Favorite locally owned/supplied shopping (Specifically looking for new cheese options) - Triangle area

[hausfrau]

I am growing more and more disgusted with Unholey Foods (Whole Foods, AKA the WalMart for hippies) and am disheartened that finding a good locally owned source for cheese has been so difficult. I know the farmers markets usually have Celebrity and/or one of the other local dairies available. My issue is when the weather gets cold, what do I do? I have no issue with Earth Fare (based in Asheville), but it doesn't always have the best looking cheese.

Is Weaver Street a good source?

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Earth Fare
12235 N Community House Rd, Charlotte, NC

[Sensuous]

There was a wonderful bread/cheese shop in Cary called La Farm. It has been several years since I was there. It was close to Preston and in the same shopping center as Bruegger's.

[Rory]

FYI Weaver St has a very nice selection of local wines; especially fruit wines: peach, blackberry etc. They're shelved across from the local cheese case:)

[Suzy Q]

La Farm is still there, but it's a bakery and cafe, not a cheese shop. Lionel has a few cheeses and spreads, but nothing that would wow you at all.

[Rory]

Saw more local cheesemakers in the Weaver St. local cabinet; Holly Farms & something else, bother sorry but the point is, go there for your cheese in winter. I'm sure you can order anything special that you like. They're very good that way.

[LulusMom]

and their bread is the perfect thing to go with a good cheese. Best bread I've had in the area.

[cimorse]

Wine Authorities in Durham carries Hillsborough Cheese company and some Oregon and Wisconson options. Not a huge selection but then you can also pick up a family owned estate wine to match.

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Wine Authorities
2501 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707

[Victus Populi]

Southern Season definitely has the best overall cheese selection. Other than that, your best option is to tour the local farmer's markets (Carrboro, South Estes, Southern Village and Durham) and buy straight from the source. Inefficient, but it is tough to find one shop that carries a wide variety of all the local cheeses.

[Rory]

I checked at Weaver St this afternoon, they have a small refrigerator case devoted to local cheeses: I saw Hillsborough, Elodie, Creamery, Celebrity, Anna's (for fresh Queso) locally made salami & they told me that there is local hoop cheese & pepper jack available. (I have no idea what that is.)

[cackalackie]

It's not local cheese, but it's a locally-owned shop that sells real Italian cheeses. Good variety and great prices - sold to you by the grandmother/mother of the company.

Capri Flavors in Morrisville http://www.capriflavors.com/

It's an Italian food distribution company and they have a retail shop. They also have Italian cooking classes. (And the grandmother does have her own label of sauces, if I'm not mistaken.)

[mpjmph]

+1 for Capri Flavors. You know you're in trouble when you walk in Titina looks you square in the eye - "You like cheese? You try this cheese."

[cackalackie]

Exactly - and she's always right! Have you tried the spicy pear sauce? She *forced* me to try it ---- and it's one of my favorite things. It's a little jar of pear spread that's slighly spicy. You spread it on a slice of hard cheese - like parmesano reggiano or asiago. Perfection!

[mpjmph]

Yes! I had the pear sauce on provolone, followed by fresh mozzarella on bread soaked in olive oil.

[Suzy Q]

Psst - the fig jam is even better with the asiago cheese. :-)

[tthomasb]

Wow, thanks I had seriously never been in that store. I really wasn't sure what is was, but I live very close to it. Will have to check them out, thanks.

[brokegradstudent]

Southern Season is the obvious choice. Weaver Street usually has a few local options. The cheese mongers are distributed oddly across farmers markets so getting variety usually means multiple markets:
Celebrity Dairy and Chapel Hill Creamery are at Carrboro & Durham
Hillsborough Cheese Co is at South Estes, Saxapahaw, and Eno River (Hillsborough)
I feel like I'm missing a vender but I'm drawing a blank

[LulusMom]

I think my preference is for the Celebrity cheese, but I got a very nice one from the Hillsborough Cheese Co. at the South Estes farmers market on Saturday - a goat with sun-dried toms.

I do think that, aside from farmers markets, Southern Season is going to be your best bet.