For Bay Area cheese enthusiasts, the past year brought even more reasons to celebrate where we live.
Yes, Paris has better French cheese, including the many raw-milk selections that Americans can't import. You can get better mozzarella and ricotta in Italy. But can you get Red Hawk in Milan? Or Rogue River Blue? Or Vella Dry Jack?
Bay Area cheese counters stock the finest available cheeses from around the world. And despite the challenging economy, independent cheese shops appear to be thriving here, or at least surviving.
Not to diminish the good efforts of multiunit operators like Whole Foods and Draeger's, but our independent merchants set the bar, taking risks on unfamiliar cheeses that need to be hand sold.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: San Francisco Chronicle
