Well, what is there to say in such wild times about cheese, chocolate, charcuterie, wine, beer, jam, etc.? Plenty! We have been keeping our spirits high and learning how to get better at shipping and curb side pick-up so you can get all the treats you need in these times. There are now over 300 items on our website! Of course, let us know if you don’t see something you are looking for. I know the idea defining “essential business” can be difficult, and trust me when I say Will and I recognize the privilege, in calling your cheesemonger an essential member of society. But we are going to continue to bring you all the great foods you have come to expect from Mongers’ because after all, food is love and food is comfort.
When we first started the business we called it Berg’s Provisions and the tagline for the business was, “food is love.” It is a principle in which we built the company. In tough times people can come together over food. Perhaps it is my Jewish heritage, but my reflex for almost anything is, feed people. In times of tragedy or of great difficulty I look for the comfort of food. Now I know my doctor friends and mental health professionals would chime in to say “everything in moderation.” Now that we got that out of the way, what is more comforting than your favorite food or that memory of better times in the past, the people, and the memories that are also connecting to these dishes and treats? Now is the perfect time for a stringy, melty, grilled cheese just like you used to have after school. It is the time to make the cheesiest mac n’ cheese you have ever made. For many of those with kids, it is time to find anything you can teach them at home and keep them occupied with. What better project than to teach them to feed themselves?
We at Mongers’ want to take this opportunity to learn how to continue to get you what you need (and want) to get through this. We have added some staples to our selection like some great eggs and are looking into sourcing premium milk as we have heard it can be hard to come by. We also have been bringing in some of our more special treats. Alp Blossom is back in bloom and we will be opening the wheel this week. But we also brought out a new kid on the Alpine block, Ur-Eiche. Ur-Eiche is made by a mostly female team in the Girenbad creamery. They are using raw milk, homemade rennet, and a special brine solution that is aged in oak barrels. Christa, the master cheesemaker behind Ur-Eiche, has produced a cheese that is meaty and brothy. All of this cheeses' deep umami flavors are enrobed in a luscious creamy texture that you come to expect from mountain cheeses. Its nutty cooked cream flavors are accented by the oak aged wash. This is a cheese you want to get lost in for a minute. Great for snacking or adding to the above mentioned mac n’ cheese.
Now is the time to also indulge in amazing chocolate such as the new bars from Ritual Chocolate in Park CIty, UT. We have always loved Ritual and recently brought in a few fun new flavors from them. We have a S’Mores 70% (made with caramelized sugar and sprinkled with graham crackers), Honeycomb Toffee 75% (Belize chocolate with Utah honey toffee), or my favorite the Pine Nut 55% (A chocolate with freshly ground pine nuts added right in giving it an ultra creamy texture such as Gianduja). Find comfort in these chocolates that have been made of beans that were ethically sourced and lovingly crafted.
I wanted to take a quick minute to also mention another product set we recently brought in. It is a category that gets very little spotlight, the lowly cracker. We have started to sell 3 different amazing crackers from a company that truly elevates this item that is often thought of as ‘just a vehicle.’ Potter’s is a family owned and operated company that makes small batches of crackers in Wisconsin. They are using mostly whole grain wheat that is locally sourced in the midwest and milled in Wisconsin. We are carrying their Winter Wheat, Caramelized Onion, and Wisconsin Rye. They are all amazing and we are so happy to have found them. Try the Rye cracker with some stinky cheese, it will have you remembering your Oma.
We invite you to order whatever you want to munch on right now and find comforting. Grab a loved one or sign online with them. Take a moment of pause and appreciate all the people who work so hard to get us our delicious treats. Then enjoy those treats because after all isn’t that what life is all about?