish moments that had me panting over my gorgeous new counter like a beached marine mammal.

First off, anyone in Seattle thinking of starting a business that involves food or drink of any kind, know now that everything hinges on plumbing inspections. I don't understand this at all seeing as faulty electrical work can potentially kill you, while shoddy plumbing may result in a short attack on your intestines, but whatever. I will say that they are easy to schedule and if you have a great plumber who knows what they're doing (like I did, thankfully), this won't be a problem. However, final inspections on other ends, like the Health Department, are contingent upon final plumbing inspections, so keep that in your hat. I have to say that contrary to what we all may think, the city of Seattle is actually amazingly helpful, responsive, and understanding. Long story short, I had to schedule all of my final inspections the day before opening, and was sweating bullets that it wouldn't all pan out. At one point I was 40 minutes from sure that I would not be able to get my health inspection passed and would have to postpone opening until the following Tuesday (tomorrow). However, a lot of sweet-talking and a whole lot of awesome city and county officials later, I was jumping up and down like a pre-schooler with signed paper in hand!

Friday opening was, and still is, a bit of a blur. It was busy, busy, then super crazy busy, back down to regular busy, and I ended the day on the strong tail end of a good adrenaline high. I still can't get over the number of people who came in over the weekend saying how they had been following the blog and/or news of C&K with baited breath, how happy they were that I was finally open, and how much they valued the inclusion of my business in their everyday life. I said to my customers and myself, "me too!!!"

The rest of the weekend was more of the same, and I have so much more to embellish upon; my rockstar employees, my neighbor Rain Shadow Meats - CARNIVORES GO THERE NOW! - and so much more. Also many great photos to upload, press links to link in, etc. etc.

I will end this post with a big, giant, fat shout-out to my friends Chris and Emily of the soon to be Ankerhaus Tavern. I've known this awesome couple since I started my own small biz baby, and I cannot wait to see them make their dream come true. They are kickass people, they know their shit, and they are seeking investors.

Countdown: 8 days

2010-04-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

One week and a day to open, ACK! I knew that no matter how much time I had, most of the major prep would wind up happening in a flurry right up until the wee hours before opening day. But I am now seeing the light, or rather the cheese, at the end of the tunnel.

Friends stepped up to the plate to help me seal my ceiling, which was a beast of a job. The old wood that makes up the mezzanine above me is gorgeous, but very dry and it soaked up the sealant like you wouldn't believe. Three more gallons of varnish and two long afternoons later it is looking fabulous though. Also in the past week I've had first round of inspections cleared, permits approved, equipment delivered and ready to install, a beautiful front counter built by my awesome carpenter, two rockstars hired to help me behind the counter, supply list edited, re-edited, and finally submitted, phone lines installed, and first order list-making almost done. It feels soooooo good to be getting so many little things accomplished, and while every day is full and exhausting, I'm feeling prepared and incredibly ready to open next Friday, April 23rd.

See you on the other side of the deli case!

Home Stretch

2010-04-10T15:46:00.001-07:00

T-minus two weeks until opening day and I am freaked the frack out! I always knew that no matter how much time I had to make this all happen, there would inevitably be a giant scramble to pull it all together right up to the end, but it is still surprisingly terrifying to be so close and to feel so far from finished.

After a few failed attempts at sealing all porous areas of the space, which is about 99% of it, on my own, I called in some favors from friends and tonight we'll be busting a major move with the noxious elements. Thank goodness for people who will work for cheese!

In the meantime, I'd like to give some much deserved love to my neighboring businesses who are open and just about to open. Marigold & Mint, a lovely little flower shop, is currently open for business. They offer a gorgeous selection of organic flowers and will soon be a CSA pick up location on the Hill. Also opening right about the same time as myself is Rain Shadow Meats, finally a butcher on the Hill! He will offer locally raised fresh meat as well as home-cured salami and other delectable items for us hungry carnivores.

That's about all my spring cold-addled brain can handle right now. More progress pics and news to come shortly.

Sneak Peek

2010-03-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm fully in the eye of the hurricane right now, every day is exhausting and wearing me out, but I am trying to remain calm, and am incredibly happy that so much tangible progress is being made. The space is starting to take form, and I'm documenting it along the way.

I'm definitely in an interesting position during the build out of this space. All the other tenants are working with many of the same designers, architects, and contractors, meaning that they have a whole dialogue I'm not necessarily privy to. This doesn't bother me in the least, having worked with contractors in Brooklyn, who are to say at the very least, some of the most difficult and obstinate human beings on earth. Still, it's a bit of struggle me being the sole tenant in this marketspace who is acting as her own project manager.

Which brings me to a point that I never knew I'd want to iterate to other hopeful cheesemongers who may be reading this. Simply put, if you can't manage your own build-out, then you best reconsider your ability to manage a business of any sort, cheese shop or otherwise. I wouldn't feel like this was my space if I didn't put a lot of my own blood, sweat and tears into it. It is truly a labor of love from the get-go; if you have the means to hire a team to make it all happen for you then by gods do it, because it is a bitch and a half. But it you're like me, you're saving every penny you can to stock those deli cases full of delectable curds and making up for it my burning the midnight oil on your own.

I'll see you on the other side of the epoxy. Queso por vida!

If you build it out of cheese, they will come

2010-03-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

WOW. Thanks so much to everyone who showed up to the pre-opening bash at Poco Wine Room last night, what a turnout! I was very pleased to host a lovely group of fellow food bloggers, press, cheesemakers and some of my investors for the first hour. The rest of the night was a whirlwind of Seattle cheese lovers and friends stopping by to sample some of the area's great artisan cheeses, sip some wine, and chat me up. I gotta say, I was feeling the love people, thank you again! I also got quite a bit of attention for sporting my new cheese tattoo, the "Sacred Wedge"

I came up with this idea over a year ago when the shop was taking form as a real idea. I thought the combination of a traditional sacred heart with a moldy wedge of cheese (the tattoo was based on a photo of Tomme de Savoie, one of my all-time favorites) was the perfect way to pay homage to my roots of cheese making as a kid in New Mexico, while also giving a good nod to the world of cheese that lies before me. Plus, it looks so freakin' badass! I have Lucky of The Artful Dodger Tattoo to thank for the fantastic design. He's also a huge curd nerd so he was totally psyched to do the piece, which made it even more fun.

I am finally making some decent headway with construction in the space. If you're in the area and walking by, you can't see much happening because it's all pretty minimal as far as build out goes, but I am very happy to report that as of Friday holes have been punched down for plumbing and electrical lines, which is a major step forward. Tomorrow I'm hitting the paint store and starting to seal my old wooden ceiling, which is really the underside of the mezzanine above me, and in the meantime I'm working with a fabulous carpenter and friend to wrangle up some old cabinets.

Now for the news you've all been waiting for: OPENING DATE FOR THE SHOP
Construction being construction, combined with imminent inspections thereafter, I can't say exactly what day I'll be gracing Capitol Hill with a fine selection of cheese and accompaniments, but it is definitely going to be sometime during the last two weeks of April. I will keep you all updated as the time gets closer, and cannot wait to see everyone from behind the deli cases.

Queso por Vida!

"Cheese is milk's leap towards immortality" - Cliff Fadiman

2010-03-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

A good cheese quote is worth a thousand subject headings.

Back from an extremely relaxing weekend up north in Bellingham, revived and ready to take on the world! Or at least the ongoing burden that is build out in my space, as it were.

You know the old rule of thumb that so many entrepreneurs swear by: everything will take twice as long and double the cost you expect? Yep, it's true. I knew it would be, but still, weeks go by like nothing these days and progress, while it is still progress, is slower than I'd like. But there is only so much I can do, and in the meantime I placate myself with visits to dairy's and creameries, one of my favorite parts of my job.

On our way up to Bellingham we stopped in to meet Rhonda of Gothberg Farms. While I am a livestock girl at heart, I must say that goats are by far among my favorites, and I am simply plussed at the chance to be near them at all. Rhonda has a modest farm of roughly 20-30 milkers, and we got to visit her in the midst of kidding season. Oh the bleats of baby goats!! I could listen to that for hours...
Rhonda gave us an informal tour of her facility, which I must say was impeccably clean, and we spent a good 20 or 30 minutes visiting with her goats, young and old. For the sake of brevity, please check out my small collection of photos at Gothberg Farms.

Growing up with goats, I have a special place in my heart for them and their cheese, however I must say that when approaching goat milk cheesemakers, I normally consider myself to have had my fill of chevre. However, I stood still in my tracks upon tasting Gothberg Farm's version of this lovely fresh cheese. I admit I'm biased, I grew up on fresh goat milk and cheese from our single doe Mocha, who was fed sweet oats and ripe alfalfa, kept far from billygoats, and given a lot of love and attention every day. It's not often that I encounter a fresh chevre that brings back sensory memories of the sweet, light-as-a-cloud, luscious texture and taste that I knew and loved so well. Suffice it to say, Gothberg Farms has it down pat. I will have a difficult time carrying this cheese in my shop without eating it all myself!

I also had the pleasure of visiting Samish Bay Cheese for the first time in person. Although the owners were out for the weekend, their lovely cheesemonger Claire was more than happy and incredibly helpful in getting some rounds for me to take back home in preparation for the pre-opening bash this weekend. I got an enormous round of Ladysmith, which I have been in love with for over a year, and a very coveted round of their Black Mambazzo, which you simply don't want to miss.

And now it's on to more exciting things like calling the phone company! Errr, yeah.

Keep on keepin' on...

2010-03-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well, this is just about it, nary one month left before opening day. As Bill the Cat would say, "ACK!"

I'm going back and forth between minor bouts of hyperventilating and small moments of peace as I imagine the shop finished, myself behind the counter, finally getting to put faces to so many names who have become fans of the shop in its many conceptual stages.

As some of you may have already heard, Tamara Murphy's new project, Terra Plata, will sadly not be a part of the building. I am never one to get into the dirt of these situations, but I will say that I know I'm not alone in my regrets that Tamara will not be sharing space with us at the Melrose Market. She has, however, very congenially expressed her support of all of us who are in the space, and I wish her the best as well.

