As you tumble further down the rabbit hole of cheese love, outings and vacations revolve around cheese shops, cheese tastings, and cheese conventions (ACS Conference, Des Moines or bust in 2016!). Earlier this summer, we took a trip to Minneapolis and I had my own cheese agenda of things to see. My husband has wised up and started dropping me off for my cheese field trips. This way I can fondle, sniff, and geek out about cheese for as long as I'd like and he doesn't have to look like an out of place freshman at the school dance.
I was welcomed to town via texts and Facebook messages by Elizabeth Nerud, fellow ACS CCP and cheese geek. Sadly, we just missed each other as she was off chasing Hook's 20 year cheddar across the border in her native Wisconsin. However, Liz recommended I go to the St. Paul Cheese Shop and, of course, her own Lund's and Byerly's counter, and both were lovely.
The unassuming St. Paul Cheese Shop is in a small strip mall with a coffee shop and a few other stores on Grand Avenue. I can't remember if the quaint cheese shop had a bell that rang when you walked through the door, but I felt like there should be one...
I was welcomed to town via texts and Facebook messages by Elizabeth Nerud, fellow ACS CCP and cheese geek. Sadly, we just missed each other as she was off chasing Hook's 20 year cheddar across the border in her native Wisconsin. However, Liz recommended I go to the St. Paul Cheese Shop and, of course, her own Lund's and Byerly's counter, and both were lovely.
The unassuming St. Paul Cheese Shop is in a small strip mall with a coffee shop and a few other stores on Grand Avenue. I can't remember if the quaint cheese shop had a bell that rang when you walked through the door, but I felt like there should be one...
The counter was small, but stocked with a versatile selection. I couldn't pass up trying the "Marcel Petite" aged Comte that was staring me in the face. My lovely cheese monger was more than accommodating and didn't let me leave without tasting at least 4 cheeses, and she kept offering more. Being from a rushed suburban Chicagoland store, this was a breath of fresh air.
My favorite local cheese I found was from up and coming Redhead Creamery. I fell in love with their "Lucky Linda" cave aged cheddar.
"There are three types of people in Minnesota, you've got cheese curd people. You've got aged cheddar people. And you've got brie people. So those are the three cheeses we make." -Lucas Sjostrom, Redhead Creamery
It was great to visit Liz's counter, which was immaculate. Not only was there row upon row of cheese, but it was all meticulously placed, the quality superb, and the signs were so straight they looked like soldiers. I was waited on by, Natasha, the "queen of mozzarella," as Liz has nicknamed her. She does, as you may have guessed, hand-stretch fresh mozzarella for the store.
My favorite local cheese I found was from up and coming Redhead Creamery. I fell in love with their "Lucky Linda" cave aged cheddar.
"There are three types of people in Minnesota, you've got cheese curd people. You've got aged cheddar people. And you've got brie people. So those are the three cheeses we make." -Lucas Sjostrom, Redhead Creamery
It was great to visit Liz's counter, which was immaculate. Not only was there row upon row of cheese, but it was all meticulously placed, the quality superb, and the signs were so straight they looked like soldiers. I was waited on by, Natasha, the "queen of mozzarella," as Liz has nicknamed her. She does, as you may have guessed, hand-stretch fresh mozzarella for the store.
I was sad to have missed Liz, but it's obvious that she takes pride in her counter. She had a great selection and I wound up buying many gems: my favorite was Beecher's Smoked Cheddar, which was new for me. Normally not a smoked cheese fan, this one was dense and crumbly, the flavor savory and meaty.
The Minneapolis cheese scene was well worth the 6 hour trip from home...it is quietly humming along in a way that is proud yet unpretentious...intentional and substantial. Really nice people selling and making really nice cheese. We'll see you soon MPLS for Cheesetopia 2017!