Meredith Hyland and Brahim Sadouni met in Paris, where they fell in love with cheese—and one another. After several years in France, the couple decided to transplant a piece of their European lifestyle to Clinton, N.J., the town where Hyland had spent most of her life.
Now known to customers as the “cheese man” of Clinton, Sadouni helms the counter at the couple’s beautiful fromagerie, while Hyland works behind the scenes, collecting a wide sampling of wares from vendors around the world. Since opening in 2013, Fourchette has focused on international wedges and wheels rather than local cheeses; the couple often brings in foods discovered during their travels and stocks the shop with unique treats customers would not find anywhere nearby. Their goal? For customers to feel the care they put into “curating just the right selection of cheeses and accoutrements.”
culture: What’s your favorite booze and cheese pairing?
Meredith Hyland: We are big French wine drinkers and love a good Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a red wine from the South of France, with a creamy goat cheese such as Leonora from Spain.
culture: What’s your favorite cheesy recipe?
MH: We mix Comté and raclette together to make the perfect fondue. We have some very loyal customers who come to us to get the right amounts and the recipe. It’s very French!
culture: What’s the strangest request you’ve gotten from a customer?
MH: A lot of people also ask me if we make our own cheese. Our shop is on the main street of our small town, and people ask “Where do you make your cheese?” I’m thinking, Well, of course the cow’s out back in the ten-square-foot yard! So that’s a funny thing.
36 Main St.
Clinton, NJ
908.442.8675
fourchette-fromage.com
Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Photo Credit: Adam Atkinson/Happily Ever Atkinson
Virginia White
Virginia White recently graduated Wellesley College with a degree in Classical Studies and a focus in printmaking. Taking her passion for Classics abroad, she loves anything made with authentic Greek feta or Italian mozzarella.
This is a lovely shoppe and while cheese is in the spotlight, there are many other delicacies sweet and savoury. Also, the table linens and cutlery are exquisite.