I am very excited to meet with proprietor Rus of Rainshadow Meats next week to discuss our neighboring shops and what each of us will offer. On a personal level, I am beyond psyched to have a neighborhood butcher! It is one of those NYC elements I miss the most; a man who knows his meats. Back in Brooklyn we lived over an old Italian butchershop that had been there for many generations. These guys were raised behind the counter, in fact when we lived there no less than 4 generations of the family worked in the shop on a daily basis; the elderly matriarch behind the scenes who churned handmade sausage in the back well after her retirement, her son who flashed his dazzling smile on anyone who walked in and could talk the talk like no other, and his boys, who hunched over cleavers effortlessly to pack the most amazing local meats into white paper packed bundles for our enjoyment. The best part was sitting out in our Brooklyn yard, drinking beers and watching the sun set over the BQE. Our man on the inside would randomly poke his head out of our shared window at closing time with two handsfull of made-that-day sausage in a gorgeous coil. A gift between neighbors, we'd thank him with a frosty brew and throw that meat puppy on the grill for dinner.

So I digress, but that is where my head likes to be these days instead of ruminating over an afternoon of phone calls with the DOR. Memories of sausage, they keep me going.

WARP SPEED!!!

2010-03-03T17:09:00.001-08:00

Ok C&K fans, this is it! The final month where everything happens all at once and my brain hopefully doesn't go kablooey.

In a nutshell, here's what's been happening in the past week and a half (not necessarily in this order):

Bids from contractors too high, realized that I can't afford a GC, freaked out, ate some leftover Brie de Nagis to calm down, contacted two fellow small business owners in the 'hood, got their referrals for sub-contractors, raced around to lasso them up, crisis averted.
Whew!

Stressed out over whether I could swing the Oregon Cheese Festival this year, decided there is too much to do and it's cutting it too close, besides, Seattle Cheese Festival is right around the corner, followed by the much-anticipated American Cheese Society conference in August, there is plenty of cheese happenings in Seattle this summer. Made plans to skip town for one last weekend away with my soon-to-be-cheese-widowed husband instead. Giant sigh of relief.

Started shopping for equipment, both large and small, found that a used 3-compartment sink is not to be found in the city, started pricing new ones, balked, or rather barfed, at the thought of paying $900 for a SINK, finally found one online for $350. Several hot flashes and headaches later, got that puppy slated for delivery next week.

Up and at'em every day to scour local salvage yards for that perfect set of cabinets, having an incredibly difficult time deciding on anything at this point, going home to haggle prices of competing vendors' prices on deli cases (thank you New York for this skill), collapsing in a defeated heap my head swarming with ticket prices and shipping fees... it never seems to end.

Prepping for pre-opening party at Poco (save the date 3/21!), sifting through resumes from fellow cheese lovers in the area (oh thank you for relieving me of Craigslist!), resume sifting making me realize I never filed last quarter L&I (this is why I now pay someone to do it for me), rushrushrushredtape finally got my 2010 license sorted out and in the mail yesterday, which I ripped when opening and I hope taping it back together is ok, BREATHE!

Signed up for merchant services with a great local provider, scheduled my Food Safety thingamajig, met with my kickass friend Mike to talk design for the website, cards, aprons, signs, and a slew of other things over garlic soup (YUM!), re-contacted many local cheese makers to tell them I am finally opening (YAY!), then walked the dog and called it a day.

Met with my CPA, settled on filing status for 2010, set up Quickbooks with my accountant, found out I'm registered in some WA databases but not others (not good), commence problem shooting to figure out where the ball got dropped, re-filing some things, waiting for others to be investigated. Now drinking a much needed beer and polishing off a hunk of Osseau Iraty, aaah.

Tomorrow I still carve out time for my weekly therapy of mucking stalls and rubbing velvety noses with the residents of my favorite Horse Rescue, then it's off to meet he plumber, buy office equipment, gogogogogo.

This weekend, however, I'm slowing down for a proper taste-testing of local bread purveyors. I haven't met a proper baguette I haven't liked (I'm a bit of a whore for gluten), but this Friday we'll put them all to the test with friends and a good sampling of ooey gooey yumminess, I'm thinking Pont L'Eveque warmed in to a runny mess in the oven, ah heaven!

This cheesemongering life, it ain't so bad.

Vive la fromage!

2010-02-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

Still pleasantly reeling a bit apres my most recent cheese and wine pairing with Poco Wine Room. What a blast! Despite the fact that we inadvertently scheduled this event the same day as the Superbowl (neither of us had any idea over a month ago when we chose the date), we had a wonderful turnout of fellow cheese and wine lovers who all helped make the evening an exceptional one.

I've often sung the praises of Peter's taste in wine, which is in my opinion, practically failsafe. I often tell people they can go into Poco, close their eyes, point at the wine list, and be very pleased with whatever they get. However he also seriously appreciates good cheese just as much as I do, so the two of us together are finding a harmonious stride that I see growing and prospering well into the future. I think we have just as much fun hosting these events as our gracious guests do attending them!

In the meantime, I've a few small bits to come in the very near future that I'm back-flippingly excited about. One is a mention in the spring issue of Culture Magazine. Although this quarterly publication has only just celebrated their first year, the folks at Culture are doing a fantabulous job of covering cheesey news within and outside the U.S. I feel very honored to have been approached by one of their contributing editors who recently relocated to Seattle, who is incidentally an all-around awesome gal who I see becoming a great cheese pal. The spring issue of Culture should drop in May, and it will be available in the shop. Although, if you really want to go for the gusto, get yourself a subscription and become a part of the Centerfold Club. For just a few dollars more than the regular subscription rate you will receive a hunk of each issue's featured cheese, mmmmmmm.

Progress on the space is slow but sure, and honestly not much to write about at this point. However, while I'm still lapping up the last weeks of precious free time here and there, I've been responding to emails from aspiring cheesemongers across the country. I must say that 2 years ago when my cheese baby was just taking form as nothing more than an idea rattling around in my head, I was surprised and amazed at how incredibly open and helpful other cheesemongers were as I contacted them to pick their brains about the whole process. I usually play by the rule of "hope for the best, expect the worst", yet as one after another professional in the biz helped me form a solid idea of the realistic expectations I could take into this venture, my inner cynic gracefully stepped aside.

I am always flattered beyond belief when I get an email from someone out there who has read the blog and found it inspiring and helpful. Little old me? Really?
Considering the enormous amount of support and guidance I've received, I find it completely fitting to pay it forward as much as I can to those who are where I was just a few years ago. To boot, it is also inspiring to me to know that there are so many fellow cheese lovers out there living in places where their lactic needs are simply not being met, I see it as great evidence of the "Cheese Renaissance" the U.S. is said to be going through. So far I've chatted with people from just about everywhere, from the Texas panhandle to the Jersey shore, and as my novice status helps them find their way, I feel even that much more connected to the big picture, or wedge as it may be, of cheese appreciation.

Queso por vida!

La Campagne: a celebration of French cheese and wine

2010-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Now that holiday madness is behind us, we're ready to rock your tastebuds with another fabulous cheese and wine pairing at Poco Wine Room!

Sunday, February 7th at 5:00 p.m.
Click here for more info and reservations.

Start practicing your accents an francias now fellow cheese lovers, this event is not one to be missed!

Departments of Health, Development and Planning, oh my!

2010-01-20T16:20:00.000-08:00

My lord the past few weeks have flown by. I've been very busy setting up accounts with distributors, getting in touch with many of the local cheesemakers I'll be purchasing from individually, making plans for opening parties and other events, and of course, logging many hours at the DPD.

I must say they are incredibly friendly and helpful, and being so ignorant to this whole process of simply acquiring a T.I. permit I've been at their mercy. Of course, it was bound to bite me in the ass sooner or later, and today I'm nursing a nice big wound to my proverbial glutes. Months ago, in an effort to make some sense out of the process so that when the time came I would have at least some idea of how to proceed, I contacted many people at the DPD and the Department of Health. One major issue was whether or not I would need a review by the Health Board in order for my permits to be approved. I was told by a handful of various people in both offices that I would not, since I wasn't preparing food, just cutting and wrapping it for sale. This was an enormous weight off my shoulders, as recent cutbacks in the city have greatly reduced the number of staff appointed to review plans, and now anyone submitting plans for review by the Health Dept. is having to wait 6-8 weeks for turnaround. As you have probably already guessed, today I got the news from the top that I do, in fact, need to submit my plans for this frustrating review, which could potentially push back everything drastically. Thank you Seattle, as a city that is going broke, for making the opportunity to generate local revenue even more difficult than it already is!

In an effort to keep my mind off of this as much as possible and not descend into a complete nervous breakdown, I'm keeping on keeping on. Plans are solidified for another cheese and wine pairing at Poco Wine Room, details to follow very shortly. I'm also filling every nook and cranny in the house with supplies from several runs to various outlet shops and the like. Ultimately I know I'll be thanking myself for taking the time to run these tedious errands when I'm going at breakneck speed in a few months to open shop, but it is still a little disconcerting to shimmy over and around boxes of cheese cutters and cheese paper and cheese signs. At least the cats are enjoying it.

Little Earthquakes

2010-01-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been INSANE, and I'm just on the cusp of what I consider the two months that all my friends and colleagues will hate me for two months while I lose my mind getting things ready to open the shop.

The frustrating part of where I'm at right now involves a lot of hurry-up-and-wait behavior as I give what information I have to the powers that be and then wait on a steady diet of fingernails until I hear back from them. In reality, it's only a matter of hours, an afternoon or so that I have to spend waiting to hear back from anyone, and for this I am eternally grateful. But at the same time, this time I have that is out of my control is insanely unnerving, and provides way too much time for me to ruminate on the great risk I'm taking with this venture. Naturally the demons creep in and I wonder what on earth am I doing? Is there any way I can really make this work? Somehow I kept these doubts at bay for the year or so building up to this point, and now they are riding passenger seat to me through this part of the wild ride.

Despite my current ridiculous inner turmoil, things are moving forward and every day that passes unveils a tad more excitement for the whole thing. Right now I'm setting up accounts with distributors, making opening inventory lists, shopping around for equipment, generally keeping myself busy. In the meantime, I'm also entertaining more than a few requests for informal interviews from various press forums - I'm starting to feel like a cheeselebrity! I can only hope and assume that the level of excitement I'm getting from local press peeps is indicative of the growing enthusiasm that seems to be spreading in my neighborhood. Vive la fromage!

