Fine Cheese & Charcuterie May 2016

My love affair with mozzarella began in earnest when I lived in New York. I used to stop at Joe’s Dairy on Sullivan Street in Soho near where I lived. They made their own mozzarella and I used to buy it when it was still warm and oozing its milky whey. The flavor was like warm, fresh milk, like the fresh milk I would drink as a kid on my aunt and uncle’s farm, but with something more, the cultures resulting in a kind of über milk. And their subtly smoked mozzarella? Well, forgetaboutit. We pay homage to this most versatile of cheeses in “Passport to Fine Cheese” this month, a cheese that goes well beyond pizza (page 4).

Customer service is a subject near and dear to my heart. I love it when I experience exceptional service in a store or in a restaurant. When I see really bad or lazy service I don’t get angry, I just wonder why. It’s not difficult. In fact, it’s usually as easy to give good customer service as it is to give bad service. In the case of a restaurant, it actually will increase the server’s income. In a retail shop it serves to make the working environment more enjoyable and it can make the store more successful. That can translate to job security, bonuses and pay increases. Plus, one can take pride in a job well done. In our “Deli 101” series this month, we take a look at two facets of good customer service, the inevitable lines that can form at a deli counter and the even more inevitable complaints (page 9).

I’m just back from Italy where I visited factories, shops, restaurants, and the trade show known as CIBUS. I’ll be reporting on it in our big Italian issue next month for the Summer Fancy Food Show. It was a great trip, a great show, and I learned a lot about Italian food and wine. Or at least I consumed a great deal of over nine days in Northern Italy! I’m looking forward to telling you all about it. In the meantime, happy spring and buon appetito.

James Mellgren

Managing Editor, Fine Cheese & Charcuterie

jmellgren@gourmetbusiness.com