Sometimes, one thoughtful gift opens the door to a whole new world of cheese. For longtime Cheese Grotto customer Devin House, that gift eventually became four cheese “caves,” a birthday celebration that brought friends together from afar, and a monthly invitation to try something new.
As we celebrate ten years of Cheese Grotto, we’re sharing the stories of the people who have made us part of their homes. Devin’s is a reminder that cheese isn’t just something to serve. It’s something to experiment with, get excited about, and share.
One Gift, Four Cheese “Caves”
Devin’s story began around 2018 or 2019, when his partner, Matthew, gave him a Cheese Grotto Classico. At the time, Devin was making homemade cheeses and looking for a way to create separate aging environments for different styles.
Matthew found the Classico through a Google search and bought one to see whether Devin would like it. The answer was a resounding yes. Matthew soon bought him another, and Devin later added two more.
“Over time, I eventually set up 4 ‘caves,’” Devin recalls.
For his home cheesemaking experiments, Devin says the Grottos worked well because he could alter and control the humidity, temperature, and air circulation in each one. His photos show the care he put into organizing his setup, with labels for different cheese styles.
A Birthday Celebration, Shared From Afar
When COVID changed the way people could gather, Devin wanted to find a special way to celebrate Matthew’s 40th birthday remotely. He worked with Jessica to select cheeses and have them shipped to everyone joining the party.
Jessica then led a cheese tasting over Zoom, with Suhru wines joining the celebration. What could have been a birthday spent apart became a shared experience of tasting, learning, and connecting.
For Devin, that private birthday party remains his most memorable Cheese Grotto experience. It also introduced him and Matthew to Suhru wines, which they still love today.
A New Cheese Adventure Every Month
Over the last few years, Devin and Matthew have enjoyed the monthly cheese club, discovering cheeses they often can’t find locally. Asked to name an all-time favorite, Devin wasn’t about to narrow the list down. There have simply been too many great cheeses, and everyone’s tastes are different.
While the birthday tasting holds a special place in his memory, the arrival of a new cheese package each month is, in Devin’s words, “the most satisfying.”
His approach to accompaniments is just as personal. Because he tries to eat keto, he often skips the usual carbohydrate-heavy pairings. But he also raises his own honey bees, a detail he shares with a knowing laugh about honey not being carb-free.
From Aging Cheese to Serving It Beautifully
As Devin’s relationship with cheese has evolved, so has the way he uses his Grotto accessories. He and Matthew added extra wooden boards, then discovered how much they liked the look of cheese presented on slate.
“We now almost exclusively serve cheese on the slate boards,” he says. “I like the look.”
What began as a tool for homemade cheese experiments has become part of their way of enjoying and sharing cheese at home, with presentation playing its own part in the experience.
The Pairing That Surprised Everyone
Devin’s curiosity doesn’t stop at cheesemaking. With advice and help from friends, he has hosted several whiskey and cheese pairing parties.
Finding the right match can be tricky, he explains. Whiskey is powerful on the palate, and a delicate cheese can be overwhelmed. For one party, he decided to lean into bold flavors, pairing Époisses from France with a whiskey from India.
The result surprised him. Instead of disliking the cheese he thought might be the most controversial, guests loved it, even more than the chèvre he had also paired.
That experience left Devin with a lesson worth bringing to any cheese board: people have different palates. Invite them to explore, but leave room for them to like what they like.
“Encourage them to try new things, but don’t let it bother you if they don’t like it.”
We couldn’t agree more. Whether you’re tasting a new cheese-club arrival, experimenting with an unexpected pairing, or gathering friends around a board, there’s no single right way to enjoy cheese.
Devin, thank you for making Cheese Grotto part of your adventures, and for sharing your story with us. Here’s to more discoveries, more gatherings, and plenty of delicious surprises in the years ahead.
Leave a comment