What’s Happening at The Cheese Shop,
July, 2010

June has been a hot one, but we keep our cool in our nice air-conditioned Cheese Shop!  I took my girls to NYC for some classic tourism stops, including Times Square, Liberty and Ellis Islands, and some hardcore shopping on Canal Street.  We took the train, which was really nice and relaxing; playing cards, and reading while traveling is a luxury I rarely have.  I burst with pride that I have such great staff here that I can go away, and The Shop doesn’t miss a beat.  But I hang around to give me something to do, and because I like it.  Also, since summer means vacation time, we wish PB a fun trip to San Francisco, and send a huge “Bon Voyage” to Peter M. as he takes his family on a whirlwind European tour as a graduation gift to his twins from Nashoba Regional High School, and his daughter from Cornell. Armine will be taking time off too, so I guess I better stick around to fill in the gaps. 

Come Dance with Me!
Those of you who know me, know I like to dance.  Last year I danced the Tango for Summer Stages Dance, and this year Summer Stages offers classes anyone can sign up for.  I have registered for Monday and Wednesday Ballroom classes.  Professional ballroom instructors from Studio 665 in Woburn come to Concord Academy’s dance studio, and give us a workout.  Other equally talented instructors come on Tuesdays and Thursdays to teach Jazz and African Dance, but I think I’ll stick to Ballroom.  For information, call me here at The Shop, or visit http://bit.ly/d0ML1R   It’s a great time, full of laughs, and good exercise to boot!  I hope you come check it out.

Friday Night Dinner Club
Justin and Mary put their heads together this month and came up with another month’s worth of fabulous dinners.  I think I will go for the fried chicken, which should serve a family of 4, but I can eat a lot of fried chicken, so hopefully there will be some left for my girls.  As always, there should be plenty of leftovers, and what a nice way to get another meal out of it.  Just pick up an extra bottle of wine for the leftovers, and Voila! 

Last Month’s Rant
Last month I ranted about overly casual interview attire.  Wow! Have I ever gotten a lot of feedback about it!  Many parents thanked me for bringing it up and passed it along to their kids.  I even had a professional recruiter
ask if she could use it on her blog.  I guess it is true that hearing something from an outside source carries so much more weight.  Anyway, I am glad to help those folks that heard it first hand from me, and to help parents help their kids.  

Silferleaf Farm Raspberry Vinegar Infusion
Armine uncovered another winner from a relatively new business right here in Concord.  A typical raspberry vinegar is merely a vinegar with a slight fruity sweetness.  This organic infusion focuses on the raspberry, with much thicker viscosity, and the primary flavor of fruit, with the tartness of the vinegar as a secondary flavor.  Hard to explain, but we love it.  We
opened one for sampling, and used it on many items,
including ice cream! 

Newspapers Love The Cheese Shop
June was a very good public relations month for us, with three major newspaper mentions.  First, the New York Times printed a story about Concord’s bottle water ban, and included a picture outside under our awning. The Boston Globe highlighted the amazing Baltic Rye we fell in love with in November, and are still crazy about. Thirdly, the Community Newspapers honored us with a First Place in the Readers Choice Awards for Deli in Concord.  All without a PR firm on retainer!  I guess we are just a fun place to write about! 

Tower Root Beer
Early last month, Harold Tavares stopped in and introduced himself, and told us the story of Tower Root Beer.  Tower had been Boston’s root beer from 1914 until 1978.  For the next 30 years, it remained only a memory in most people’s flavor memories.  But the grandchildren of the original founder discovered a recipe in some old family papers, (including Grandmother’s birth certificate) and have brought the original recipe back to Boston.   It tastes just like the original, and it is flying out of the drink cooler.  If you like root beer, this one is different, and totally delicious! Get the full story in Edible Boston Magazine.

Facebook & Twitter
Every day, we post the daily lunch specials on Facebook and Twitter. I also post other items of interest, such as wine tastings and new cheese arrivals. Here is the link to our page, http://bit.ly/6cBcJM , and I hope you become a fan.  If you use Twitter, you can follow us @concordcheese.  We crossed the 775 fan mark on Facebook, and
have 72 followers on Twitter.  Please join us if you want to stay up to
date every day.

Last month I was kinda late in getting my newsletter out, so I am proud of myself for writing July when it is still actually June. I hope you think of us during the summer season, with no-cook meals of cheeses and charcuterie, or our prepared foods in the Deli. We have everything you need for your summer picnics, or deck dinners, and will always strive to make it special for you.    In the meantime, I thank you for taking the time to read my news, and I look forward to seeing you over the summer. 

See you soon!

~ Peter S. Lovis