Cheese in the Time of Covid (Or, Why Your Cheese May Be a Little Late This Week)

Little things have gigantic impacts. It is, after all, just a bunch of tiny bacteria that transform milk into cheese, or as Clifton Fadiman famously suggested, hastens “milk’s leap toward immortality.” So, as cheesemakers, we spend most of our time celebrating those little bugs. We watch them carefully. Too few and the product is uninteresting, or somehow doesn’t seem itself. Too many—or the wrong ones—and the product is taken over, it becomes offensive or even harmful. But most of the time, it’s a magical process.

Other little things, like that nasty virus we all worry about now, seem far less magical. The dairy, like most places, can be a complicated place to work these days. Ruth will tell you that cheesemaking is a communal act—it is hard work, better done together. So how do we make cheese, pack orders, and get them to your door when one of us gets sick? These days, we’ve made a stance to err on the side of—what Daniel calls—“an abundance of caution.” If we are even a little worried, we’ll change plans and try to figure it out. This month that meant we delayed deliveries and cancelled markets twice. However, we are sure it’s the correct thing to do. Believe us, we love seeing you at market or, increasingly, at your front door. And we also really need the money. But our mission to keep everybody both fed and safe.

So, if you ever get an email or a text saying we are delaying our delivery or won’t be at market, please know that we are working hard to make arrangements. Usually that will mean you’ll get your cheese a couple days late, or at worst, a week. But remember, it is cheese. As one of our customers recently commented, it only improves with age. We’d rather get it to you late than never, and possibly even better! So please keep shopping and support your local businesses.

We want to thank you for your continued support and patience over these tricky times. We trust that this current crisis too shall pass, and it will make us happier than ever when we see you again in person!

Fondly,

The Monforte Team

1 comment

  • Thanks for your update. Just wanting to know if you still have a delivery date for next Friday “the usual Box” Hope this finds you and yours well and let me know if you need another credit card or a reminder of delivery address

    Lynne Mitchell

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