CHEESE

Constantino’s Market Place originally opened in City Market more than a century ago and was recently revived by granddaughter Theresa Mascari and her daughters Concetta and Antonia. The stand stocks all the Italian basics—imported from Toscano, Veneto, and Lombardy, of course—and a few surprises, like a Parmigiano-Reggiano Vacche Rosse, made from the milk of red cows, a rarity even in Italy.

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Indy’s two Cork and Cracker locations are among the few places in town to pick up a hunk of pungent Epoisses, a cheese that, as owner Rob Ventura notes, is “not for the faint of heart.” Triple-cream, washed-rind Red Hawk from Northern California’s Cowgirl Creamery enjoys such a cult following here that proprietors have trouble keeping it on the shelves. Add to this a fine selection of affordable wines, and the special alchemy is clear.

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Frasier’s Gourmet Foods is home to a rotating selection of imports like Shropshire bleu cheese and Stripey Jack, a popular choice that features five layers of cheddars from five counties in England. More than 100 cheeses fill the case, and owner Joy Frasier is often on hand to give overwhelmed customers a primer.

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Goose the Market owner Christopher Eley limits his selection to an ever-changing list of “Twelve Cheeses You Must Try Before You Die.” With a particular focus on domestic artisan cheeses from smaller creameries and tough-to-find imports from France, Italy, Great Britain, and Australia, Eley says he is always on the lookout for something new, like Camelbert, an Arabian Camembert cheese made from camel’s milk that’s not yet available in the States: “We don’t have clearance yet, but hopefully soon!” In the meantime, try the creamy Chimay Grand Cru from Belgium.

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The selection in the Taste Cafe & Marketplace deli case changes constantly, but customers can count on it always being hand-picked by proprietor Marc Urwand, who favors rare imports from Spain, Italy, and France. Offerings might include a Pecorino Tartufello (an aged sheep’s-milk cheese enhanced with black truffles) or Fromage d’Affinois (a double-cream from France). Give him a heads-up, and Urwand will assemble a custom party tray garnished with dried cherries and candied walnuts.

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The requisite Canadian Brie and chunks of smoked Gouda are stacked alongside prepackaged party trays at Trader Joe’s. And while there is rarely anything more exotic than a New Zealand grass-fed cheddar, it is a known party-planning fact that the offerings are bargain crowd-pleasers.

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At The Cheese Shop, threerefrigerated cases house a veritable United Nations of imported dairy products: Grinzing from Australia, Gruyere from Switzerland, and fondue-ready Lappi fromFinland. An enthusiasticstaff headed by owner BryonMeyer helps shoppers navi-gate through the offerings at this trusty standby.

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A great variety of party-ready cheese balls and torta at The Fresh Market keep company with plump bundles of fresh mozzarella rolled and packaged onsite, and those on the search for Gorgonzola have more than half a dozen options here. Rarer imports include Cabrales from Spain, a bleu cheese made from both sheep and goat milk, and Stinking Bishop, a creamy, washed-rind cheese from the milk of Gloucester cattle.

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More than 350 cheeses are ordered in oversized wheels and cut and wrapped by Vine & Table Gourmet Market cheese specialist Fred Roesner, who will also guide customers through the deep coolers that line the walls and aid them in assembling the perfect cheese tray. Samples are plentiful, so don’t miss the Colston Bassett Stilton, or Papillon Roquefort—“the creme de la creme of Roqueforts,” says Roesner.


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