The Pasta Shop is home to one of the finest cheese counters in the Bay Area, recognized across the country for our devotion to cheese. Our cheeses are carefully handled to encourage consistent ripening and ensure that the cheese reaches the consumer in the best possible condition, holding true to the intentions of the cheesemaker. We are a full service counter, cutting cheese to order for the best flavor & eating experience. Our mission is to promote cheese as a true artisan product, to educate consumers to help them find the best cheese to suit their own preferences and needs, while making the whole experience fun and exciting.
Our cheesemongers are, first and foremost, true cheese lovers. We are enthusiastic about flavor and quality, and dedicated to presenting our cheeses to the consumer in the most honest way possible, letting the cheese speak for itself. The single best way to learn about cheese is to eat it – try a new cheese; try the same cheese at different times of year or from different wheels; try cooking with different cheeses and see how they behave; pick up a few different cheeses and see which one pairs best with your favorite wine or beer. Our cheesemongers start their training with a rigorous cheese classifications class, but the best education comes from many hours behind the counter tasting with customers. Our favorite lesson is tasting cheese together.
What makes us so excited about cheese? All fussiness aside, cheese itself is a product with absolutely no pretense. The end result depends entirely on the quality of the milk and the level of care throughout cheese making, aging and handling. A good cheese begins with good milk; if there are any defects in the milk they will only be magnified and concentrated in the outcome. In this way, cheese truly wears its heart on its sleeve. Terroir, diet, weather & the seasons – all these factors affect a given batch of cheese, which is part of what makes each wheel so special. Industrialization and homogenization take away from the complexity inherent to a small-batch, hand-made product. We look for producers that are committed to the health of their land and animals, and to responsible and sustainable business practices. While we expect variation in artisanal products, the cheese must also be consistently excellent. We look for exceptional flavor, texture and body and strive to preserve those hard-earned qualities for every cheese that passes through our hands.
Our department offers a broad selection of cheese from around the world, including a number of outstanding hand-made American cheeses. Cheesemaking in the U.S. has come a long way in the last 20 years, reviving traditions from Europe and the Mediterranean to form our own new American classics. We receive deliveries every week to keep our selection fresh and exciting. On any given day at our counter you’ll find 100-150 cheeses aged in a variety of styles, ranging from fresh & un-aged to mature and complex. Whether you’re looking for the freshest mozzarella, something soft-ripening and creamy, a farmhouse cheddar or just a real stinker, we have excellent representatives in every category.