Beecher's Cheese

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Seriously dude, who would say no to a piece of Surryano Ham?

Seems that a lot of West Coast businesses are opening up outlets here in New York with the latest being Beecher’s Cheese from Seattle. First cupcakes and now cheese I believe the universe is trying to transform me into Jabba the Hut. If Tartine Bread and salumi house opens up in New York, I will be dead and looking like the first victim in Seven within 48 hours. Beecher’s is not only a cheese shop, they are cheese makers and their Flatiron location doubles as a cheese making facility.

Cheese making, well not at 10:30 in the morning...

I stopped in and was instantly accosted with samples and samples of cheeses and they were mostly pushing their cheese. I tried their flagship, which is a hard somewhat crumbly cheese which was slightly nutty and creamy. Then I tried their smoked and their 4 year aged the later I ended up buying. The 4 year aged was tangy and creamy and the smoked was a bit too mellow for me and the smokiness was light. Although Beechers has their line of cheeses and naturally were pushing their cheeses, they also had other American cheeses. Not only that, they also had cheese curds which have a string cheese like texture and squeaks a bit when you bite into it. Curds are nugget-sized pieces that are formed in the cheese making process when the rennet is added to the milk and “curdle’ the milk leaving chunks that are the curds. Instead of shoving the curds into molds and going through the whole process, curds are just eaten as is. Curds are great for melting, snacking or if you want to go for the homerun, batter them up and fry them. Pictures of the inside after the jump!

The Meat Hook at the Brooklyn Kitchen

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Not everyone gets as excited about render duck fat being on sale, weirdos.

The Outside of the Brooklyn Kitchen and Meat Hook. I always wondered,places that have a garage, wtf is in there?


I have no problem going out of my way and actually plan my routes around the city just so I am able to find myself “conveniently” near a gourmet market, sandwich shop, bakery or a butcher shop. To me this is not annoying, but to my friends, I am sure they dread it after we meet up and eat and then they hear me say, “By the way, can we just make a stop over there? We just happen to be near the area!” Although they are mainly too polite to say no, (thanks guys) I know they are generally less than enthusiastic about staring at a meat counter. I am a loser in which I can not describe the level of excitement I get when I am in a butcher shop and I just see a beautiful array of meats. I guess it is like a Meth Head going into a Meth-lab except it is less dangerous and illegal...and not done in a trailer park.  
 

Dickson's Farmstand Meats

 

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Sandwiches should always be bought in pairs

Like so many others in this great country, my family is the first generation of immigrants. My parents came to the US in the 80s and I was a 90s kid. That meant GI Joe, POGs and supermarket foods. Unfortunately, many of my generation and the generation of my parents have grown up in the supermarket age where food is prepackaged and unfortunately for many children that grew up in suburbia in the 90s, it meant that meat came broken down in a plastic package and Captain Crunch destroys the roof of your mouth. However, thankfully with the help of such places as Dickson’s Farmstand. Meats I can have that 1950s nostolgic butchershop experience and pick up some great meat.

Pretty Meat