COOK & d'amico

If you read our August newsletter, you'll remember that we are big cheese fans. A number of our chefs have had a long time passion for those pungent little rounds of artisan cheeses that are more frequently appearing on menus and in grocery stores around the city. These "farmhouse" cheeses hold such appeal to us not only because they are delicious, but also because cheesemaking has a story and a history. Specialty cheeses (distinct from the mass produced supermarket cheeses) are still made in the traditional ways - actually on a farm where the breeding of cows, goats, or sheep is carefully controlled by the farming family for many years. Some of these farms have been producing a particular cheese for a century or more. Palace Kitchen chef, Matt Costello has spent the past year developing contacts and relationships with a wide variety of artisan cheesemakers across the country, bringing a beautiful selection of American farmstead cheeses to our attention.

In May of this year, we had the good fortune to meet James Cook, the past manager of DeLaurenti's Specialty Food Markets in the Pike Place Market who's passion for cheese exceeds even our own! James was looking to open a cheese business and our conversations began. We introduce Cook & D'Amico (the "D'Amico" is Jackie's grandmother's name) now as we begin a mail order business for the holiday season, but look for details in upcoming mailing about the location of a retail shop.