Don’t be intimidated by those folks behind the counter! Their job—beyond obvious cheese sales—is to turn skeptics into believers and expose your palate to new flavors and textures. Here are five tips and tricks from Rachel Johnston, sales and operations manager of Chicago-based cheese shop All Together Now, that’ll help you strengthen your bond with your local monger:
1 — Ask what cheeses they’re loving right now: “When you develop a great rapport with your cheesemonger, the first recommendations you’ll get are the cheeses at their peak, the exciting new arrivals, and the items in limited quantities that they know you’ll be just as jazzed about as they are! Imagine walking up, greeting a familiar face, and simply saying, ‘Sicilian Orange Wine.’ Your monger exclaims, ‘I have JUST the thing!’ and brings you a cheese that will set off a fireworks-in-your-mouth pairing.”
2— Know your texture preference: “I think that’s the easiest [criteria] and can narrow down a lot of choices. Then, I usually ask playfully if they want to be adventurous or stick to crowd-pleasers. This allows them to declare their preferences without having shame for possibly not liking the ‘funky’ stuff.”
3— Don’t be a jerk: “I once had a customer who asked where the ‘good French cheeses’ were before making a quip about how ‘terrible’ American cheese is. He was in Chicago from the UK and wanted some snacks for his hotel room. I immediately challenged him by explaining that there are actually American producers out there working really hard to buck the stereotype that all we have here is processed American singles. I really had to convince him that American artisanal cheeses are worth their salt—I remember pushing the limits of good customer service versus being defensive with this guy, but it paid off! I gave him a taste of Jasper Hill Farm’s Willoughby and watched his eyes light up in amazement. It felt really good to successfully defend US-based makers that day.”
4— Give them a prompt: “When a familiar customer begins by telling me about the bottle they’re opening tonight, or opens with a really unusual question, I know there’s a sense of kinship there. They’ll often purchase the first cheese I spout off as an idea because they trust a monger’s enthusiasm and instincts about a cheese, and I know what will excite them as well.”
4— Do more than just buy cheese! “See if your local cheese counter offers any public classes or if they will organize a private workshop for you and your friends! It’s a great change-of-pace activity. If you can’t find any classes, make a board for your friends and host a cheese party! Also, making a point to leave a good review of your favorite spots is incredibly impactful. Engaging in their social media presence can also go a long way to get the word out to others about your favorite cheese counter!”
Mallory Scyphers
Mallory Scyphers is culture's Executive Content Director and has been with the company since 2019. She lives on Mobile Bay with her husband, two young daughters, one old Shetland Sheepdog, one rambunctious golden retriever, and one calico cat. Her favorite cheeses are alpine styles and mineral-y blues.
