Old City Cheese

[philadining]

While wandering Third street yesterday, I discovered that Old City Cheese has opened in the old Petit Four space (west side of Third, just a few doors south of Race.)

Physical layout is almost the same: a small retail space up front, with a fairly large workspace in the rear. There's only a small case with cheese, so the selection is much smaller than the other gourmet cheese shops in town, but what they do have is extremely well-chosen, unusual and interesting. Oh yeah, and pricey....

But I'll be back to pay those prices for sure, the staff is super-nice, well-informed and friendly. This might be a factor of opening-mode, but there were generous samples out at all times, including a big plate of prosciutto and some expensive aged gouda while I was there. Just staring at the case for a while elicited several rounds of "have you tried this one?" followed by the offer of a slice of something. And it worked, I tried a lot of cheese, and ended up buying several varieties I haven't even heard of before.

There's lots of raw milk cheese, and less well-known cheeses in general. There are a few other products offered: some good looking charcuterie, including some hams , salamis and commercial packaged pates, a few fruity accompaniments, crackers and several baskets of good bread.

Again, this place isn't going to give DiBruno's or Downtown Cheese any real competition on variety or price, but this is a great place to try some unusual cheeses selected by what seems to be a knowledgeable and helpful staff. And especially if you're in that part of town, its great to have an option for some serious cheese.

I wasn't able to get their story, as in who they are, or what their backgrounds are, they were a little busy. I'm sure one of us can get that info! Or just go check out the cheese.

Edited December 4, 2006 by philadining (log)

[mrbigjas]

what did you get?

[philadining]

I got an Ubraico that had been plugged to give the wine-washing of the rind some internal channels, so there are purple veins within the cheese.

Also, some Midnight Moon, a firm almost gouda-ish goat cheese.

And my fave, a Hoch Ybrig from Switzerland, another wine-washed cheese, but white wine this time, it's sharp, a slightly funky cheese that really throws a curve at the finish....

I kept forgetting about the bag of cheese in the backseat and every time I got in the car, I was shocked by the pungent aromas. Stinky, but tasty stuff though, all three of them

[KatieLoeb]

I usually love getting in my car when some fabulous food find has been perfuming the interior for awhile. One of my fondest food memories was bringing some melons home from a side-of-the-road farmstand in Lancaster County one Labor Day weekend and the car smelling sweet and delicious for days thereafter...

I guess you're saying this doesn't work so well with cheese?? So the Rav smells like ass, then?

[Vadouvan]

So the Rav smells like ass, then? 

Haha....if you truly despise someone, leave a well packaged Vacherin under the drivers seat in july.

[mrbigjas]

I got an Ubraico that had been plugged to give the wine-washing of the rind some internal  channels, so there are purple veins within the cheese.

i just noticed one of these for the first time at salumeria last week at the terminal, but didn't get it. i'd love to know what you think.

And my fave, a Hoch Ybrig from Switzerland, another wine-washed cheese, but white wine this time, it's sharp, a slightly funky cheese that really throws a curve at the finish....

yeah that's a nice one.

[philadining]

Yeah, I'm sure one can find most of these cheeses elsewhere around town (I think I've seen the Midnight Moon at Wegmans) but they just seem to have an especially well-chosen collection that I don't always see everywhere.

I really liked that Ubraico, it struck me as more winey, more complex. But today, I'm still most enamored with the Hoch Ybrig.

And remind me not to get on V's bad side!

[scase805]

Petit Four had a pretty big workspace behind the retail counter. Any idea what they are using that space for? I can't picture what they would be doing with it in a cheese shop...

[philadining]

Well, you know, they're using pretty big knives to cut the blocks of cheese, you need some elbow room...

Actually, I don't know what they're doing with the space toward the back, but they did say they were going to start making sandwiches soon, so maybe they will be doing more prep and cooking back there, not just cutting and wrapping cheese.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

I remember being disappointed when I went to Petit 4 and saw the "closed" sign, but with Tartes around the corner at 212 Arch, now I can have both cheese and pastries from the top shelf in the same area when I visit Old City.

BTW, Tartes doesn't open til noon usually.

[Bluehensfan]

I remember being disappointed when I went to Petit 4 and saw the "closed" sign, but with Tartes around the corner at 212 Arch, now I can have both cheese and pastries from the top shelf in the same area when I visit Old City.

BTW, Tartes doesn't open til noon usually.

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Yeah... tartes is great, especially the sugar and molasses cookies and the coconut cream tarts. Makes me miss Petit 4 even less, although it will be a yule-log, German cookie-free holiday err Christmas since we are allowed to call it that once again.

It is too bad that Tartes does not open until noon...that was my only beef with them in the past.

Edited December 5, 2006 by Bluehensfan (log)