Slowly but surely

2009-12-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

Not a whole lot to report as 2009 comes to a close, but I feel an update is in order nevertheless. First off, I've gotten many an email asking about an opening date. This is pretty difficult to pin down at the moment, as anyone starting a new business will know, but I'm shooting for mid-late Februrary or possibly the beginning of March. I'm doing everything in my power to make it happen as quickly as possible, but with so much of the work out of my mongering hands, there is a lot of thumb-sitting to be done. Ouch!

The past two weeks have been full of meeting with my architect, the building's architect, fretting, incessantly wiping sweaty palms, more meetings, you get the idea. This week I've been torpedoed back into junior high as I stare at the phone waiting for that special call from a certain boy, except that instead of the geeky loner who's more interested in comic books than girls, it's my autocad drafter I'm pining for.

Soon enough I'll have final plans in hand and will be ready to make possibly the most important walk of my life down to the DPD for a simple bit of ink blottered onto dried pulp that is the green light I need to make real things happen. From there, I'm sure there will be more similarly exciting yarns to spin, but until then dear cheese loving readers, have yourselves a wonderful holiday season and I'll see you in 2010!

1531 Melrose Ave.

2009-12-08T21:43:00.001-08:00

It is official, The Calf & Kid has a home!! Thanks to all of the amazing support of friends, family, my investors, and so many more to helped me make this happen. Special thanks to the awesome folks at The Capitol Hill Blog for their continued support and free press.

As many of you know, this has been a long time coming, 2 years to be exact. I often marvel at my neighboring neighborhood entrepreneurs who seemingly erect new businesses in a matter of minutes. I hope that they also went through some of the agonizing knuckle-biting that I have in this process, because it is no easy feat. My nose is now affixed to the proverbial grindstone now, so updates may be short and sweet, but no doubt chock full of all the glamorous events that budding cheesemongers are known for, like ordering business checks and signing up for state certified food handling courses. Ah, I can taste my celebrity cheese status already...

Home, sweet home!

2009-12-04T00:11:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting this blog, I admit, out of nothing but pure fear. Yes, dear readers, I was, for a while, absolutely terrified of securing the amazing space I've been coveting at the new Melrose Project. I have been similarly scared when attempting to secure the other half dozen spaces I've blogged about - but isn't that half the fun?
Let's just say, The Calf & Kid is about to have a new home!

While papers are being printed and signatures awaiting fresh ink, this space is mine, and I cannot even begin to express how insanely happy I am to be a part of this new space.

Anyone who's been reading (and if you haven't, then slog through the last few posts), knows the awesome location of the shop, and I don't need to repeat my love of my new neighbors-to-be, Sitka and Spruce, Terra Plata, Sonic Boom, not to mention a local butcher, florist, and more.

I am beyond plussed at this moment, knowing I will share this coveted marketplace with so many amazing Seattle small business owners. For now I am off for one last weekend away before commencing the nose-to-the-grindstone that will be opening.
In the meantime keep your eyes peeled for Calf & Kid opening festivities!

Thumb-sitting

2009-11-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

The past month has involved a lot of sitting around waiting, and it looks like November will provide much of the same. I'm not very good at biding time, but I'm confident that in the vein of "good things come to those who wait", I'm quietly twitterpated about the new space I'm looking to secure in The Melrose Project.

This new development has already gotten a lot of press, and while I don't want to get too ahead of myself, it's pretty much a sure thing that The Calf & Kid will be laying roots in this amazing space. Not only will it be home to my hands-down favorite Seattle restaurant of all time, Sitka and Spruce, but I will also be sharing common market space with a butcher - oh how I have longed for a good local butcher! - a small florist, and others. I'm simply plussed.

In the meantime I'm working on a dozen little things that can be done ahead of time, and reflecting on how long it's taken me to get here, from playing with the idea of a cheese shop over 2 years ago to now, it seems like an awfully long time. I have to admit I was very self-conscious about the fact that my projections for an opening date repeatedly moved back, and back, and then back some more. It seems like all around me small businesses crop up in no time at all, but in my case every corner I turned seemed to add on months of time suckage. But then again, that is just my pace in this endeavor. I refuse to rush anything so important as this, and that has resulted in favorable outcomes that I never could have forseen more than a few times. I'm not saying that anyone else looking into opening a cheese shop, or any small business for that matter, should consider my experience that standard - the process is surely different for everyone. While I don't consider myself a spiritual person in any sense, I can't help but think of Ralph Emerson's quote about the Zen philosophy of the journey:

"The voyage of the best ship is the zigzag line of a hundred tacks. See the line from a sufficient distance, and it straightens itself to the average tendency."

Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better for making so many sideways steps towards my ultimate goal; maybe I'm actually working in a way that will help me achieve sustainability as a businesswoman. Maybe the fact that the closest I get to meditation is scribbling on a bar napkin after several beers. Whatever it is, it feels right, I'm constantly getting reassurance from my fellow Seattlites that I'm doing the right thing, and for now that's enough to keep me going.

Ooh La La!

2009-10-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Seattlites, friends, cheeselovers! Start practicing your best/worst French accent and join C&K and Poco Wine Room this Sunday for a very special cheese and wine pairing celebrating the best that fall has to offer: les produits de Francias!

The Calf & Kid and Poco Wine Room present: La Campagne, a celebration of the French countryside.

We promise some delightful surprises in store for this tasting event, including pours from some of the best bottles of Burgundy, concoctions avec fromage from the Poco Wine Room kitchen, and of course, the most delectable cheese this side of the Pacific.

Vive la fromage!

Pitbull

2009-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been very trying, and after hours of wringing my hands and pulling hair, alas the bank is just not going to give me a loan. I must say, through this process of starting up a small business, I never in my wildest dreams thought that securing a minimal amount of financing from the bank would be such an ulcerating experience. Certainly all banks are cutting way back on their small business lending these days, and of those they are still granting, startup's are at the bottom of the totem pole. But I still thought that upon bringing in more than 75% of my total startup expenses, having excellent credit and a kickass business plan, would put me in good stead to acquire the piddly amount left over to cover my proposed budget. In my case, it all came down to collateral, namely not owning property.

However, this time is seriously nigh for me to make this happen no matter what. Where there's a will there's a way, right? My amazing and supportive husband has often brought me out of financial woe by encouraging me to summon my inner Pitbull, and so with the tenacity of a dog that doesn't take no for an answer, I'm gearing up for plan B.

I always knew it was a good thing to create my budget and financial forecasts for the most expensive space I could find, and leave more than enough cash on hand for padding. So with the generous help of my investors and new members of The Calf & Kid, I am moving forward full steam ahead. Luckily there are multiple commercial spaces in Seattle that are small, modest, and still centrally located in Capitol Hill. I'll be looking at one of them tomorrow, may the cheese gods be with me.

Twiddling thumbs

2009-09-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

I've found myself with less and less time to blog or tweet about happenings with the shop lately. This is a good thing, it means I'm so busy running around making things happen that I can almost taste the sweet, cheesy aroma of The Calf & Kid.

I'm extremely happy to report that the first tasting event at Poco Wine Room was a smashing success. Peter Moore, proprietor and overall awesome dude was batting his A game out of ball park along with myself, a fabulous selection of cheese, wine, and amazing foodies. I was literally flushed throughout the event; I'm still amazed that we managed to sell out and then some, to a crowd of enraptured cheese and wine lovers who are hungry for more! Peter and I had so much fun, it could hardly be called work, and we are already gearing up for the next tasting event in late October, "La Campagne", a celebration of French wine and cheese. Vive la fromage!

In the meantime, I'm playing the waiting game on the legal/paperwork front, and I've been shopping around town for equipment and supplies - not buying yet, just pricing. I'm very happy to report that it looks like I'll be able to furnish the entire shop with used materials. Thank you Seattle, for being so green-friendly! There are multiple salvage warehouses with oodles of doors, counters and tops, shelving, etc., and not only does it make a difference in the amount of new items not being produced for my sake, but it's cheap, so incredibly cheap! I'm also very lucky to have a good friend who's one of those amazing gals who can look at some dilapidated piece of junk and see the potential in it to look fabulous with a little refinishing and a fresh coat of paint. Oh, and I can even buy green surplus paint for a fraction of the cost!

Back to geeking out on surplus websites all evening....

Brow wiping

2009-09-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Whew! The past week has been a flurry of wrapping up details for the premier cheese and wine tasting at Poco Wine Room. We sold almost 3/4 of our available slots before the weekend was over, and just today we are officially sold out! I couldn't be happier. We are already planning the theme for October's event, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.

I've also been doing the investor dance with the small group wonderful individuals who are putting forth their heartfelt commitment, and opening their wallets, to help make The Calf & Kid a reality. Hopefully this week will see us signing paperwork and taking the final plunge.

Now it's on to pricing equipment - thankfully there is a lot of great used stuff out there in this economy - and putting a little fire under my own ass to keep things moving as swiftly as possible, permits be damned.

Otherwise, I am taking full advantage of the moments I have here and there to sit and reflect on the journey that has taken me to this point so far. Overall, I have to say that I constantly count my blessings and thank all the people who have given me advice, contacts, contacts of contacts, and especially all the support I've received from cheese lovers everywhere. The Seattle community has stood up for their love of cheese, and one way or another I will deliver!

tick tick tock

2009-09-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

The waiting game, I've never been good at it.

In the past few weeks, nothing and everything has been happening. Momentum has picked up on the front of finding investors (yay!), and steps towards securing a micro-loan to make up for the fact that I'm not eligible for a SBA loan. Contractors are busy bees putting bids together for build out on the space and for a little bit there I was feeling caught up in it and sure that I could work my butt off to make the shop open before the holiday season. Today I received a good dose of red tape reality from the DPD; they are saying 6-8 weeks before my permit for construction will be approved because it has to go through the health department. A little lesson to all those out there who are thinking of opening up shop eh? Not that I could have done much about this anyway, seeing as the intention of locking down a space is what gets one to the point of needing to secure such permits. Anyhoo, just another minor setback, I'm trying my hardest not to let it get me down. Hell, that's just another month or so of continued cheese tasting!

