Cheese by Post
June 23, 2017 10:38 AM Subscribe
My friend recently moved to Florida and is lamenting the lack of good cheese available in her area. Her birthday is coming up next week and I want to get her a cheese basket or a cheese of the month type thing. Help me find one?
Obviously when you google "cheese of the month" or "cheese basket" a million and a half options come up, so I'm looking for recommendations on ones you or your friends have tried that are good! She's a particular fan of soft cheese (brie) and stinky cheeses (bleu/gorg), but still loves all cheeses. Looking in the sub $80 range.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
Obviously when you google "cheese of the month" or "cheese basket" a million and a half options come up, so I'm looking for recommendations on ones you or your friends have tried that are good! She's a particular fan of soft cheese (brie) and stinky cheeses (bleu/gorg), but still loves all cheeses. Looking in the sub $80 range.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
Best answer: Cheese Importers has gift baskets.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:45 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:45 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
If she has a Whole Foods nearby you could send her a gift card- they have a pretty good cheese counter. At our local store they will even hunt specific cheeses down for you.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 10:52 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by PorcineWithMe at 10:52 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah, there are definitely places in Florida with good cheese. It depends on where she is.
posted by uberchet at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by uberchet at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Cowgirl Creamery is good, though pricey. Buying locally would be much more reasonable, and if she's anywhere near a decent sized city, there's likely an option there. You could ask on the local Chowhound board, or if there's a good restaurant near her, you could call them for a recommendation.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:55 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Murray's Cheese here in NYC is awesome in every way and does baskets, including a cheese of the month club.
posted by holborne at 11:03 AM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by holborne at 11:03 AM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding Zingerman's (I believe their cheese "passports" are ~$80), but I also got a basket once from Cowgirl Creamery that was fantastic. Murray's Cheese is also legit and has a "build your own gift basket" option that could keep you in budget.
By cold hard experience, I can tell you that WF cheese, even of the same brand, is not as good.
posted by praemunire at 11:06 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
By cold hard experience, I can tell you that WF cheese, even of the same brand, is not as good.
posted by praemunire at 11:06 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: We received a gift of 3 months of Zingermans earlier this year and it was THE BOMB.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:13 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:13 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Seconding Cowgirl Creamery linked above -- their cheese is pricey but SO AMAZING. I think any cheese lover feeling sad about local options would be delighted to receive it.
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:29 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:29 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
We have had excellent experiences with Fromages.com. (We just do the occasional order, not cheese of the month.) The selection is really good, the service is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. We are in Canada and the cheese gets shipped from France to the United States before coming to us, so you should have it even more quickly than we get it. The cheese is always delicious and we have always had excellent customer service with them.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:42 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:42 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Closer to home you have Maytag Dairy Farms. we've been sent gift packages and loved them.
posted by BibiRose at 11:47 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by BibiRose at 11:47 AM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions! I think I'm gonna get her some Cowgirl Creamery and then maybe sign myself up for a Zingerman's subscription...
I'll make sure I'll talk to her about researching local delicious cheese per your suggestions as well!
posted by mayonnaises at 12:00 PM on June 23, 2017
I'll make sure I'll talk to her about researching local delicious cheese per your suggestions as well!
posted by mayonnaises at 12:00 PM on June 23, 2017
Live near Zingerman's and my kids have worked for their mail order- can attest to its excellence.
posted by leslies at 2:21 PM on June 23, 2017
posted by leslies at 2:21 PM on June 23, 2017
Alternate/future gift suggestion: help her make her own cheese!
New England Cheese Making Supply Co. has awesome cheese-making kits. I make mostly fresh cheeses from their book, know folks who've had great success with the mozzarella kit, and my wife uses their yogurt, sour cream, & buttermilk cultures. Their site also has a list of places to get good milk for cheese making, which may help your friend locate good cheese, too.
posted by carrioncomfort at 12:08 PM on June 24, 2017
New England Cheese Making Supply Co. has awesome cheese-making kits. I make mostly fresh cheeses from their book, know folks who've had great success with the mozzarella kit, and my wife uses their yogurt, sour cream, & buttermilk cultures. Their site also has a list of places to get good milk for cheese making, which may help your friend locate good cheese, too.
posted by carrioncomfort at 12:08 PM on June 24, 2017
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posted by JawnBigboote at 10:42 AM on June 23, 2017 [5 favorites]