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Accepting Same Day Orders! How to Operate in Times Like These  Throughout the pandemic, our weekly emails have centered on what’s next as we - and many of you - have lived day to day. I thought I should give a little update on where we stand. For those first 10 weeks, we could barely catch our breaths. While we lost 95% of our wholesale revenue overnight in mid-March with the cancellation of SXSW and subsequent closure of restaurants, our retail and events business picked up and doubled - as you all hunkered down and sheltered in place. When we weren’t sure if or how we could make it, you all saved us, kept us going strong, gave us a reason to keep working, and helped us keep our full team employed - even hiring some additional help. And you helped us move a lot of American and artisan cheese. THANK YOU!
Now, with the reopening of some businesses, the somewhat more lax attitudes about social distancing, the desire to get out, and (the understandable) priorities in the news around social justice and dismantling racism, we’ve seen a huge dropoff in the past 10 days. What we feared appears to be coming to fruition - a decrease in sales through the slow days of summer. And while we have proven we can handle these in our past decade of business, we’re not sure how to handle them during a pandemic. Moreover, personally, it’s challenging to ask for help, steal the spotlight, or even just promote our business right now; we don’t want to sound tone-deaf in the midst of a much-needed, long-overdue conversation and action around the injustices that our Black and African-American friends and populations have experienced for the past 400 years. Black Lives Matter. So all this is to say, forgive us for our continued messaging and promotion during these times. Thanks for allowing me space and time to acknowledge that we know a lot is going on, emotions are high, and people are tired - all for various reasons and with different recent and long-time lived experiences. If you are able, we appreciate you and your continued support of our business to help us get through the summer. Right now is not the time we want to decrease or eliminate staff hours, and it’s not the time to stop selling American cheese. Our farmers and dairy folk need us, and we need you. Thanks for ordering your next cheese tray, picnic basket, Father’s Day gift, virtual tasting class, or just fridge and pantry items with us. Every single purchase matters, and we are grateful. Mission: Do Good. Eat Good. Core Principles: Passion with Purpose. Be a Juggernaut of Awesome. Be True. To Ourselves. To Others. Family First. Then Business. Improve Every Day. Shop News  Guess what? You can now place same-day orders again throughout the day! The team will let you know when they’ll have it ready, but they’re thinking they can get it done in about an hour. So while we aren’t open to foot traffic in the shop yet, you can place same-day orders (online or by phone) and pick up curbside. I mean, is there a better picnic food than a spread of cheese, meats, and pickles? I think not! Through Thick and Thali - 33 Tigers Pop-Up  Wed 6/10
Chef Deepa Shridhar and her 33 Tigers Supper Club are hosting a Pop-Up this Wednesday. It’s $25 for 1-2 people and comes with free delivery. Expect a thali board with puris to rip and dip with chili oil, pickles, cheese and sausages (transformed by Deepa), and a special dirty chai beverage. Looks like Cru Bom and Still Austin Whiskey are also including goods. 100% of the profits will go towards bail bonds in her efforts to support those marching in Austin’s Black Lives Matter movement. Limited quantity left. Order here now! Cheese Myths Busted! - Virtual Tasting  Wed 6/10
Cheese crystals? Mold and allergies? Lactose intolerance? Gooey cheeses are (NOT the most) fattening?! Join us, John and Kendall Antonelli, this Wednesday for a tasting of 7 different cheeses with food pairings as we explore - and debunk - the most common cheese myths we hear from customers. This is our cheapest ticketed event at $30pp. You’ll pick up via contactless curbside on Wednesday and join us on Facebook Live at 6pm. (If you need to watch later, you can access the video on our Facebook page later in the evening.) Tickets here. For the month of June, “Facebook Live with the Antonelli’s" is brought to you by Rambler - sustainable sparkling water made in Austin and proudly partnered with Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation, helping to conserve Texas lands and waters for future generations. Because we love bubbles and cheese, Rambler is graciously donating a can with each ticket purchase to serve as your perfect palate cleanser during our tasting. Thank you Rambler! Cheese & Rose Pairing with C.L.Butaud Winery  Sat 6/13
It’s National Rose Wine Day! And we’re teaming up with the owners of Texas winery C.L.Butaud, Randy and Brooke Hester. One ticket ($110) is intended for two people and comes with two cheese plates and two different bottles of wine. We’ll be tasting the 2019 Pa Pa Frenchy Rose and their 2019 Pinot Gris Ramato. Each wine will be paired with 3 cheeses, for a total of 6 cheeses, as well as food pairing bites. This will be the first release of Ramato on the market. Exciting! Only a handful of tickets left. Details here. (Virtual) Tasting Classes Coming Up  All are virtual with curbside pickups of cheese plates. Click on the calendar date here to get more info or tix:
*Note: We offer classes and events in three different formats. If you’d like to know about how each different type of class is offered and the benefits of each, check it out here and scroll to the bottom. CELEBRATE! Not ready to brave restaurants? Or perhaps you don’t have the luxury of it as you seek to keep you or your imuno-compromised loved ones safe. Don’t forget we offer PRIVATE PARTIES for our Virtual Tasting Clients. In fact, we just hosted a 9-year-old’s birthday last weekend. (Druv is such a foodie!) Contact us for more details. In the News We love our Texas cheesemakers, including Susan Rigg and her team at River Whey Creamery in Schertz, just northeast of San Antonio. Read in this week’s San Antonio Current some of her profound nuggets of wisdom, how she made a late-life career pivot, and what delish cheeses she pours her heart and soul into. Then purchase her cheeses from us, online from her, or at one of her farmers’ market locations. Spotlighted in our Shop  While our doors continue to be closed to walk-in traffic, you can still order online or by phone. These days, we do have openings for same-day pickup. St. Albans - Hailing to us from Vermont Creamery, we haven’t seen this baby in the shop in some time. This is a soft, spreadable cheese that comes in a little ceramic ramekin, just to hold it all together. (pictured; courtesy of Vermont Creamery)
Peach Chipotle Chevre - Yes! Just when we couldn’t hold out any longer, peach season is here! And that means we’ve got Peach Chipotle Chevre from local maker CKC Farms back in the shop. Woohoo! Rougette - In case you missed it, we recently brought in this triple creme cheese (over 75% butterfat!) made in Bavaria, Germany. You just need this and a baguette and you’ve got yourself the perfect lunch. Thomasville Tomme - Missed our virtual tasting with Sweet Grass Dairy this Sat? Lucky for you, we had just a few pounds left from the tasting that made their way into the case. Try this raw milk, natural-rinded cheese that’s won a Good Food Award, among others, from pasture-raised dairy cows in Georgia. Father's Day Ideas  Pressed for ideas? Here are some of our most regularly-purchased gifts for the potential father figure in your life.
How You Can Help Us Stay In Biz  From Austin:
Stay Cheese - y!  John & Kendall And Your Awesome Cheesemonger Team |