Another, more important bit of news is that my good friend Mike of Royal Magnethas been working for cheese to design the new logo for the Calf & Kid. Below are two mock up's; they're pretty different and I love both of them, so now's the time for cheese geeks everywhere to give me some feedback! Which one do you like and why? You can email or comment or however you choose to spew your opinions, just do it in the next week because I've got to lock down this baby for the tasting at Poco Wine Room next week.
It's up to you, Seattle and beyond!

as the saying goes...

2009-08-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

... when it rains, it certainly does pour! Hard to believe that a mere week ago I was chewing the tips of my fingers in worry over financing for the shop. Now, in such a short space of time, I find myself with multiple investors and I do believe I am beginning to round the top of the great first hill of the roller coaster that is this adventure into small business ownership.

Now is the time for counting eggs, which I'm not want to do, but I feel there's a time for it in any entrepreneural endeavor. The money is forthcoming, lawyers are doing their little dance, so in the meantime I am moving forward doing everything I can to ready preparations on the space, contracting, etc. so that I can make this whirlwind take shape in the form of opening in November, just in time for holiday shopping. I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped me out thus far, be it in the form of free press, investing in my dream, giving moral support along the way, to even offering blood, sweat and tears when it's needed in exchange for cheese. If only I could pay everyone off in curds and whey!

Thanks, hiccups, and lucky stars

2009-08-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

My previous post asking for the wonderful people of Seattle to rally for the Calf & Kid thankfully fell on many open ears and watchful eyes. In a matter of hours I received emails from a small handful of people who are interested in the prospect of my entreprenueal venture, and already I've got a meeting with one of them this weekend to speak in person and hash out details. I won't say that anything is a go at this point, but I am so very grateful for so many supporters out there who re-tweeted my plea, sent me encouraging emails, and generally helped me keep my head above water in a time when it would be so very easy to let myself sink into a small pit of dismay, avec a block of Brie de Nagis. As it is, I only ate half of it, and my cholesterol thanks you all.

In the meantime, I've been making a list of people to thank for their upfront efforts to keep the word out there and help build anticipation in the form of a little free press about the shop. Namely, the good folks at CHS blog and Seattle Metropolitan Magazine. Representatives from both publications approached me a few weeks back for informal interviews, and you can read them online now:

CHS profile on Sheri LaVigne
Seattle Mag's Nosh Pit

I'm crossing fingers and toes that the setback of losing an investor is merely a hiccup in the process of making my dream de fromage come true.

Decompressing from ACS

2009-08-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

It is really difficult to put into words the experience I had at ACS last week. My head is still reeling a little from all of the amazing people I met, the bounty of great information I absorbed, not to mention the nights of plentiful cheese and beers with new friends and colleagues.

In a nutshell, making the decision to go to this conference was one of the best I've made yet. I know now that this yearly excursion will be one that I always make the time and money for, no doubt about it. During the Becoming a Cheesemonger seminar back in June, I remember Steve Jones saying that every year he agonizes over the cost of going, and by the time he's on his flight home, he wonders how he ever could have questioned the choice to do so. I can't agree enough; by the time I was making my trek back to Seattle a few days ago, I was so full of cheese love that I couldn't stop from smiling to myself.

Seminars I attended were all good, ranging from those that confirmed a lot of the ideas I already had, to those that opened my eyes to so many new possibilities for this venture. Notably, Ari Weizenberg of Zingerman's gave a rousing talk of customer service and the incredibly important role it plays in anything food related. The Affinage seminar was affing-awesome, especially getting to hear Mateo Keleher of Jasper Hill's Farm, and of course the Cellars at Jasper Hill, talk about the great undertaking of creating a state-of-the-art cheese cellar in Vermont. Grassroots Marketing was a huge highlight; Jeanne Carpenter of Cheese Underground and Ken Monteleone of Fromagination were both refreshingly progressive voices of the Wisconsin movement towards Artisan cheese culture (which in my mind is automatically inclusive of Grassroots marketing). There were many more but I can't possibly wax even the slightest bit poetic on each one or you'll be reading this post for the next hour.

Each session I attended left me more elated and jazzed, and the momentum was simply contagious. After a few days everyone seemed to feel more comfortable, conversations started quickly and organically with just about everyone I literally bumped into as we rushed around to attend to our various commitments. I did sort of find "my people" within a very small but motley crew of other hopeful cheesemongers, and we had a great time reconnecting for post-conference beers in the Texas heat, sharing what we'd gathered from our experiences of the day. One of the best things about a conference centered on your passion is meeting the many people who are right there with you. Bonding through sharing experiences, thoughts, reflections, and naturally a lot of alcohol (we are all on a tad bit of vacation after all!) is just as important and worthwhile as the formal education of seminars led by the professionals in the field.

I am eagerly awaiting next year's ACS conference, which will take place here in lovely Seattle. I am in the process of figuring out how my presence can and will be an instrumental part of this yearly gathering of cheese fiends. Naturally, you will all be privy to that as is comes to fruition.

Cheese in the Heart of Texas

2009-08-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already the last day of the ACS conference. The past three days have been an absolute whirlwind of cheese tasting, networking, and packing my brain with more information than I'd thought possible. I'm still mentally distilling this experience for my own blogging purposes, so in the meantime please take in the musings of a few fellow cheese geeks who have kept it together enough to write fabulous bits on conference happenings:

Cheese Underground

Cheese and Champagne

Musing and photos to come, but tonight, The Festival of Cheeses!

Feelin' the love

2009-07-31T12:46:00.001-07:00

I was talking to a friend last night about the blog, and she was asking how often I update it. "Well, it all depends, usually not much unless I have some news or something is happening." Then I went on to tell her a slew of little things that are on the horizon, and even though they're not necessarily anything all that big, I woke up this morning wondering why the hell I hadn't been updating them here? Point being, I'm not great at updating but I'm now making a vested effort to be better about it.

Last week I had a quick, fruitful meeting with Peter of Poco Wine Room. Last year I met with him simply to get his story about starting up a new small business, which he was happy to share. Little did I know there was a great relationship opportunity right under my nose; Peter is incredibly sweet, down to earth, and has been very excited about what I'm doing. He also does an excellent job with Poco, I have found his rotating wine selections to be consistently impressive, and it's clear that he loves what he's doing. So a month or so ago, when it became clear that I wasn't going to be opening shop for yet a few more months at the least, I propositioned him to partner with me in co-hosting some wine and cheese pairings at the bar. It's a real win-win situation; I get to do what I love, talk about cheese to a group of food lovers, and at the same time get my name out there before I've opened shop. Peter gets to do what he loves, talk about wine and bring more customers into his space. We both agreed it's a real no-brainer. So with that we have slated the first cheese and wine pairing event to take place on Thursday, September 17th. Naturally details to come as we get closer to the date.

In the meantime, I'm getting ridiculously jazzed for the American Cheese Society conference next week in Austin, TX. I was originally going to wait to attend this annual event until next year, when it will be held in Seattle, but this year's even focuses on retail and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to gain even more knowledge before I take the big plunge. There I'll be soaking up the advice of experts from all around the country on retail strategies, affinage, serving and pairing, the list goes on. Not to mention getting to taste hundreds of cheeses! I'm also tickled pink to meet many of the personalities I've become familiar with on twitter in person. Nothing gets me going like being surrounded by a bunch of fellow cheese geeks.

Upon my return home, I'll be getting down to the nitty-gritty of finalizing my SBA loan, crossing t's and dotting i's with my lawyer, and hopefully by September I'll be hitting the ground running. It's all happening so fast, yet at the same time I'm way off my original schedule, which is something I've come to learn is completely ok. Yesterday I had a long conversation with one of my mentors and biggest supporters, my incredible mother in law, and I had to revel a little at the arc this journey has taken that I never could have predicted. Probably the best piece of advice I got in the beginning was from a fellow small business owner, who gravely warned me against getting stuck on anything specific in terms of how this would all come to fruition. I took his advice to heart, and it has kept me open and flexible to all of these amazing opportunities that in one way are far from me actually opening the shop, but at the same time are moving me towards my goal of eventually owning a business that will succeed and sustain because of the foundation I'm building now. It's already one wild ride...

aah, the good old farmlife

2009-07-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Back from my week of sheep cheesery goodness at Black Sheep Creamery, still soaking it all in. For or your viewing pleasure, a photo tour of my week.

I can't believe how much I learned in just one week. Naturally, having never made cheese before, my learning curve was pretty substantial, but even so I felt like a sponge just soaking up every minute of it. Days were long and packed with milking, herding sheep, making tons of cheese, and cleaning cleaning cleaning. Brad joked in an interview once that he often spends more time cleaning up than actually making the cheese, and it's entirely true. In fact, a lot of cheesemaking is pretty much a hurry up and wait game. Milk heats for 30 min. or more and when it reaches a precise temperature starter is added, then wait again for a very specific amount of time before adding rennet, then wait again and closely monitor the coagulation so the curds are sifted out just at the right time. I can see it becoming a pretty zen process, and it definitely requires a lot of patience and the personality of someone who doesn't mind a pretty solitary work environment.

Brad is just that in a nutshell, which is one of the many reasons their cheeses are so delicious. He and Meg really put an immense amount of hard work and dedication into their craft, yet they both give off such a relaxed, content vibe I was constantly amazed. They told me all about their experience with the horrible flood a couple of years ago, and I just can't imagine how it must have been to live through that, much less to pick right back up and go on. But as Meg said, that's just what you do in the face of disaster. The experience of getting to know them and their family was just as valuable as getting up close and personal with their cheese. In such a short time they really made me feel like part of the family, and by the time I left I was so comfortable there and just getting into the groove and routine of farmlife that I must admit I was a tad misty-eyed as I drove away.

