A Gift of Cheese

[rockhopper]

I'd like to send a selection of chesses as a gift to friends in San Francisco. I looked at dibrunos.com and their "cheese gift baskets" are a bit disappointing - the usual suspects like parmigiano reggiano, provolone etc - and in the bigger baskets they don't select more chesses but just bigger chunks of the same.

I suppose an option is to walk in, choose the chesses myself, box them up and ship fedex them hoping they won't melt. I'm not a runny/stinky cheese fan but one of my friends is ("if cheese doesn't stink it stinks") so my expertise in that area is thin and I'd need a cheese guru to help.

Besides DiBruno's does anyone know another place that might be of more assistance?

[Capaneus]

I'd like to send a selection of chesses as a gift to friends in San Francisco. I looked at dibrunos.com and their "cheese gift baskets" are a bit disappointing - the usual suspects like parmigiano reggiano, provolone etc - and in the bigger baskets they don't select more chesses but just bigger chunks of the same.

I suppose an option is to walk in, choose the chesses myself, box them up and ship fedex them hoping they won't melt. I'm not a runny/stinky cheese fan but one of my friends is ("if cheese doesn't stink it stinks") so my expertise in that area is thin and I'd need a cheese guru to help.

Besides DiBruno's does anyone know another place that might be of more assistance?

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San Francisco is a great cheese town, so you're kinda sending coal to Newcastle there. The only advice I'd have is to focus on the artisanal cheeses Pennsylvania has been producin in the last few years. At least then you will not likely be duplicating stuff they can pick up at their corner cheesemonger's. I don't know how much of a selection Di'Bruno's or the place in Old City may have. I do know that the farmstand in the Terminal always have a few.

On the other hand, from what you've told me about the options on the DiBruno's website, I can tell you that it doesn't reflect the choices available at the actual stores. So stopping in would definitely be the way to go. They may offer shipping as well, or at least advise you on how to go about it. And if you choose to ship it yourself, that would likely increase the selection of local cheeses you'd have access to, if you choose to go that way.

[MarketStEl]

I just sent friends in Oakland and a fellow eGulleteer in Seattle 3/4 pound blocks of Pennsylvania Noble. The Green Valley Dairy guy wrapped the blocks extra securely for me so I could ship them myself. I then put them in bubble wrap and sent them Priority Mail. They arrived in very good condition, but I haven't heard back from the recipients whether they liked the cheese as much as I do.

I know from experience that Pennsylvania Noble will keep for several days without refrigeration -- actually, I kept a block in my pantry for about two weeks without ill effects once. The owner of Green Valley suggested to me that I not refrigerate the cheese, though obviously what he keeps in storage prior to sale must be kept refrigerated (or otherwise temperature controlled). I guess he removes enough cheese from the fridge prior to sale to have enough at room temperature to offer as samples.

In any case, since Pennsylvania Noble is something they won't be able to find out their way, I think it would make an excellent cheese gift for distant friends.

[mattohara]

DiBruno will ship anything they have. So you could go into the store, find your choices (they love to give tastes out as we all know), go home and call the mail order department (ask them for the number) and tell them exactly what you want.

[Vadouvan]

Besides DiBruno's does anyone know another place that might be of more assistance?

Duuuuuude !

Why ship cheese across the country in july when you can buy the same exact cheeses in San Francisco and have it delivered ?

http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/cowgirl_creamery.php

Alternately I have ordered cheese and had it delivered to LA intact from Formaggio Kitchen, bot places have way better selections that Dibruno.

http://www.formaggio-kitchen.com/shop/index.php?cPath=21

Either would be a huge improvement over having the cheese shipped from philly but if at all possible, do the ferry building.

[Diann]

Following up on Capaneus' suggestion of sending local cheeses, what about Hendricks Farms cheeses out in Telford, PA? I haven't investigated thoroughly so I don't know if you'd have to drive out to Telford, buy cheeses yourself and ship them, or if they'd do it for you (I suspect the latter) but that would be a good cheese that's probably not easily obtainable in California.

As V. mentioned, Cowgirl Creamery really is amazing... so if you want to send something Philly-centric, and if you're going to spend the money, I'd go for overnighting Hendricks' stuff.

[mrbigjas]

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As V. mentioned, Cowgirl Creamery really is amazing... so if you want to send something Philly-centric, and if you're going to spend the money, I'd go for overnighting Hendricks' stuff.

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cowgirl creamery's red hawk cheese haunts my dreams. seriously it's that good. i think about it a lot.

probably more than i should. it's quite pungent.

[Ducksredux]

I know from experience that Pennsylvania Noble will keep for several days without refrigeration -- actually, I kept a block in my pantry for about two weeks without ill effects once.  The owner of Green Valley suggested to me that I not refrigerate the cheese, though obviously what he keeps in storage prior to sale must be kept refrigerated (or otherwise temperature controlled).  I guess he removes enough cheese from the fridge prior to sale to have enough at room temperature to offer as samples.

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When it's 90 degrees out cheese will weep a lot of butterfat very quickly.

