Concord, MA — A red carpet strewn with rose petals will greet the “Big Cheese” coming to Concord later this week. Proclaiming “the Crucolo is coming!, the Crucolo is coming!,” Concord Cheese Shop owner Peter Lovis has paced the floor for the past three months awaiting the arrival of the largest Crucolo cheese wheel ever shipped to North America. The enormous cheese wheel completed its shipboard journey across the Atlantic over the Thanksgiving weekend and is due to arrive in Concord on Wednesday, December 8th.
Thanks to 30 years of connections in the cheese industry, Mr. Lovis secured the largest wheel of Crucolo suitable for export. Due to shipping constraints, this is the largest wheel that the artisanal Italian cheese maker will attempt to ship abroad. “This is absolutely fascinating,” said Lovis. “Such an enormous cheese wheel deserves an equally enormous welcome. We acquired this unique wheel with the assistance of Francesco Gallo at Savello USA. It’s great fun and the community seems anxious for its arrival.” As word spread throughout the community, people have been asking Peter whatever possessed him to acquire the country’s largest wheel of Crucolo. “Good question!” says Peter. “I guess because I could – who knows. Perhaps we’ll make the country’s largest fondue!”
Weighing in at approximately 400 pounds, a little over two feet tall and three and one half feet across, this is a gargantuan wheel of cheese. Crucolo cheese has been handcrafted by the Purin family since the early 19th Century exclusively at the Rifugio Crucolo in Trentino Italy. Rifugio Crucolo is high in the mountains of northeastern Italy where it has served as a resting place and inn for weary travelers and tourists alike. Renowned for its maturing cellars, the Rifugio overflows with wines, as well as grappas, cheeses, salamis and cured meats. The aging of the cheese in these sumptuous cellars imparts the fascinating flavours found in this unique and wonderful cheese.
Upon arrival of the large cheese wheel, Mr. Lovis, the true “big cheese” of Concord will hold a brief press conference to welcome the Crucolo to Concord. He is rumored to have several cheese jokes, trivia, and Crucolo cheese samples for the crowd!
The gigantic cheese wheel will be briefly on display at the Concord Cheese Shop, 29 Walden St., Concord, MA, before a team of four expert cheese mongers prepare the behemoth for retail sale, reducing it into more manageable pieces, and, of course, slicing it up for the crowd.
Produced in Italy by Crucolo SRL, Italy and imported to the US Market exclusively by Savello USA. John Accardi & and Sons distributes the product in New England. Learn more about Rifugio Crucolo here.
SOURCE Concord Cheese Shop