The really beautiful part of this experience I take away from it is the very intimate connection I now have with these cheeses that I've tasted and loved. Now when I cut into a round of Mopsey's Best (may favorite), I'll think of the farm, and I'll know that I had a first-hand experience in making it, from milking the sheep all the way to brushing that last dust of mold off the rounds before cutting and packing wedges for market. I wish I could have this kind of relationship with every cheese that I sell, and so I'm working into my business model the ability to take one week away every year to work at a dairy. I could easily do it for the rest of my life and never even begin to cross off all the amazing cheeses I love, but it's a start.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

2009-07-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update from farmland at Black Sheep Creamery, or as I'm calling it, Sheep Camp. Naturally the minute I arrived in Chehalis my laptop decided to croak, so I'm limited to the use of the computers at the local library, which while generous since I'm not paying for it, is endlessly frustrating because I already have half a gig of pictures I'm just dying to post. Alas, they will have to wait until next week, so please check back then for a week in the life of cheesemakers in pictures.

Meg and Brad are amazing; funny, down to earth, at once everything I expected of sheep farmers and yet completely the opposite. Their kids are fun, they have a completely neurotic cattle dog that makes me miss my schnorky doofus even more, a great cat and about 70 of the most awesome sheep ever. My first morning on the farm I helped Brad with the a.m. milking, which involves walking up the road to the rolling green acres that the sheep inhabit, then herding them back to the barn. Of they all know the drill, and they know that milking time means sweet grain, so they are eager to bolt out of the fence and trot and clop their way with very little prodding. No pun intended. Every now and then one of them would stop, stare right at me and let out a forceful "BAAA!" Apparently they enjoy checking out a new person, it was adorable.

The milking process isn't too complicated. It involves hooking up two sheep at a time to the modest milking machine while they inhale their helping of sweet grain. The sheep aren't producing nearly as much as they were a few months ago, so Tuesday morning's yield was a mere 45 lbs. compared to highs of 100 or slightly more back in May and June. With the two of us, milking took about 3 hours, then sheep were herded back to their area to chomp clover and we were back to the milk house to finish pasteurizing many gallons of milk for a new cheese that Brad is trying out. It's a soft Libyan cheese that ages only 3 months with an olive oil brush on the rind. I'm anxious to hear how it turns out, and hopefully it will become something regular.

Wednesday I hit the Portland Farmer's market scene at the Moreland Market. I love talking to people about cheese, even more so when I can hand them a bit of what I'm gushing about, so this was an incredibly fun, albeit exhausting experience. Meg is charming and has many regulars who come by just because they know she'll be there with products promised from last week's market; in this case, fresh unsalted ricotta that I actually made and hung the evening before. I could eat the stuff by the handful, it is so incredibly fresh and just a little sheepy, throw that in a bowl with some fresh berries and mmmmm. Even though I didn't get home until 10 p.m. (and up at 5 a.m. mind you), I couldn't wait to get back today bright and early.

This morning Brad already had the vat full of milk that had just finished pasteurizing, and we got set into making a batch of their Christmas tomme, which is their tomme with green and red peppercorns sprinkled into the pate of the cheese. Set those to press, cleaned everything and did it all over again with they remaining whey for a batch of fresh ricotta. Clean everything again and it was onto hanging 80 lbs. of fresh cheese for packaging tomorrow. Their fresh cheese is just what it sounds like: pasteurized curds and whey that sit for 24 hours, then hang in cheesecloth for another 24 for whey to drain, then mixed with various ingredients on the third day and sold to eager customers. The base has just a little salt for flavor and reminds me of something between a chevre and a really good marscapone. There are a handful of other flavors like Chipotle and Tomato or Dill and Garlic, all of them delicious and it's so much fun to come up with ideas of things to spread them on, for instance, anything that doesn't move.

That's it so far, one quick computer break and I head back to sterilize bottles and make mother starter for the weekend cheese. Vive la brebis!

'Tis the season for cheese tastings

2009-07-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I met with fellow neighborhood business owners Peter and Bart of Poco Wine Room. Months ago when I was interviewing small business owners for information gathering and advice, Peter was very charming and helpful. He was willing to share his story in detail of getting the bar up and running, all the challenges they faced and the successes they celebrated in just 18 months. I knew then that he would be a contact to keep close to, though I wasn't sure exactly how it would all play out, but yet another terrificly sage piece of advice I took home from Steve jones at Cheese Camp was the idea of hosting cheese tastings and events before even opening my shop. Fantastic, I can do this, but I needed someone else to provide the essential space and proper liquor licensing to do so.

So I contacted Peter, telling him I had some ideas to throw at him, and we made a date to meet at Poco and discuss. I got to meet his equally charming life and business partner Bart, and the conversation flowed just as easily as the many glasses of delectable Beaujolais. We talked a lot of shop, I got to practice some of my spiel on Bart, which was great, got a ton of great feedback and a few more references to work with. Then I plunged into my pitch for co-hosting cheese and wine pairings in the bar. Poco is the perfect place for this; not only do they have a wine selection I'm always impressed by, but they have a lovely little upstairs area that is sequestered enough from the main entrance to provide necessary privacy, but just public enough to make other patrons wonder what's going on up there? Peter and Bart were both just as excited as I was about this partnership, and I couldn't be happier.

We will reconvene after I return from my short stint at Sheep Camp this month, and I'm hoping to set a date for the first event in August. We've a lot of details to hammer out, but suffice it to say it will be fun, affordable, full of delicious cheese and wine, and just exclusive enough to make us all feel a little privileged for an evening. Vive la fromage!

Small and Special

2009-06-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

This afternoon was spent amongst a hundred or so fellow small business owners and budding entrepreneurs at the first Small and Special conference. The event was organized and hosted by Jackson Fish Market, which oddly enough has nothing to do with fish. They are a small group of ex-Microsofter's who banded together to do their own thing, and from what I gather they are still in the techie industry, however creating their own brands of consumer software solutions. That is lifted entirely from their, site, I don't really understand what it all means, but they guys were very nice and put together a fantastic panel of speakers from various areas of small business-dom.

I must say that this small business venture is incredibly isolating, as I'm sure anyone who has stuck their neck out as an entrepreneur can relate. In my particular situation, some of that inherent loneliness will become assuaged when I actually open my doors, and have daily contact with fellow cheese lovers. But for now, it's all me and just me, and any opportunity to mingle with a group of like-minded businessfolks is always welcome. I chatted with a few of the people around me; unfortunately the group was far too large to do any considerable conversational networking, but it was still good to meet people who were in their own various stages of business development, research, whathaveyou.

I always make notes of what I think I'm going to take away from an interview or event like this, and then look at them again in a couple of days and see how they jive with my thoughts after a few dozen hours of marinating in my head. So who knows if I'll agree with myself this weekend, but leaving this event I felt a little snowed. Speakers' professions ranged across the board, from flower shops to children's book publishing, to the groovy sex toy shop that has become a pride and joy of Seattle. All but one of them sang the praises of not making any concrete plans to start the business; of somehow just falling into it like they tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and suddenly poof! There's a business with my name on it!
I absolutely cannot deny the romance that these stories lend to small business ownership, but I had to sit on my own hands to keep myself from pumping a fist in the air for the sake of research and business plans and not rushing in!

I know that everyone does it their own way, and I know that no matter how much I plan, edit, re-edit my business plan, pick away at my financials, there are going to be many, many surprises along the way. Hell, I've already encountered so many little wrenches tossed into the mix that I can't even count them, but I always stop and think back to the very first conversation I had with anyone regarding my beloved cheese shop dream. Back in January of 2008, I sat down with friend and fellow small business owner Jason Legat of Model Remodel. I literally sat on the edge of my seat as I regaled him with my romantic version of opening a little cheese shop in less than six months, just in time to meet the holiday rush, it was a brilliant plan in my mind. He sat and listened patiently, and then very kindly advised me to take a few steps back and look at the bigger picture. He illustrated scenarios of starting with a bang and then falling short very quickly, of not having the proper funding to really head into a retail situation and what about working with cheese, of all basic things? Naturally my exuberant inner child was a little crushed at hearing this, but I knew I had to be open to the advice, after all, he had built his business from the ground up, made his share of mistakes along the way, and is now a very successful business owner. He spun a wise yarn about building the proper foundation (to use a contracting metaphor), and how that foundation will inevitably dictate the imminent success or failure of your budding business. I still hold onto that with every step I make, and also to his sage words to never stick to a rigid timeline, be flexible and always open to opportunities that may not be in your original plan but will make you more informed, experienced, and ever more ready to take the plunge when it does happen.

I thought of all that a lot today, listening to these panelists tell their tales of living on no income and barely breaking even after a full year. More than one person poo-pooed the notion of a loan, or even seed money for that matter. The idea of an organic transition into success was laid on thick, but to me it's like an incredibly hygenic Frenchman; it's a great idea but it is the extremely rare exception to the rule. The people who made it without money, marketing, small business loans, seemingly by the good nature of our community, they should consider themselves touched by angels. But me, I'm an atheist through and through. I'm not counting on anything but myself, my anal-retentive tendencies towards fine tuning my beloved P&L reports, my horse-like work ethic, and my deep, deep love of cheese to see me through this venture.

/rant.

Sheep, Chehalis, and cheese!

2009-06-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today I drove down to Chehalis to meet Brad and Meg of Black Sheep Creamery. They and many other farmers in the area were hit incredibly hard by the floods that wreaked havoc over southern Washington about two years ago, and they are now back up to a flock of about 70 sheep, who graze peacefully in pastures just a bit down the road from their farmhouse. They have a fairly small operation, and it is just magical to see where some of my favorite cheeses come from.

I met Meg, the lady of the farmstead, and their silly herding dogs. Then it was into the cheesemaking den for an hour or so observing Brad and their current intern Jess, as they worked on a batch of experimental pecorino. I had to hold myself back from just diving my hands into the sultry curds and gobbling them up by the mouthful. They kneaded and pounded the curds into 4 cheeseclothed wheels, then set them up to press, all the while patiently answering my every question. I got to walk through the cave and see wheels of Mopsy's Best and their fabulous Tomme in various stages of ageing, plus a few odds and ends that they are currently playing around with. Whether I'm at liberty to really say much more about them I'm unsure of, so I'll leave it at that.

I'm scheduled to head back down and start putting my nose to the cheesestone, so to speak, on July 6th. I'll have a few days to work with Jess before she's off for a week and then I'll get to be the one heaving and hefting buckets of whey and wheels of glorious cheese for about 10 days. There is so much for me to learn, and I'm so grateful that these great folks are giving me the opportunity to get up close and personal with their operations. And hopefully I'll get to work a little sheep canoodling in there as well. I can't wait!!!

