Welcome to Zingerman’s Creamery’s Cheese Shop, the only place in town that you can get hand-made cheeses and gelato mere feet from where they were born.  We are proud to offer not only our own products but also great cheeses, dry goods, and charcuterie from our favorite producers around the world.

We truly believe that you can really taste the difference in the products we make and sell and invite you to come on down and see for yourself.  As always, we encourage you to taste anything you see that perks your interest and if you aren’t completely satisfied with your purchase, we will do what ever it takes to make you happy.

Cheese Shop Specials!

March’s Cheese of the Month – Cream Cheese

Unlike the cream cheese we’re used to, this award-winning cheese is made using old techniques, no gums, and long setting times to bring out the full flavor of the milk. It has a soft, fluffy texture and rich, creamy citrus taste.

All March long, Cream Cheese is only $9.99/lb. at the Creamery!

Daily Specials – Mozzarella Monday! … Pimento Cheese Tuesday! … Gelato Wednesday!  Full details are in the sidebar to the right.

The Little Log

Sometimes mistakes can be a good thing…  Take for instance, this lovely little goat cheese.  What began life as a Detroit St. brick soon took another course, and it became this petite little green pepper-spiked boucheron.  Tangy, creamy, with a spicy citrus twang, this aged goat’s milk cheese packs big flavor in a small package.  Just $5.00 each, very limited supply.

Just Arrived!

Here’s just a few items that have just arrived in the Cheese Shop.

Hawes Wensleydale

A new one for the Cheese Shop, this old-world British cheese is reminiscent of Lancashire with an extremely buttery flavor but a bit more creamy of a texture.  Made from cows grazing the Wensleydale pasture that gives this cheese its name, it has a supple paste with a bit of a crumble, resembling a young Caerphilly.  It has a nice honey sweetness balanced by a slightly acidic tang.

Rory Connor’s Hand-made Cheese Knives

Made by Rory himself in Ireland, these one-of-a knives are truly some of the most beautiful pieces of cutlery that we have ever seen.  Made from a finely honed piece of stainless steel, Rory’s knives are laden with richly-dyed hardwoods for their handle.  They have a heft and weight that just feels simply great in your hand.  Sure, you can get the job done with any ol’ knife, but these beauties turn cutting cheese into an experience.  Supplies  are very limited…

Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon

Ari’s newest literary treat is dedicated to that most-addictive of all pork products, bacon.  This humble charcuterie has deep roots in the American culinary tradition, and extends deeply into the Old World.  The book details how bacon grew from a full-flavored farm staple to a flavorless but huge-selling commodity, and is now returning to its’ roots.

The Creamery’s Pimento Cheese

Okay, this isn’t a new one.  But, this rich and savory Southern tradition has laid some pretty deep roots in Ann Arbor over the past few years.  Made with 2-year raw milk cheddar, sweet roasted Spanish red peppers, cayenne, sea salt, and Telicherry peppercorns, pimento cheese is becoming quite the cult phenomena around town.  This is one of the few things you can find across several Zingerman’s businesses and rarer stll, each one of us makes it ourselves.  The recipes are similar but each of us puts our own little spin on it.   Which is the best?  Only you can be the judge and nothing sounds better to me than going on a pimento cheese tour of the ZCoB.  Just be sure to arm yourself with enough Bakehouse soft pretzels to get you through the day…

Oh, these cold, rainy, late November-early December evenings.  They make me want to put on twelve layers of long underwear and go into deep hibernation.  Or, equally as comforting, much more delicious, and far less solitary: make a warming pot of fondue!  As luck would have it, a big, beautiful piece of Emmentaler, the classic Swiss cheese with a light yellow hue and plenty of holes, has recently arrived in our shop and is begging for the fondue treatment.  (It’s also begging to be part of a Reuben, alongside corned beef, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and rye bread, if that’s more your style.)  This Emmentaler has none of the sourness you sometimes get from vacuum-sealed versions; it has a very slightly sweet, balanced flavor and practically melts on your tongue.  Combine it with a healthy hunk of Comte, a nutty, French gruyere-style cheese from the Jura Mountains, a bit of flour, a clove of garlic, and a couple cups of white wine and you’ve got the makings of a fantastic pot of fondue.  Rub your pot with the garlic, cut the cheese into small cubes, get your stirring arm ready and invite your pals to come watch the magic happen as the cheeses melt down together into the ultimate comfort food.  Gather ’round the fondue pot, stab cubes of crusty bread with fondue forks and dip away!  Guaranteed to beat back the winter blahs, at least for a while.
Make it in your pajamas for extra coziness.

***Read more about mountain cheeses and fondue recipes in Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating!***

Cheese Tidbits: Keep a lookout for info on our next Creamery cheese tasting (including lots of pairing ideas, cooking tips, and creamy bites to eat) coming soon!

Gelato Tidbits: Now that the Zingerman’s Coffee Company has opened its doors right next door to us, your scoop of vanilla gelato has a new best friend: just take your scoop on over and have the talented baristas cover it with a shot of hot espresso.  It’s called an affogato.  It’s terrific.