Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/116674
CHEESE FOCUS cheese consumers are not overly sophisticated, and I would include myself in that category. I'm trying to get people to think of cheese as something other than what you pick up with a toothpick." "Anchorage Working with little more than a panini press, the shop has garnered acclaim for its sandwiches, such as its grilled ciabatta roll with Vella Mezzo Secco, rosemary pear spread and crisped prosciutto. Howarth doesn't bring in any products just for the sandwich program, but "if it's in the shop, we use it," she says. The newer location has a more substantial prep kitchen to support more ambitious foodservice and cheese-platter catering. "But we're a cheese shop, not a restaurant," Howarth insists. "I keep telling people that." The Alaska Challenge: "I have to be really thoughtful and careful with inventory," Howarth explains. "If I run out of Parmigiano Reggiano, it isn't going to get to my shelf for probably four days, even if I do a panic call. Perishable cheese may get put on a plane in Minneapolis and then get stuck in Seattle because of holiday traffic. I'm learning a lot about transportation." Huge freight costs drive up Fromagio's prices. Parmigiano Reggiano sells for $32 a pound, Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog for $33.50 a pound and Bayley Hazen Blue for $35 a pound. Howarth and her staff remind customers that these are specialty cheeses, intended for slow savoring, not mindless snacking. More than two years after opening, Fromagio's remains the state's only specialty-cheese retailer, a destination for Alaskan foodies. But that market position comes with a price. "You're isolated," acknowledges Howarth, who misses the lively community of cheesemongers and enthusiasts she observed when she interned for a week at Foster & Dobbs in Portland, Ore. She has no local distributors to bring her samples or tastes of new items. "I take a risk in bringing in new cheeses," the merchant admits. "I try to imagine what the cheese is like, but I can't just run over to another shop to try it." The Staff: Not surprisingly, given Fromagio's pioneering status, Howarth's staff has largely learned on the job. Sasha Davies, a Seattle-based cheese consultant, helped train the opening staff in how to cut, wrap and talk about cheese. Luan Schooler, Foster & Dobbs proprietor, also visited the store and trained employees in how to taste. New employees learn by shadowing the veterans, although Howarth says she has not had much turnover. "That's been a nice surprise," she notes. "People are enjoying working with cheese." One Bright Idea: Fromagio's Cheese-ofthe-Month Club is a curated collection based on a theme. Participants receive a garnished platter of four cheeses, about a quarter-pound of each, with tasting notes and a tasting sheet for their own comments. Customers call ahead to schedule pickup at their convenience; the store does no shipping, in part because of the risk of cheese freezing en route. Customers can choose a month-by-month arrangement, or make a longer commitment. |SFM| Janet Fletcher is the weekly cheese columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the author of Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing and Enjoying. 24 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com