• Smaller footprint than the Cheese Grotto Classico and Cheese Grotto Fresco
• Choice of shelf material (Bamboo or Writable Black Resin Board with soapstone chalk)
• Choice of frame material (finished baltic birch)
• 1 handcrafted clay brick for humidity control
• Holds up to 2 pounds of cheese
• Bamboo and birch do not warp
• Genuine leather tab with copper mount
• Plexi-glass paneling for easy viewing
• Sliding door is easy to open and close in the refrigerator
• Breathable back panel
• Made in the USA (New York)
• Handwash only
Birchwood has been traditionally used in cheese preservation for hundreds of years. Its bark has been wrapped as a belt around soft cheeses for even ripening and added woodsy flavor, and has been made into barrels for the aging of Greek Feta. It’s also been used during the smoking of Idiazabal cheese. Most importantly, birch has been used as shelves for aging in caves. Its tight surface is slower to absorb and release moisture, making it excellent for long-term storage. The finished birch featured in this model is sustainably made, and non-toxic. The finish on the birch makes it mold and stain resistant, both in the interior and exterior.
The Grotto Mezzo is a one-shelf size that fits up to 2 pounds of cheese of varying sizes and styles. With a base of 7 inches by 9 inches and a height of 6 inches, the Grotto Mezzo is an ideal storage solution for serving and storing cheeses throughout the week. The back panel is breathable, making for a perfect climate for simple, long-term storage of wedges and wheels of cheese in the refrigerator or short term storage on the kitchen counter.
For more advanced models for the connoisseur, check out the Grotto Classico and the Grotto Fresco.
More On the Book:
Madame Fromage's Adventures in Cheese: How to Explore It, Pair It, and Love It, from the Creamiest Bries to the Funkiest Blues
Meet Madame Fromage, aka Tenaya Darlington. A charming, witty, deeply knowledgeable and, above all, passionate turophile —a fancy way of saying cheese lover—she’s here to teach us pretty much everything we need to know about choosing cheese, tasting it, pairing it, and sharing it.
We skydive into fresh cheeses, like chevres, ricotta, and buffalo mozzarella. Trek through the Alpines, with its Emmentalers and Gruyères. Go spelunking into stinky cheeses like Taleggio, Pont-l’Evêque, and the rank Langres. Take a geological adventure with aged cheeses, including Parmigiano Reggiano and Manchego, and hop on a blue cheese rock ’n’ roll tour—with their piercings and weird markings, these funky Gorgonzolas, Roqueforts, and Stiltons are the rock stars of the cheese world.
