MORE THAN welcome

Hurray for these cheese specialists who make it their mission to give everyone (including beginners) a judgement-free space to shop for artisanal cheeses without feeling lost or intimidated.

- SAMANTHA DAVID

When it comes to the finer things in life, shopping for “fancy” foods such as fine cheeses can sometimes make one feel a bit clueless. Terms like affinage (the process of ripening cheese), or rennet (a substance for thickening milk), or even considering the differences between raw or pasteurised dairy, is enough to overwhelm, especially if you’re a beginner.

The (ahem) Gouda news? A handful of independent gourmet cheese shops staffed by passionate cheese lovers are going out of their way to make their customers feel welcome.

Rosana Ear, a retail business manager at LPB Market in Serangoon Gardens, is one such expert who enjoys sharing her knowledge of cheeses. The sunny and affable French national, who spent 28 years in France before moving to Singapore nine years ago, greets every customer – including curious passersby – with a cheery hello.

“I love discovering new flavours and sharing them with people,” says Rosana. “Sharing our knowledge is part of the full experience we are happy to provide in our shop. We invite you to look at, smell, and taste the cheese, then pair it with the right jam or wine, while telling you its background story, and sometimes sharing fond memories that a certain cheese brings to us. It makes the whole experience more personal, exciting and interesting.”

UNWIND WITH CHEESE AND WINE

CHEESELADS

Cheese shop by day and cheese bar by night, Cheeselads launched in 2020 and is the brainchild of three 30somethings: Chloe Lee, Leonard Teng, and Alfred Low. The trio are dedicated to making the process of cheeses-hopping more fun and less intimidating for everyone.