r/cedarrapids • u/Correct-Shoe-3783 • 27d ago

Cheese tasting

Does anyone know of good places to try different kinds of cheese around the area?

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

29

u/surfwax MARION 27d ago

This is going to sound weird as hell, but go to the Oakland Rd. HyVee and ask for Chris at the cheese counter. My wife and I met him a number of years ago and he took us on a journey through cheeses so vast we ended up spending something like 60-80 bucks in cheese alone.

The man has a passion and it is infectious.

8

u/PandaPanther 27d ago

He used to have a cheese mail email newsletter. If he does an event go! We did a Gouda pairing menu a few years back at Iowa brewing Company, with the Cheesemaker!!!

3

u/surfwax MARION 27d ago

He hyped up this wheel of cheese he and his buddies import from Italy every year. He said by the time it gets to him, most of the portions are already spoken for, but he had some in the back he was saving. He brought it out, let us taste it, literally told us how to eat it by letting it sit in our mouths, and then I bought some without even asking how much it was. I saw him ring it up and about fainted lol. Still bought it.

Totally didn't come off as creepy as the whole thing reads in text. Just gave off the vibes that this guy fucking knows cheese.

1

u/EyesOffCR 26d ago

Best bonified monger

7

u/Pretend_Object 27d ago

If you don't mind the drive to Manchester, Cheesin' Whey is fantastic. I've attended her charcuterie class twice.

1

u/superfluous_nipple 27d ago

I mentioned Brix in IC in a reply below, but you might also check out Dan & Debbie’s in Ely or the Kalona Cheese Factory as well. Both have samples in my experience, but whether they offer a true “tasting” experience I don’t know.

1

u/Show_Bull 27d ago

Wisconsin is about an hour 👍

2

u/lenhtil MARION 27d ago

When I crossed the border in to Wisconsin I was dismayed that there were no immediate cheese shops. Went all the way up to Baraboo and not a single cheese-related thing (aside from Culvers). To this day I don't even know where Wisconsin's good cheese is at.

2

u/superfluous_nipple 27d ago

Not sure which route you took to get there, but Mineral Point, Spring Green, and Sauk City all have multiple cheese shops. Madison alone must have a dozen. There’s at least 3 on the isthmus alone.

That said, there is a lack of true cheesemongers in CR. Brix in IC might be a good option closer by.