Reflections from cheese camp

2009-06-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that just one week ago I was ensconced in the electric energy of a small gaggle of fellow cheese lovers. But now it's back to reality and a lot of re-figuring of plans.

Meeting Steve Jones was not only invaluable because he's just awesome, but it was a very honest reality check. His operation is about as small as they come; inhabiting about 300 sqft. inside a wine shop, he started it all for less than $50K and a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I realized after meeting him and hearing his story, that the other two cheese shop owners I've interviewed have had the financial latitude to make a go of it without borrowing anything. Although they both have very different shops, they make each one happen in a monetary comfort zone that I simply don't have. In short, I came the easy conclusion that I need to start out much, much smaller than I was originally intending, and I'm thanking my lucky stars I figured this out now rather than 6 months in when I still have yet to break even and I'm staring at inventory that isn't moving. Fortunately, I'm one who sets her sights high, so it was a no brainer to eliminate the wine and beer element from the shop. I've already been stressing out over the inane licensing in WA state for selling bottled alcohol yet offering it as samples for tastings. Not to mention the hike in space, therefore rent, and start up inventory it would cost me. Brush that aside and I start smaller, concentrating solely on cheese and a few accouterments to go with it. This of course changes a lot of my business plan, so I've been crunching new numbers and editing like a fiend over the past week getting it up to date.

The other essential element that never crossed my mind was interning at a local creamery. Naturally I've been thinking of shops where I might intern to work behind the counter and get a good taste for day to day operations, but I never knew that creameries/dairies hosted interns, nor did I think about how it would benefit my self-education to do more than visit one or several. So I sent out some feelers, and lo and behold, one of my local faves has been responsive, the lovely folks at Black Sheep Creamery have agreed to meet with me next week to discuss a potential internship in July.

I fell in love with sheep's milk cheese years and years ago when I tasted my first Manchego. It was a little unlike anything I'd tried before, and something about the flaky, savory texture and slightly tangy flavor just sent me soaring. Since then I've always sought out sheep's milk cheese and have become incredibly biased towards it. I swooned over Black Sheep's Tomme a few years back, and this past year their Mopsy's Best has elicited an uncontrollable physical shudder of delight every time I taste it. Of course, I could say that about a lot of cheese, but still.

So there you have it, ladies and gents. I'm currently looking down the road at early fall for opening, and in the meantime I'll be panhandling for airfare to attend the American Cheese Society Annual Conference in Austin, TX. Donations are gladly accepted.

Cheesemonger Boot Camp!

2009-06-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Just back from a jam-packed 4 days of cheesemongering in Portland, and all I can say is WOW. This was the first event hosted by Food By Hand, the newest pet project of esteemed Heidi Yorkshire. She teamed up with Steve Jones of Steve's Cheese, and together they brought 15 of America's budding cheese geeks to the lovely city of Portland for a long weekend of cheese, cheese, and more cheese. It was a whirlwind of an event, and it's an understatement to say that it exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds.

We all arrived at Steve's Cheese on Wednesday afternoon to meet and greet, and of course, taste some cheese! That evening Steve treated us to a wine and cheese pairing, followed by one of his famous Farmstead dinners. I don't think any of us knew quite what to expect, but everything fell into place without a hitch as plate after glorious plate of cheese and charcuterie passed around the table. There were no less than 14 kinds of cheese, a good smattering of cured meats, and the flow of conversation quickly overtook that of the wine. Now that's the sign of a fantastic group. People ranged from those on a purely information seeking mission, to current cheesemongers, to wine experts and food brokers, and a few like myself who were gregariously looking forward to opening their own shops in the very near future. It was heaven.

The following days were packed with talk of business plans and taxes, business entities and legal matters, visits to a neighboring Portland cheese shop and local distribution warehouse, with regular intermissions for cheese tastings. Steve let us run rampant in his tiny outfit, and we regularly sampled from the counter, stuck our heads into the reach-in fridges, and got up close and personal with day to day operations. He sacrificed a quarter wedge of luscious Comte for our slicing and wrapping pleasure, and showed us how to deal with soft molds, cheese mites, and a dozen other little intricacies of general cheese care. My head was reeling on a constant protein high and so much information to take in.

I have to take a minute here to wax poetic over the amazing personalities who took us by the hand through this adventure. Steve himself is just the most friendly, easygoing, down-to-earth character, and that is what I want to see more of (myself included of course) in contemporary cheesemongers. He was just an open book about everything that he's learned in his experience, and the willingness to share all of it was a huge comfort. Heidi Yorkshire is just a card; she's got that great dry humor that I love, and her jokes never conceal her intense level of knowledge in the industry. It was clear from the get-go that we were being taught by experts in this field.

The rest may take another post, since just this much is like a longwinded manifesto of my love of cheese, blah blah blah. I will continue to regale you readers tomorrow.

signing off - vive la fromage!

Cheesegasm

2009-05-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Crap! I thought I'd posted this last week, but a lot of sun in Seattle has a way of working its crazy dreamlike magic on the brain, what can I say?

I'm just now coming down from a full 48 hour cheesegasm, thanks to The Seattle Cheese Festival.

This was my 4th year cruising the Pike Place concourse for nibbles of curd, however this time I took advantage of the inevitable waiting to slip Calf & Kid cards into the hands of everyone I could. I also left little piles of them on several tables, so hopefully you either got one or saw them around somewhere. Strangely enough, I got the stink-eye from an old cheesemonger at the very first booth I approached. I was about 3 layers of people back from the booth, and tried as unobtrusively as possible to slip people a card saying "new cheese shop coming to Seattle". I think I handed out 3 or 4 when I looked up and she was glaring at me like I'd taken a slice of her cheese, wiped my ass with it, and handed it back to her. It was kind of funny, and I moved on with fantastic girlfriend in tow, and I cannot even begin to count how many warm responses I received from fellow cheese lovers. My favorite remark was from a woman several years my senior who gingerly plucked the card from my hand, sneered at it over her low-riding glasses, and said "Well it's about time!" Then she gave me a very warm smile, complemented the logo and that was that.

The rest of the afternoon was spent tasting sooo many cheeses that invoked physical reactions - most of them already known and a good smattering of new rinds on my pallet. With friend and fellow cheese lover in tow, I hit some of the seminars hosted by cheese hotties Tami Parr of PNWCP and Daphne Zeops, cheese guru. How I love to see other women marking their terrior in the cheese biz! All in all it was awesome, how could be otherwise? I am still reeling a tad from so much fromage in this glorious city, and cannot wait for more, more, more!

Chevre avec Ritalin?

2009-05-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let you all know that I'm not dead, just un-hibernating, or whatever you might call thawing out from the winter slowly and enjoying the tad bit of sunshine and fun we all covet this year.

There is certainly nothing like starting your own business to induce the most extreme ADD symptoms. Every day holds the potential to send me soaring or pull me crashing back down to reality, sometimes both. A few weeks ago I was over the moon about a space right down the street, perfect location, just the right size and price, and then in one fell swoop the air was let out of that potential bubble by owners and their crazy ideas of when and how to renovate space. Every day brings another tidbit of news that either elates or crushes me, and every day I'm learning to flow with it a little more.

Mostly I'm twiddling my thumbs, figuratively and literally, waiting for a good space to come along. I am very seriously heeding the advice not to jump on anything too soon just for the sake of having it; my inner Goldilocks can wait for the spot that's just right.

In the meantime, I'm feeling very fancypants-ed at winning a Twitter contest today for tickets to the Seattle stop on The Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard foundation, and in this case, my belly.

I'm also getting very bouncy about the upcoming Seattle Cheese Festival this weekend. I'm making hundreds of little Calf & Kid fliers to hand out, attending a couple of seminars, and meeting a handful of fellow Seattleites who I've only known online just yet. So far this week is shaping up famously.

Vive la fromage!

Home sweet home?

2009-04-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

The perfect beginning to a fantabulous spring weekend in Seattle; I checked out a new space on 12th ave in the 'hood that really hit the "just right" spot for my inner cheese bear. Then moments after tweeting it, the news popped up on The Capitol Hill Seattle blog, color me stoked! This morsel of free press has been great, every day I'm sifting through new emails from fellow cheese-loving Seattleites, singing the praises of this venture. Thank you all for the words of encouragement, and keep it coming!

Today I signed up for the upcoming Food by Hand seminar: Becoming a Cheesemonger. Come June I'll flee the crazy rollercoaster that is my life here for a few days and immerse myself in everything cheese. Now it's back to the laptop to fine tune the 'ole business plan for this new space on 12th.

Batteries recharged

2009-04-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

Whew, it's been a while since a post! Mostly due to the lack of anything going on, which has been a blessing while I've been wrapping things up at the day job. In the meantime, I'm super stoked to attend a couple of seminars at the upcoming Seattle Cheese Festival later in May. I'm checking out "Washington's Artisan Cheese Renaissance", hosted by none other than the fantastic Pacific Northwest Cheese Project blog. I'll be delighted to finally meet her in person and solicit the hell out of the shop. Also on the agenda is "The Cheesemonger(Fromager)" which will undoubtedly be inspiring and very educational.

Speaking of inspiring and educational, I had a couple of drinks and some cheese last night with Shannon of City Stimulus and In Your Head. I needed her help working on my "spiel" and she also got me all set up on Twitter, so feel free to tweet at me to your heart's content! We also shared a delightful toasted goat cheese crottin at Oddfellows, which was prepared very well and served with sliced apples and pears.

Later this weekend I'll be heading back to the farmer's market for some more Naughty Nellie from River Valley Ranch, I just can't get enough of that stuff. It's made in a tomme style, but it's airier and a little more tart than any tomme I've come across, yet it does have that lovely smokey quality that carves a special place in my heart for tommes. I also have a list of some highly recommended wines from a coworker who is no novice to the Washington wine scene, so I'll be holing up inside with my cheese and wine diary and calling it a "research weekend". It's tough, I tell you.

Keeping the faith

2009-03-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

This month has been like being stranded in quicksand. So much movement, work, activity was happening for a while there and now it's like I've hit a brick wall. Well, maybe not that dramatic, it just feels that way.

