Whole Foods' global cheese buyer, Cathy Strange

[Kent Wang]

"Whole Foods' global cheese buyer, Cathy Strange" from Austin Chronicle, 2 Nov 2007, by MM Pack.

If you have visited Austin's Whole Foods flagship store, you can attest that the cheese display can be richly overwhelming: literally hundreds of cheeses reflecting every style, flavor, texture, color, and origin. Multiply that experience by Whole Foods' 11 regions and 194 stores to get some idea of the scope of the cheese world that Strange inhabits. "I'm personally acquainted with where each of our cheeses comes from and who makes them," she says with quiet confidence.

I do find Whole Foods' cheese section to be quite impressive. I wonder if the flagship store here in Austin has a particularly large selection.

Is there no such thing as a dedicated cheese shop in America, like there are throughout Europe? Will Whole Foods be the cheesemonger of choice throughout the country?

[ghostrider]

Is there no such thing as a dedicated cheese shop in America, like there are throughout Europe? Will Whole Foods be the cheesemonger of choice throughout the country?

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There certainly are in New York City but, as we all know, New York City is not America.

Here in North Jersey Whole Foods is the cheesemonger by default if not of choice. They've raised the bar way beyond what other local sources offer. And as soon as you cross the Hudson you are in America so there are no dedicated cheese shops out here. A brave soul opened one in my town in the late 1990s, he knew what he was doing with his wares and it was a very good shop. He sold cold cuts, bakery goods & prepared foods too since it's not likely that cheese will pay all of your bills. Even so, it didin't last a year.

[Rehovot]

Is there no such thing as a dedicated cheese shop in America, like there are throughout Europe? Will Whole Foods be the cheesemonger of choice throughout the country?

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St. Killian's Cheese Shop, on 3211 Lowell, in Denver, is one of my favorites, selling cheese from around the world. I'm sure it's not the only one of its kind.

[Jane Die]

In my small town of Longmont Colorado, we have the most wonderful small store, La Fromagerie, which is actually a warehouse and the local distributor of cheeses from around the world.

Their storefront affords an amazing selection of cheese, olives, pottery from France and Italy, fresh bread, imported olive oils and vinegars and other things you just don't expect to find in a small town in middle earth. I can order black truffles or white truffles from them too. But cheese is their reason for being.

Edited to add this link: La Fromagerie!

Edited November 1, 2007 by Jane Die (log)