[Hendricks Farms]

Hendricks Farms & Dairy would be delighted to bestow lavish cheesy goodness on all your friends in any corner of the USA. We will overnight our cheese wrapped well with ice packs. Cheese will arrive around 60 degrees which is right around the temp it ages at (58) so it should hold up well. www.hendricksfarmsanddairy.com or email; orders@hendricksfarmsanddairy.com Thanks for considering HF&D!

[Jeff L]

Their stuff is truly great and for sure can't be had in San Francisco. I would heartily endorse the Telford Reserve, a really excellent cows milk cheese. Their aged gouda rocks too.

[rockhopper]

Thank you all and also to Sandy and Capaneus (recovering from that thunderbolt?) who read my mind rather than my vague message and set the topic going in the right direction.

My goal was indeed to send chesses that they cannot get in SF - local stuff from the delaware valley. I admitted my ignorance on the topic and as hoped you guys came through.

I wasn't slamming DiBruno's. ParmReg - I'm never without a block - is wonderful but it can be bought in SF.

My last visit to SF was a month ago and we visited the farmer's market at the ferry building. K actually bought some of the cowgirl cheese which is on her regular rotation.

I've never head of Hendricks Farms. I'll check them out and perhaps youz will too.

What is "Pennsylvania Noble"? Where is "Green Valley"?

[Capaneus]

Thank you all and also to Sandy and Capaneus (recovering from that thunderbolt?) who read my mind rather than my vague message and set the topic going in the right direction.

My goal was indeed to send chesses that they cannot get in SF - local stuff from the delaware valley. I admitted my ignorance on the topic and as hoped you guys came through.

I wasn't slamming DiBruno's. ParmReg - I'm never without a block - is wonderful but it can be bought in SF.

My last visit to SF was a month ago and we visited the farmer's market at the ferry building. K actually bought some of the cowgirl cheese which is on her regular rotation.

I've never head of Hendricks Farms. I'll check them out and perhaps youz will too.

What is "Pennsylvania Noble"? Where is "Green Valley"?

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I've seen Pennsylvania Noble at the Fair Food farmstand at the Reading Terminal. If you look at Katie's latest post in that thread (top of page), you should be able to get some idea of what they have right now - I don't hink it changes too radically from week to week. Hendricks Farms sells mostly to restaurants, I think. I'm not sure I've seen them anywhere else, though I seem to remember some hinterland types (Philadining? percyn?) mentioned it was available at some claptrap establishment in a Godforsaken burg somewhere... Guys?

[cdh]

Might have been me... Hendricks cheeses are definitely available at the source... out in a tiny little burg someplace equidistant between Tylersport and Telford, close to Morwood. Worth the trip. Call me, it's in my greater co-prosperity sphere.

[philadining]

or... I suspect Capaneus might have been disparaging the lovely town of Phoenixville, where one can find Hendrix Farms cheeses at a little cheese shop there.

That's OK, it just means more room at the next Majolica dinner, given that comments like that can get one banned from that godforsaken burg! It's amazing how fast it can happen, there are already posters up all over town with his face on them...

[Jeff L]

It's really worth the trip to the farm. You get to sample al lot of their stuff and they are extremely knowledgeable without being highbrow. A word of caution though and that is not to travel out there on an oppresively hot day. Pasture will smell of eau de ...well you get the idea!

They also raise and sell free range beef products and chickens. Maybe pork too I forgot, cool place but get directions as you could drive right by it and keep on driving. There were no signs when we went last fall.

[Ducksredux]

Might have been me...  Hendricks cheeses are definitely available at the source... out in a tiny little  burg someplace equidistant between Tylersport and Telford, close to Morwood.  Worth the trip.  Call me, it's in my greater co-prosperity sphere.

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as recently as last summer DiBruno's was offering Hendricks Farm cheeses. I saw their "cow pie" - a 60-day raw milk camembert - at Whole Foods on South Street yesterday

[cdh]

They've recently done a great distribution deal. They're in Whole Foods all the way up to the Manhattan outposts. You should be able to find Hendricks cheeses in any mid-Atlantic Whole Foods now.

[KitchenMom]

That's great news! I got addicted to the cow pies this winter through the Winter Harvest buying club, and have been missing them since it ended. I'm headed straight for Whole Foods.

[MarketStEl]

What is "Pennsylvania Noble"? Where is "Green Valley"?

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I've seen Pennsylvania Noble at the Fair Food farmstand at the Reading Terminal. If you look at Katie's latest post in that thread (top of page), you should be able to get some idea of what they have right now - I don't hink it changes too radically from week to week.

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And if that's not enough information, you can always go to the Green Valley Dairy Web site.

The dairy farm is in Lancaster County, near Kirkwood. There's a complete history of the operation on the home page, and you can even purchase their cheeses online. As the minimum online order is 2.5 pounds, though, if you wish to send a lesser quantity, follow the advice above--Fair Food always has some in stock, and the cheesemaker himself has a table set up right next to Fair Food most Saturdays.