Saxelby -- say it soft and it's almost like praying

The Cod spent formative years watching the Formaggio empire gobble storefronts on Huron Ave, turning it into Totebagistan's one-stop choice for fancy foods. The Cod also spent a deformative summer around the corner from the Essex Street Market, a period known as the "Midnight Dragon Era," after the niche market malt liquor we (four colllege kids subletting a one bedroom apartment) favored as a thirst quencher.   

Thus, I was interested when I heard about Formaggio's move into the Essex  Street Market for two reasons. One, Formaggio made its name selling cheese, not the dented cans and expired batteries that seemed to be the Essex market staple back in the day. Two: Generally, New York-based businesses colonize Boston, rather than the other way around (memo to New Yorkers--you can keep Todd English -- please).

So with a spare moment and the knowledge I could not get any sweatier, a stroll down to the Essex Street Market seemed in order. I could see how gentrified the ESM had become, and give FK proprietor Ihsan Gurdal a pound or a belly bump, revisit the 2004 ALCS, and invite him to NYC Sox stronghold Professor Thom's for a beer.

As you might have guessed, ESM is gentrified, (though the website needs updating), but not entirely--there are botanicas and clothes shops as well as fancy meats and cheeses. However, Formaggio is the second best cheese shop in the joint, with the blue ribbon going to Saxelby Cheesemongers. Even in its small ESM space, Formaggio is a bit overwhelming--they try to bring the best from all over the world, and the only point of cohesion is that it is all wicked expensive.

Saxelby, on the other hand, is Anne Saxelby, a former Murray's Cheese employee gone solo. She does American farmstead cheeses, and that's it. A focused, well-curated selection of interesting cheeses. If you like shopping at Other Music, you will like shopping here. And the logo is really good, too.

Comments

[New Orleans]

Yeah, those uptown boys from Duke Ellington Avenue remember that Midnight Dragon bottles bounce when thrown in frustrated anger from 4 stories.