inStorebuyer - May 2011 - 76

and happenings. As the country’s largest producer of cheese—making more than 600 varieties, types and styles—Wisconsin noted another stellar cheese year in 2010. Trends included the desire for foods that are natural, small-batch, fresh and sustainably produced, and cheese is benefiting from these preferences. The proliferation of new specialty and artisan cheeses will continue. In Wisconsin, specialty cheese production amounted to 477 million pounds in 2009, an increase of 40 million pounds, or 9% over 2008. Chefs at fine-dining restaurants, most deeply affected by the economy, have tapped into their frugal, creative side and taken a page from the food truck and retro/comfort food trend. As the food truck phenomenon continues to flourish, offering burgers, Belgian fries, sandwiches of all stripes, pork in multiple forms and global ethnic specialties, chefs have joined the traffic. The menu isn’t the same, of course, but the refined cooking skills are, bringing a new dimension to street fare. Celebrated chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of Border Grill in Santa Monica, CA, are sporting sophisticated tacos and quesadillas in their truck while Chef Laurent Katgely of Chez Spencer in San Francisco is serving classic French dishes for under $12 from his Spencer on the Go mobile bistro, which was featured on the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race last year.

Whole Foods Gets Cracking
On April 16, Whole Foods Market cheesemongers and even a few

of the company’s regional presidents flexed their muscles while making shoppers salivate as they cracked open full wheels of the Italian powerhouse – Parmigiano Reggiano. For the third year, Whole Foods Market cheese departments is spotlighting two-year-aged 85-pound wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano as it is traditionally cracked open by team members using official tools (five different knives) from Italy’s Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano in a 30-minute carving and portioning process. “Whole Foods Market loves sharing our passion for Parmigiano Reggiano during this annual event,” says Cathy Strange, Whole Foods Market global cheese buyer. “We are demonstrating the wisdom and expertise of 900 years of delicious cheesemaking with our own carefully-chosen wheels — produced only from spring and fall milk – that are aged for two years to bring out the best of Parmigiano Reggiano’s toasted, buttery, and nutty flavors.” Shoppers were invited to visit their local store to watch the simultaneous storewide celebratory crack-off, which earned the company a 2008 Guinness World Record for “Most Parmigiano Reggiano Wheels Cracked Simultaneously,” and to sample the rich, flavorful cheese. Handcrafted by artisans in small batches in only one area of Northern Italy, Parmigiano Reggiano comes from cows grazing on green pastures with rolling hills in a cool climate.

The raw milk cheese – lower in fat than many since it is made from partially skimmed milk – has a unique salty crystal crunch that forms when amino acids break down in the aging process. Parmigiano Reggiano is incredibly versatile beyond a spaghetti garnish. The cheese can be grated onto popcorn or into soups and sauces as a tasty thickener. Parmigiano Reggiano shards can be stuffed into dates with pecans and drizzled with wildflower honey or simply served alongside olives and walnuts on a cheese plate. Shaved, it can add a salty richness to an arugula and tomato salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Light- to medium-bodied reds such as Chianti, Lambrusco or Valpolicella and clean, Italian beers such as Peroni provide classic pairings that rely on “terroir” or a sense of place. Whole Foods Market currently has more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Giant Eagle Pairs Up Ideas
The Giant Eagle Cheese Shop at Giant Eagle supermarkets carries more than 400 types of imported, domestic, and artisan cheeses. That means Giant Eagle stocks everything shoppers need to make a party tray complete – from zesty to classic, to make meals sensational. Giant Eagles suggests pairings like its Market District Brie with apples or melted in a favorite grilled cheese recipe. Put goat cheese in quesadillas

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inStorebuyer - May 2011

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