180017 Tue Feb 11 21:01:19 -0800 2003 16 15 Pennsylvania 0 967912 I'm partial to certain cheeses, but not fussy about where I buy them. Cotswold, Morbier, pepato for example. Today I stopped in to DeBruno's Cheese shop, on 18th, near Chestnut. TRied out half a pound of cotswold for $9/lb. Such a flavor difference; much better than the same kind I've bought before at Fresh Fields or at Acme. I saw a beautiful assortment of cheese; not all expensive, and some knowledgable salespeople. Gonna throw a wine and cheese party someday soon, with DeBruno's help. I know there is an excellent source for cheese at the Reading terminal market. Whose is it? Tue Feb 11 21:01:19 -0800 2003 0 BAshful3 1 967913 DiBruno's is great for cheeses. It is a shame what Fresh Fields does to some of their wares. Poor little French Crotin de Chavignol, wrapped tightly in plastic AND stuffed into moisture-trapping plastic clamshells at $2 more than DiBruno's. -=$>Dave<$=- Tue Feb 11 22:18:19 -0800 2003 967912 0 JugglerDave 2 968020 > Poor little French Crotin de Chavignol, wrapped tightly >in plastic AND stuffed into moisture-trapping plastic >clamshells at $2 more than DiBruno's. . while DiBruno's (18th St) leaves it out on top of the fridge all day for a week on end until it collapses on itself in a pile of green mold. I mean, please believe that I am firmly in the camp that DiBruno's is god's gift to the city, if not the world. But they don't threat their cheeses very well either a lot of the time, especially on 18th Street. (also their mail order prices are shockingly expensive--a bottle of frantoia olive oil costs $16.99 in their 18th St. shop, or $24.99 on line, PLUS shipping and handling. Now that's what I call a markup!) Fri Feb 14 00:25:15 -0800 2003 967913 0 Jas. 1 967915 DiBruno is an excellent place for cheese. Like to go in and sample the different varieties. I like to get the Wensleydale cheese. Tue Feb 11 22:33:15 -0800 2003 967912 0 Gary 1 967920 In the Reading Terminal Market, the primary cheese shop is Downtown Cheese, which gives DiBruno (both 18th St. and 9th St.) a run for its money. Both are excellent shops. Salumeria at Reading Terminal also offers some nice cheeses, but substantially more variety and depth at Downtown Cheese. As you see, it does make a difference where you buy your cheese! If you like sharp cheddar, try 'Rat Cheese' at Downtown. It's an old name for salty, sharp cheddar; in some places it used to be called 'store cheese'. Downtown excels in French cheeses and has an incredible selection of blues and goat cheeses from both here and abroad. And if you're planning on making a traditional fondue, you can obtain the necessary appenzeller and gruyere there. Good variety of Spanish cheeses, too. Downtown also sells olives and specialty processed meats. However, for these items, by and large you can get the same quality (in some cases better) and lower prices at DiBruno in the Ninth Street Market. Wed Feb 12 00:19:10 -0800 2003 967912 0 Bob Libkind 2 967940 I also recommend Downtown cheeses but if you are getting special imported cheeses beware. I have seen a number of cheeses in the case well past their expiration dates. Wed Feb 12 10:57:36 -0800 2003 967920 0 Jo 1 967943 I just have to bud in and make a cheese recommendation. you can get this at both Downtown Cheese and DiBruno's. It's called Primadonna and it is a must. They will let you try it! Evertime I have had any type of party, this is a staple I put out and it is always everyones favorite. Wed Feb 12 11:31:35 -0800 2003 967912 0 Sara 1 967952 while i do love downtown cheese and dibruno (when it is not a madhouse) I have recently discovered www.fromage.com for interesting french cheeses. Check it out! Your cheese is imported directly to you from france. Wed Feb 12 12:18:27 -0800 2003 967912 0 mary 1 967975 Wegmans supermarket on Route 1 in Lawrenceville, NJ, is my choice for cheese selection and quality when I can't get to DiBrunos (the one on 9th street isn't too crazy if you get there before 10 on a Saturday). Wegmans is God's gift for those of us out here in the boonies for all kinds of first class goodies. If you haven't been, its a cross between Dean and Deluca and Fresh Fields. And if you haven't already, add Taleggio to your list of cheeses to try, I love it. Wed Feb 12 16:19:18 -0800 2003 967912 0 Ellen 2 967979 Please don't insult Wegman's by comparing it to Fresh Fields/Whole Foods. Wegman's is in a class by itself. Wed Feb 12 20:03:28 -0800 2003 967975 0 Bob Libkind 3 967992 I wasn't insulting Wegmans. I come from the Washington DC area where the Fresh Fields are well kept and offer good quality merchandise, especially on the organic side - I don't know about FFs here. And Dean and Deluca is a DC-based gourmet store that is full step above Wegmans, so the description of Wegman's as falling between the two was apt from my experience. Thu Feb 13 12:44:57 -0800 2003 967979 0 Ellen 4 967993 I just about had a heart attack thinking that Dean and DeLuca was based in DC instead of NY! Luckily I looked it up on the internet and found that I could rest easy. Yes, I'm one of those people who call New York "the city," even when I'm on the other coast. Minor-pointedly, Allie Link: http://www.deandeluca.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/store/customer_f.d2w/report?url=http://www.deandeluca.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/store/customer_assistance.d2w/report Thu Feb 13 13:25:36 -0800 2003 967992 0 Allie D'Augustine 5 967996 Duh. I knew that once. I remember when D&D first opened in DC. We were so excited! Thu Feb 13 15:19:50 -0800 2003 967993 0 Ellen 2 967995 I don't find the 9th Street DiBruno craziness to be frustrating enough to avoid them at any particular time. Don't let the crowds put you off -- it usually looks worse than it is. They have a lot of people working, and whoever is at the back counter will usually help the customers clustered at that end of the store when it's crowded. Granted, i live practically within crawling distance, so i shop there often. But I have also waited in line for a good hour and a half the day before Thanksgiving at closing time and during the afternoon on Xmas Eve, standing in lines that snake down and back up the length of the store, out the front door and onto the street. (They also have a website.) Also you can get olives, sopprasetta, some of the more popular cheeses, i.e. fresh mozz, Prima Donna, etc. at Talluto's. (Along with fresh pasta, of course.) Link: http://www.dibruno.com Thu Feb 13 14:30:44 -0800 2003 967975 0 --susan 2 968052 Boonies? Pardon me? You might want to tone down that attytude. Mon Feb 17 09:29:08 -0800 2003 967975 0 NJ guy 1 967980 I buy my cheese at Claudio's in the Italian Market, a few doors north of DiBruno's. I've never been disappointed in selection, price or quality. It's worth a trip just for the entertainment value! While I've not patronized either of the cheese vendors in the Reading Terminal market, they appear to have a wide selection, but you have to be wary about the shelf life of some of the more exotic varieties. Wed Feb 12 20:39:23 -0800 2003 967912 0 JohnnyT 1 968135 Downtown Cheese, in the RT market is what Shola uses at Studio Kitchen. They've got a wonderful, high quality selection. Thu Feb 20 13:29:18 -0800 2003 967912 0 carrie