This month, which has been about organizing and prioritizing, has gone by as many months do: quickly.  I often view myself as a serial entrepreneur, a head brewing with business concepts and ideas.  But this is the year to make it work.  The Grottoes are ready for investment.  This means that my energy and focus will be surrounding the development of my product first and foremost.  I will still continue to offer lovely house made cheese events throughout the year, and the Valentine’s Cheese and Cocktail Feast at Industry City Distillery, is sure to be a great time. 

I was able to kick off a year of pitching for Cheese Grotto this past Monday January 25th at The Foodstand Spotlight.  I recommend this event for inquisitive people in the food industry who might want to start their own food business.  Right now, the food start ups range from innovative and delicious new products on the shelf, such as Zia Green Chile Company, to fascinating online platforms devoted to promoting local restaurant business, such as Lunchspread.  It felt great to be one of four presenters who are pushing the barriers of what a food business can look like.  After a four minute pitch, a panel of three experts ask the presenters questions and offer up advice.  The audience can even engage by responding to three questions posed by the presenters through text message.  As an inventor, I have been carefully examining the quality of my product from concept to present day prototypes, and it feels refreshing to share that journey with a larger audience of passionate foodies.

Our small batch production of Gruyere Cheese Caramels was a great hit this past holiday season, and they are available again for Valentine’s Day! I also had the great opportunity to share our product with Le Gruyere AOP, the amazing producers of the one and only traditional Gruyere cheese, which has been produced since the year 1115 in Switzerland! From first taste, the company’s market manager Laure, was truly fascinated by the product.  She enjoyed the flavor and the texture of the caramel, and she also mentioned that in all her years of travel for Gruyere cheese, she had never tasted anything quite like it.  Fingers crossed, her boss back in Switzerland enjoys it just as much as she did.

Photo from Le Gruyere AOP website

One of my design inspirations these days has been kitchenware made of concrete.  I’ve often considered releasing a Cheese Grotto model made completely of stone, as stone is a naturally cool climate.  Concrete has a similar effect and could be a great material to work with at a later date.  Until then, here’s a round up of concrete accessories

Photo by DesignMilk