Because of our crazy schedules my girlfriend and I celebrated New Years a bit after the fact this year, but I promised her that we'd do something very special to make up for the change in dates. I was planning to pick up some fresh seafood to grill, and was considering a nice fruit and cheese plate to serve after dinner. I had thought about stopping at one of the fancy grocery stores in town and trying my luck at selecting a few different cheeses, but one of my Yelp friends thankfully steered me to the Cheese Please shop instead.
Cheese Please is located in a strip mall along S. MacDill Avenue, and you'll find this retail establishment in the same shopping center as Pane Rustica and Redneck Wine. They are south of the Selmon Expressway and before you get to El Prado. The storefront looks small from the outside, but you'll quickly discover that it's actually very spacious inside.
The front third of the store is the retail cheese shop, and you'll find several large refrigerated cases displaying the various gourmet cheeses and charcuterie. This is where I met Michael, one of the owners, and a very delightful and energetic guy. I explained my dilemma, and he started asking me questions about the type of food that I'd be serving, my choice of wines, and what I liked about various styles of cheese. Michael is clearly a master at his craft, and you should seek out his recommendations and listen to his advice.
He suggested that I try one goat's milk cheese, one sheep's milk cheese, and a cow's milk cheese to start the process. The goat's milk cheese that he helped me select was called "Purple Haze" from California, and no -- this had nothing to do with Jimi Hendrix or flowering buds of cannabis. Nope, this was a smooth and creamy cheese, with a slightly acidic tang, that was flavored with wild fennel and lavender pollen. It spread easily onto crackers, and was very delicious with slices of Honeycrisp apples.
My second cheese selection was a young Manchego sheep's cheese. Manchego is a famous style of Spanish cheese, and in this case Michael suggested a semi curado that had only been aged about four months. The Manchego had a fruity scent, with flavors of grass and hay, along with a milder tangy finish. I had some seedless red grapes to pair with this cheese, and that was a good mix.
For the final cheese Michael suggested a big bold cow's milk cheddar, and I went with Beehive Big John Cajun Cheddar from Utah. The flavor of the cheddar was outstanding, although the rind had been hand-rubbed with Cajun spices, and Brittany found that a bit strong for her tastes. So I compromised and sliced the rind off her little wedge and she was much happier.
Michael suggested a small charcuterie pairing, and after trying a few different styles, we agreed on a Loukanika - dry Greek salami. This sausage had a mild seasoning and a bit of a lip-smacking fattiness that cut through the heat of the Cajun cheddar. Very nice!
Michael then walked me back to the center of the shop which has been turned into Clooney's Wine Bar, and is the perfect place to sample their selection of reds, whites, and sparkling wines by the glass, as well as their craft beers. He highly recommended the 2012 Chardonnay from Souverain Vineyards of Napa Valley, California. This wine had a citrusy scent and blended perfectly with the pairing of cheeses and charcuterie. I had a small taste and gave this wine an enthusiastic two thumbs up!
Finally, the very back of the Cheese Please store has been built out as their special events room for cheese and wine tasting parties which are held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Check the schedule on their website to see what is planned for the next week.
With my purchases in hand, we walked back up to the front of the store. The three cheeses (roughly 4 - 5 ounces of each type), plus the Greek salami, plus the Chardonnay wine ran about $40. Michael told me about the cheese tasting event for this coming Friday, which will be "French Cheeses" - A celebration of the classic French cheeses: triple creme Bries, earthy Comte, the best Blues, among others. It sounded like a fun time, and well worth the $30 fee, so I've signed up to give it a try.
If you'd like to learn more about cheese, and you're willing to look beyond those yellow slices individually wrapped in plastic, then this South Tampa cheese store is definitely for you. I will definitely be back to try some different wines and cheeses. read more