My loan officer strongly advised me to seek out an investor, and I'll be damned if I don't heed the advice of those who've watched this happen a hundred times. I'm a very independent thinker 99% of the time, but I know when to back off and do what I'm told when it comes to things that I'm fairly ignorant about, like, oh I dunno, starting a small business?? Luckily for me, my loan officer is really awesome, and very straightforward with me. According to him, I'd have about a 50/50 chance of getting exactly what I want as is, and if my application is rejected then I'll have to wait 3 months before re-applying. That will simply not do. So it's time to put on my dancing shoes and make someone else believe in this as much as I do, or at least $20,000 as much as I do. Lucky, seriously lucky me has no less than 2 people to approach right off the bat, and if they aren't interested they will surely be able to refer me to those who may. We will see.....

In the meantime I've been relishing some fantastic tomme style curdage from River Valley Cheese. We tried the Naughty Nellie, a lovely raw cow's milk bathed in Naughty Nellie beer from the Pike Brewery. Also tasted the Valley Girl and one not on the website that was wrapped in crushed Cabernet grapes. Mmmmmmmm......all fantastic.

I'm also playing with grilled cheese, so far ingredients involved have included: aged Gruyere, anchovies, rosemary boule, fresh pumpernickel, smoked onion mustard, roasted red peppers, black olives, carmelized onions, aged gouda, fresh buffalo mozarella, and garlic pickles. Not at all in that order.

Hiccups

2009-03-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

I hate hiccups, both in literal and symbolic form. As for the latter, it looks like I still don't have enough money to qualify for the loan I want. I love that in order to procure a loan, I need to front so much cash that I could ostensibly take all the money I have and just ask for a loan about 1/3 of what I'm currently seeking. And then it sort of all stops making sense anyway. Suffice it to say that things are slightly on hold until I can find an investor to inject that last $20K or so necessary to see this cheese baby to fruition. So if you know anyone with far too much disposable income who might like to own 5% of a kick-ass cheese shop, please do send them my way.

In better, and for more entertaining news, I held my first official cheese tasting last night at Chez LaVigne. While Mr. LaVigne and I have held many a cheese session on our own, it's high time I get friends to come over for copious servings of dairy decadence. In return they eat the stuff I can't stand, and help me come up with witty and often terribly inappropriate descriptions of the cheese(s). See, back at in Brooklyn at The Bedford Cheese Shop, descriptions were half the fun of spending an afternoon tasting and spending far too much of a weekend allowance. For example, this is what they have to say about a goaty Crottin: "Can be enjoyed in the younger, fresh state or in the aged, hard-as-a-f%#king-rock-stage."

They are now slightly famous for their wacky descriptions, and I'm sure they won't mind if I take a page from their marketing book to that end. Last night a good helping of a dozen or do cheese-loving friends arriving avec various beers and wines to graze on a delicious selection of goat cheese. Among some of the descriptive hits were:

"This cheese reminds me of a Frenchman I once dated; he never bathed but was a great lover."

"Like making out with a gang of billy goats."

"This cheese could beat you at Rock Band." -- still not sure exactly what this means but hell, it sounds good!

"This cheese is the naughty that needs a nice."

And the list goes on, and yes, you will have to come to the shop to see, taste, and purchase the fantastic fromages that elicited such an outpouring of adjectives.

*Note to self: next time take a picture of the beautiful cheese board before letting everyone devour it. This morning I thought of it but our kitchen had been taken over by an army of empty wine glasses, bottles, and one hunk of wood with a few scraps of dried cheese on it.

*Note to self #2: disregard anything after cheese #4, because by that time we've all "tasted" far much booze to come up with anything beyond the intellectual level of Beavis and Butthead. Case in point - Pave de Jadis, an absolutely transcendent log of fluffy, lemon-infused paste covered in a layer of delicate ash. We ended the night with this and this is what I've got to show for it:

"Like a premature cheese ejaculation!"

"Like a quality hooker, it goes away right after you've enjoyed it but you'll always welcome it back for another round."

"Dude, this cheese is GOOD!"

Coming up in a few weeks for the next lucky selection of my peeps - an evening of blue's.

Holding pattern

2009-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Last week just a bust on the cheese shop front. After applying for licenses and permits galore, I learned that, in a nutshell, I can't get a liquor license that will give me the freedom I want in the shop. I appears that in order to have public tastings, I would either need a liquor license that dictates more than 50% sales from alcohol, or I sell unopened bottles and have no ability to give people tastings. There is one other option I'm going to discuss with my lawyer tomorrow morning that will hopefully resolve this issue, but if it doesn't work then I'm back to spreadsheets and business plan drama, editing everything I've worked so hard on to create a different type of store. But I'm not going to count on anything yet.

This weekend we got away for a bit and shot down to Newport, OR for the Annual Newport Seafood and Wine Festival. We ate the best Penn Cove mussels I've ever had, downed many a Rogue ale, trooped through two tent's worth of drunken, post Mardi-Gras idiots to taste dozens of wine, and then stuffed ourselves silly with more yummy things from shells out of the ocean. I now have a very good selection of Oregon wines to add to the inventory list. Among the shining stars of the afternoon were a Willamette Valley Syrah and a Columbia Valley Merlot, both of which are absolutely toe-curlingly fantastic.

Then I took advantage of the drive home to shove my nose back into my library of cheese porn; books full of the most luxurious photos and descriptions of cheeses the world over. That, a relaxing Sunday evening back with the furry children, an ice cold Brutal Bitter from the Rogue warehouse sale, and a hunk of Seastack I'd forgotten about, and call me good.

A few more steps towards Cheese Vixendom...

2009-02-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

A LOT has been happening lately, hence the lack of posts because I've been out of my mind busy. Last week I checked out a potential space just 4 short blocks from my house - take that 20 mile commute! It was a teeny raw space on the ground floor of a new condo development. Yes, I know they are still popping up everywhere but dammit, if the location is this perfect who am I to judge? Turns out 573 sq. ft. feels like a lot less than you'd think, and the real estate agent and I hopped over to the space next door, a comfortable and spacious 900+ sq. ft. and still *just* in my budget.

Since then it's been conversations with just about everyone I know who's ever said the words "real estate", and scrambling to get the damned business plan finished so I can move on this baby. Maybe it's the 7 years of New York in me, maybe it's just dumb luck, but after only 3 years here in Seattle I'm amazed at how well networked I am to call in favors to help me along just about every step of this process. Derek Hermsen is the husband of a super awesome volunteer/intern at the shelter last year, and he is worth his weight in gold. Not only is he just plain nice and easy to talk to, but he knows his shit up, down, inside and out. He works as a tenant advocate so he's now going to work for me to negotiate terms for the lease on this fantabulous space.

In the meantime I'm making mock concept sketches for the landlord, getting the rest of my business plan strings tied up, and just today I got my LLC paperwork in the mail and my EIN, which was like magic, it was kind of scary how fast and easy it was. Tomorrow I open my business account, turn in my loan application, and hold my breath for 7-10 days. Luckily I have a whole lot of wine tasting to keep me busy.

Short and sweet

2009-02-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

I haven't gotten nearly enough sleep lately, have been absolutely consumed with some other projects at the 'ole day job, and the pinched nerve or whatever it is in my left shoulder is surely going to take up the entire hour of my massage therapy this week, but it's all worth it because this Friday I am doing a walkthrough of the retail space I've been salivating over a mere 4 blocks from my abode. From there I'll be finally submitting my loan application and the real fun begins.

Voila, the logo!

2009-01-31T20:28:00.000-08:00

This is only the first of many, many versions, but I'm already getting terribly excited, thanks again to Courtney Blazon and Bonnie Fink:

Something real

2009-01-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

Last night I got my first piece of mail for The Calf and Kid; my business license!

I know it doesn't seem like much, especially considering that it's only one of a long list of licenses and permits I need to acquire in a very short time period. But I still the happy dance all over the porch after I got it. It makes all the mental work of the past several months for something entirely theoretical feel like it's actually starting to happen!

Naturally a lot of other things are falling into place a little more quickly than I'd anticipated, but that's just how it happens sometimes. I contacted a real estate agent about a space I've had my eye on for a few months and learned that the price had just been reduced almost 12% and it comes with a very respectable TI allowance. So I figured I should get this ball rolling like a skeeball on amphetamines. I called my insurance broker and she whipped up a quote for me, and now rent and insurance are both far below my projected expenditures, yay!
I'm up to my eyeballs in meetings and appointments with the Fire Marshall, and inbetween I'm having dreams of floorplans and cabinets. It's totally insane but I'm loving every minute of it.

I'm also lucky enough to have many friends offering their varied talents to helping me and my new venture. Just this week my pal Courtney Blazon whipped up some fantastic Calf and Kid illustrations for the logo. They are exactly what I wanted and I can't wait for my other good gal pal Bonnie Fink to turn these works of art into a catchy logo, soon to come.

The thick of it

2009-01-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

This week has been agonizingly hectic and left me feeling a bit bogged down in spreadsheets. Normally I'm actually a big fan of spreadsheets, in fact I often use them to make lists of things I need to get done and when in the rest of my life. Unfortunately the ones I'm buried in up to my eyeballs require me to postulate estimates and projections that I'm unsure of, and often ask for line items that I cannot even define let alone calculate. I'm a very smart person, and I'm getting beat by these stupid .xls files!

In the meantime I'm also getting to dip into the really fun part of all this: contacting distributors. I know that sounds really dry, but drooling over page after page of every kind of cheese imaginable and making lists of first, second and third tier inventory is just heaven to me. It reminds of being a kid poring over the Sears Christmas catalog, dog-earing every page containing a desired item. There are cheeses I'd long forgotten from days back in Brooklyn, creamy delights that were only available a few months of the year, wrapped in nettle leaves or smoked with chicory and hazelnuts. There is one I can't wait to try that's given a rind of ground espresso and lavender.

