Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1484371
64 culturecheesemag.com B E S T C H E E S E S 202 2 TEXAS Houston Dairymaids CS 2201 Airline Dr. Houston, TX 77009 713.880.4800 VERMONT Mad River Taste Place SF 89 Mad River Green Waitsfield, VT 05673 802.496.3165 VIRGINIA Cheesetique CS 2411 Mt. Vernon Ave. Alexandria, VA 22301 703.706.5300 WASHINGTON Bayview Thriftway G+ 516 4th Ave. W Olympia, WA 98502 360.352.4897 DeLaurenti Food & Wine SF 1435 1st Ave. Seattle, WA 98101 206.622.0141 Eastside Olympia Food Co-op SF 3111 Pacific Ave. SE Olympia, WA 98501 360.956.3870 Rind and Wheat SF 1516 W Riverside Ave. Spokane, WA 99201 509.596.9900 WISCONSIN Door Artisan Cheese Company, Cave Market CS 8103 Hwy. 42 N Egg Harbor, WI 54209 920.868.1444 Fromagination CS 12 S Carroll St. Madison, WI 53703 608.255.2430 LaClare Creamery CM+ W2994 County Rd. HH Malone, WI 53049 920.670.0051 Noble Rind Cheese Company CS 110 W Court St. Viroqua, WI 54665 608.638.2743 The Milk Merchant CS 402 S 2nd Ave. Wausau, WI 54401 715.843.0909 CANADA ONTARIO Chasing the Cheese CS 330 Charlotte St. Peterborough, ON K9J 2V9 705.775.0525 La Jolie Cheese Shop CS 9-2 Orchard Heights Blvd. Aurora, ON L4G 3W3 905.727.2772 QUEBEC Bleu & Persillé SF 1475 Mont-Royal Ave. E Montreal, QC, H2J 1Z1 438.386.1475 " I took a gamble and it worked out," Lindsey Schechter says about her move from Maine to Texas nine years ago to sell cheese. With just her Toyota and a good feeling about Houston, the former chef headed west and began hawking curds at farmers' markets. Though Schechter started small, she quickly grew Houston Dairymaids into a wholesale warehouse business and then, three years ago, opened a retail shop. Now, patrons may choose from more than 150 cheeses at any time, including many from area cheesemakers. But they won't find the curds displayed under glass; to maintain a market feel, Schechter didn't install a case. Instead, she selects a small group of cheeses each week for folks to taste (the rest of her extensive inventory is available by request, of course). This arrangement is "the starting point for conversations," says Schechter, who encourages interaction between enthusiasts and her knowledgeable staff. Houston Dairymaids also offers wine, beer, bread, and condiments, as well as pairing classes. Houston Dairymaids From the Best Cheeses 2015–16 Issue Photo: Kerrisa Treanor