By Kirsten Bayani
I like all things cheese. I like cheese by itself, melty cheese, things that are cheese-filled, cheese-flavor, smoky cheese, stinky cheese, and everything in between. So, when I heard about the cheeses offered at Cured, a sweet little shop on Pearl Street, I immediately made a date with the distinguished dairy distributor.
OK, Cured offers tons of products beyond cheese, but I have my priorities. I headed to Cured early one Saturday morning, hoping to chat a bit with a proprietor, and was immediately greeted by Will Frischkorn, a graduate of our school’s pastry program. He and Carol Ferguson opened the doors at 1825 Pearl Street in late August, and Cured has quickly become a hotspot for a French-inspired lunch or snacks complete with meats, fresh breads, and (you guessed it) cheeses.
Auguste Escoffier himself would be proud of the hand-picked selection of local products and farmstand produce, along with some hard-to-find accoutrements. I was immediately impressed by my choices of everything from finishing salts to pickles and olive oil. Did I mention the local spirits?
If you journey to the back of the store, Will can tell you about which wines will go best with a tailgate snack. (Yes, I asked.) Or, he can recommend a local gin that tastes nothing like its mass-produced counterparts. Cured’s attention to quality and craftsmanship shines through their products, and the employees’ knowledge makes this little shop a place where I will undoubtedly spend a lot of time. There are at least 15 cheeses I can’t wait to try.
