This new Phoenix cheese shop specializes in American fromage you can't find anywhere else
Certified cheesemonger Jenny Zink and her husband Izaak Myers have opened Phoenix's only dedicated cheese shop on Shea Boulevard and 32nd Street.
The idea came to the couple during the pandemic when Jenny, a food photographer, lost her job. While she was looking for a new job, she enrolled in online cheese classes and loved it so much that she decided to get her cheesemonger certification. Just as sommeliers are certified for their knowledge of wine, cheesemongers have a certification process through which they hone their expertise in everything from how cheese is made, to flavor profiles and how to buy, package and sell cheese.
When she began looking into opening a brick and mortar shop, she was surprised that there wasn't already a dedicated cheese shop in metro Phoenix.
"We are originally from Des Moines," Myers said. "And figured if they can have two shops, then Phoenix can handle one."
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As a photographer, Zink wanted to name the shop Say Cheese, but someone else had beat her to it, so she went with Shea Cheese, which not only is where the shop is located, but sounds like the French word "chez", meaning house of.
"We really wanted to be the neighborhood cheese shop," Zink said. "We want people to come in and ask questions and taste in a very approachable way."
"About 80% of our cheeses are American and the rest come from overseas," said Myers.
"The main reason we chose American is you can get fresher cheese," Zink said. "The other reason is there are a lot of farmstead cheeses in America, so the cows are milked on the property and the cheese is made in the same place."
"The European cheeses we can get here are mass-produced, versus the local specialty makers," Myers added. Although, they do carry a few international cheeses, such as Gruyere and Emmentaler, which are more popular, along with Alp blossom, a cow's milk cheese sprinkled with the same wildflowers that the animals graze on.
The shop will sell cow, goat and sheep milk cheeses, and the couple plan to eventually add buffalo milk cheese as well. Overall, Shea Cheese will typically have 70 to 80 cheeses on rotation, with the goal of offering cheeses you can't find anywhere else in Phoenix.
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James Ranch in Durango does not distribute, but Myers plans to make the drive to Colorado in order to bring the cheeses back.
Other artisan producers include Greener farms in western Missouri, which specializes in sheep's milk cheese and Arizona's Crow's Dairy for goat cheese.
"We'll do that to stand out and make our shop more exciting," said Zink.
Shea Cheese sells cut-to-order cheese at their counter where customers are encouraged to try different cheeses and choose what they like. Customers can also grab pre-cut and packaged cheeses from the cooler.
But the joy of a cheese shop is in the tasting and discovery. Zink is enthusiastic about helping customers find their new favorites. For those who are just venturing into cheese, she recommends the young Belford from James Ranch. "It's mild, creamy and delicious," she said.
In addition to cheese, the store also carries items for building a charcuterie board, mostly from local vendors, such as honey from Twisted Bee, chocolate from Stone Grindz, cured meats and nuts. Busy customers can order complete grazing boards for pickup.
The grand opening is on Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Details: 10880 N. 32nd St., Suite 19, Phoenix. 602-666-0431, sheacheese.com.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
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Reach the reporter at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @banooshahr on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Shea Cheese is Phoenix's only stand-alone cheese shop. What to expect