And of course let's not forget the all important cash issue. I'm waiting for my incredibly generous mother-in-law, who is for all intensive purposes my mom, to send along her gift of seed money. It's money that was intended as a down payment on a home, but seeing as we are nowhere near any position to purchase real estate any time soon, I'm putting it to good use as cheese shop funding. I need to come up with 30% of my start up costs, and her gift + my savings + cashing out an old life insurance policy will just about get me there. I may need to sell a kidney on ebay to reach the $30,000 I need, but dammit I'm going to make it happen one way or another.

Butterflies

2009-01-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

I remember saying to someone several months back that this whole process was like a roller coaster ride; there's the long, arduous climb up the track, slowly chug-chug-chugging along, feeling like you're never going to reach the top. Then before you know it, you get a moment to pause, and you're off like a bullet, adrenaline pumping and screams whipping their way past your head as you uncontrollably plummet down.

I love love LOVE roller coasters. For me, the scarier the better; the more I want to turn and run like a coward after waiting in line for hours and it's finally my turn to go, the more I love every second of it. I love the leg-trembling endorphin rush afterward just as much as anyone else, but really I'm in it for the ride. All 2 minutes of it I feel like I'm the king of the world, soaring to heights humans simply aren't meant to go to, arms out and and mouth wide open screaming my lungs out all the way. Without even realizing it, I've started that crazed trip down the first slope, and I am loving it!

A few weeks ago I noticed a class at Culinary Communion on Northwest wine tasting. I must admit, as much as I know there is amazing wine being made all around this part of the country, I know little of it, and this incredibly affordable tasting course was a must, in the name of research, of course. I honestly did go into this with mild expectations of adding a few more wines to my inventory list, and possibly a bit of networking, depending on who else was there. Little did I know, chef and founder Gabriel Clayclamp himself was hosting the class, in his own living room! It was fabulous - intimate and cozy without feeling like we were intruding on his private space. Gabriel himself is wonderful - charismatic, approachable, funny, and just a fountain of information - everything you want in a fellow foodie/instructor. He walked us through a course of very surprising, eclectic wines, while we munched on tidbits he'd crafted for the event: popcorn with duck fat (just typing that makes me drool), red beet salad, handmade pickled mushrooms and okra, and most importantly, hand-cured proscuttio and soprasetta from his new side business The Swinery. Oh don't you worry gentle readers, I properly accosted Mr. Claycamp at the end of the evening to ask that I may retail these melt-in-your-mouth pork goods at The Calf and Kid. But in the meantime, hit the Ballard Farmer's Market for a bacon pop. Trust me.

Shortly after that fantasmagorical evening of far too much wine to be considered a "tasting", I rsvp'd for a free, informational legal session hosted by The Seattle Grassroots Business Association and Terence and Terence Law Firm. Turned out I was the only one who showed up, but that was great because I got to pick the brain of Thomas Terence about legal entities, forms, leases, advice, and is there any good Mexican food in Seattle? for an hour or so. He was great, and I left with a much clearer understanding of what an LLC really means.

Going back to my roller coaster analogy, I would categorize these events as the end of the climb, the nerve-wracking but mouth-watering in anticipation moments when you know you're so close to that release and you're thanking your lucky stars you haven't wet your pants yet. But you know it could still happen.

Today I met with my banker, for a very informal but preliminary face-to-face regarding what I would like to call Operation: Do I Have a Chance in Hell at a SBA Loan? The short answer is: yes, yes I do have a chance in hell. Well, it may not necessarily be hell, maybe something more like the 3rd circle, still purgatory but not that nice purgatory where you're just floating around. I may be chained to a firey wall and forced to have small piranhas eat me to death slowly, but to me that means YES!!! They may give me money - I'm not sure how much yet, I may still need to find an investor, but goddammit it's going to happen!

Then I proceeded to get into almost 3 accidents on the drive home because I couldn't stop staring and drooling at the retail spaces I've been eyeing for the past few months. They will be mine... oh yes... they will be mine...
Well, one of them anyway.

Flashback

2009-01-12T20:46:00.000-08:00

It was about a year ago now that the idea of opening my own little haven of cheese, wine and other accoutrements needled its way into my brain and took root. I sat on it for a few months, did as much research as I could on the 'ole internet, and the longer I let it simmer the more I was absolutely compelled to make it happen.

Come June, during a trip to New England, I held an informal meeting with Keith Dickey of Butter's, a modest cheeseshop so fabulous it doesn't even need a website. I left with several new ideas, informational gems, and about $100 worth of delicious cheese. I came home, started clumsily plunking out the first draft of my business plan, and wondered how the hell I was going to make it all happen.

I took the rest of what I figured for my last summer of freedom off from planning, and re-planted my nose to the grindstone in the fall. I taught myself the in's and out's of licensing, insurance, taxes, more taxes, the importance of not being the one who figures out taxes, compiled lists of to-do tasks, supplies, inventory, made timelines, and tore my hair out doing all of it. Finally the inevitable visit with a counselor at Seattle SCORE set me straight on several things, and I was back on the fast track to the wacky, wild wonderland that is financial spreadsheets. It is soooo much fun.

In the meantime I had the pleasure of meeting Strom Peterson of Edmond's The Resident Cheesemonger, for a Pacific Northwesterner's take on the whole shebang. This time I left with plenty of new, improved ideas, as well as many of the specifics I needed to flesh out another huge chunk of my financial forecast.

Being a bit of a literary hound, and a perfectionist, the rest of the business plan has been edited and re-edited dozens of times, which I realize is silly because nobody who reads it is going to care if I have run-on sentence here or there, or if I can't come up with so many other ways to say "cheese" without sounding like a drunken Frenchman. So this beast that I've been laboring over off and on for the past 6 months is nearly slayed, and that brings us up to speed.

Now back to the best part of this foray into delicious things of the grape, grain and fungus:

Martino Old vine Malbec 2004 - this wine makes me think of a beautiful flapper, eyes closed, slowly pulling a silk scarf from around her porcelain neck with a tiny smile. It is seductive, heady, warm and medium to full bodied. I always hate it when people call a wine "unpretentious", but I'll be damned if that isn't an apt description for this one. Single vineyard, 83 year old French Malbec clone grapevines are like an Italian grandmother; beautiful, wise, and something you just want to melt into the bosom of. This will be wine #23 on my inventory list.

Bellissimo!

Embellishment

2009-01-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

This tale, of how I came to the decision to open my own cheese shop, will probably take more than a few posts, but I will try my best to embrace a little brevity.

During our first year in Seattle, I found myself skipping through The Seattle Cheese Festival like a kid in a candy store. There is so much amazing cheese being made out here! I had never known what a hot spot this part of the country was for cheese making, but once I did I was even more in love with our new home. Soon after the festival, I was searching for cheese shops in Seattle, sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that there must be a dozen of them. Strangely enough, I was wrong wrong wrong, but at this point I was but a disappointed consumer, a committed patron, nowhere near any thoughts of becoming a business owner myself. It wasn't until I made a visit back to the East Coast, entered a local cheese shop, and just about came to tears at the wall of stinky cheese odor that I realized just how much I missed the cheese shop experience as a part of my daily life.

I came back home to Seattle and wondered why on earth nobody else had taken advantage of this market rich with local artisan cheese and dedicated foodies. This city has plenty to offer behind the cheese counters of grocery stores and gourmet food markets, but they cannot fill the void that exists for a dedicated fromagerie like the one that fed my passion for cultured dairy back in New York. So now I'm knee deep in business plans and financial forecasts and biting my nails over real estate, and I'll be blogging every last detail of it here. Lucky you!!

Inspiration, Inception, and The Iceman

2009-01-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

If I'm truly honest, I'd have to say my love affair with cheese started about 6 years ago in a poorly stocked bodega on the corner of N. 7th St. and Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn, NY. Although the deli boasted old signage of Boar's Head meat and cheese products, I had never in my two years of frequenting them for beer and cigarettes, ever seen anyone actually purchase anything from the long-abandoned perishables counter in the back.

Myself and the rest of the L train popped in after work for beer and smokes, and while I waited in a line easily a dozen people long, a very tall, stricking young man meandered aimlessly around the back of the store looking slightly lost. He sort of looked like The Iceman, but minus the scary tan. Moments later the usual din of the deli was cut sharply by this man's incredibly thick, unmistakably German accent imploring of the entire shop, "Excuse me, but eez zere zumone to cut zee cheeze?" Nobody said much of anything, and he flapped his arms, frustrated and alarmed at the lack of customer service. "PLEEZE! Ken zumone help me to cut zee cheeze?!?" A few of us smiled quietly to ourselves, and by the time he started in on round three of his cheese-slicing plea I was taking my change and heading out the door, giggling uncontrollably to myself. Naturally this incident made for a rousing story told many a time over drinks with friends, and over time I grew to name this innocently misdirected man Hans. Hans, who was simply looking for some cheese so Hans can has cheeseburger.

A year or so later, my neighborhood was graced by the birth of The Bedford Cheese Shop, and my life was changed forever. I still remember clearly the first time I entered the store; they had a small but not insignificant sign on the door that said "Warning: it smells like France in here". I wondered how much rent they would charge to let me start sleeping there. Then I walked in, was offered a taste of something gooey and delectable, and the rest, as they say, is history. Hans, wherever he may have been at the time, finally had someone to cut the cheese for him, and alas, so did I.

I spent the better part of my last two years in Brooklyn with my drooling face pressed against the shiny glass cases of cheese at the Bedford Cheese Shop, or as I would later name it, Heaven. It wasn't long before the employees knew Mr. M and I by face and love of cheese every time we raced in for a splurge de fromage. I'd love to say that they knew us by name, but then again I didn't know them by name either. In fact, the only things I knew by name other than the sacred 25 yr. aged Montgomery Cheddar, were their goats Mary Kate and Ashley, whom they had several photos of behind the counter. So in a nutshell: cheese + me + awesome Brooklynites = happiness that carries far, far, far beyond our little neighborhood off the East River.

Flash forward several years. We've relocated to the Pacific Northwest, and we love love love it. Food in general is astounding, amazing, and yet somehow lacking that, oh I dunno, je n'est sais quoi? Oh yes, a CHEESE SHOP! So into this soggy town I shall march, french loaves swinging like a modern-day Yojimbo, and I will bring this land of Seattle the experience that only a proper fromagarie can provide, and I shall dedicate it all to Hans. Well, maybe.