Mission Cheese Debut: Raclette to the People!

It's Tuesday, and I am just now getting my wits about me after the bustly class A cheese weekend. The Underground Market , organized by Iso Rabins & forageSF, was a great success! I could not imagine a better debut for Mission Cheese. We melted through two 16 lb wheels of raclette serving up 100+ happy customers with tasty cheesey goodness & in few cases, a touch of nostalgia. Several market goers had indulged in raclette on trips to Europe, and have not seen it melted over an open flame since. Others were just purely amazed by the "cheese waterfall" producing contraption (the OOHs & AHHs were a plenty & just tickled my cheese-loving heart). That familiar cheese-melting-aroma filled the air & captured a wonderfully friendly & determined crowd (some waited up to 40 mins! There's only so fast you can melt-a the cheese...ehh?). Several peeps mentioned that our raclette was the most popular item at the market (blushing...and fist pumping), which has kept a smile on my face ever since. To give a little more color, here are some of my favorite sound bites from the eve...

"Oh my god!!! (eyes bulging out of his head...as you can see at left) Where have you been my whole life?!?" - 12 year old boy...speaking to the cheese of course. He also shared that all he wants for his Bar Mitzvah is a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano. Awesome.

"It's a cheese waterfall!" - An excited customer...that perhaps dreams in cheese. I love it, and I have used this descriptor about a dozen times since.

"Oh S@&$!" - A very friendly & well mannered woman...who just witnessed her very own cheese waterfall.

It was a memorable night & I have so many to thank for really bringing it together. Now PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER for some serious curds of gratitude (or fist pump, whichever you prefer). First, I would like to thank my Dad for converting a Euro raclette melter into an American citizen! Your craftiness always amazes me & all of this would not be possible without you. Oliver! Thank you for creating a rad as all get out sign (as seen above made from 2 reclaimed windows. It's beautiful!) and for your unwavering prep & cheese scraping skills. Your support keeps my cup overflowing. You are the best. More curds to my dear friend Stephanie for not only letting my occupy your kitchen all day Friday for Potato Roastfest 2010, but for also helping me out ALL day! You rock. Dawn, another dear friend, deserves many curds for delighting customers & her amazing assistance working the cash box. Now, if I could only have you at every Mission Cheese event going forward...it would be a dream come true. Curds to forageSF for putting together such a brilliant event supporting the small local foodie sprouts like Mission Cheese. Amazing. And lastly, thank you to all of my wonderful friends for coming out to say "hello!" Seeing your smiling faces made the night that much better.

The next day Oliver & I took the remaining cheese to Dolores Park to enjoy the sun & bring raclette to the people. The sound bites continue...



So, 48 lbs of cheese, 60 lbs of potatoes, 5 quarts of cornichon, 2 quarts of olive oil & 6 heads of garlic later...I think people like the raclette!

Today, in 2 hours actually, I head to Portland for a 3 day cheesemongering seminar. Am I packed? No. This...should be good.