Cheese Shops We Love: Plum Plums Cheese

Location

149 Cherry Street

New Canaan, CT

A Local Favorite

Named for a line in the award-winning epic romantic war film The English Patient, Plum Plums Cheese is an engaging, stylish shop showcasing cheese amid a gourmet experience. Signature orange and yellow walls and a logo that features the word cheese squarely in the middle offer a cheery backdrop and canny branding for a counter crammed with nearly 80 domestic and international hand-crafted, farmstead cheeses, and shelves of artisanal accompaniments and gorgeous accessories.

Bought by owners and husband and wife Gayle Martin and Michael Riahl in 2014, due to a landlord dispute the shop moved this past April from a small space in Pound Ridge, NY, to a space double the size, nearly 2000 square feet, in the quaint New England town of New Canaan, CT, 10 minutes away. With customers already from the area, despite the pandemic, it’s been a successful and soft landing.

“Word of mouth has been so important. That's how we built our reputation,” says Martin. Plum Plums is known for cheese and charcuterie platters, prime and organic meats, unique tiered cheesecakes for events, and killer grilled cheese sandwiches, particularly this writer’s favorite, the Twice As Nice, which incorporates two kinds of cheddar cheese.

“I've hardly done any advertising,” she says. “It's really been about the experience customers have coming into our store, the relationships we build with them personally. They find foods that we provide them with, and the whole experience of walking into the shop, I try to build a personality around the store that is very welcoming.”

The Store

Martin, who holds cheeses until they are perfectly ripe and emphasizes all cheese is cut to order in any amount, says the move allowed them to expand while keeping the same kind of personality. “We've got more cheese, charcuterie, more meats, more prepared foods, frozen foods, more gift items, more jam,” she notes.

The pandemic spurred Martin to focus more on domestic cheese, including ones right in Connecticut. “They're so outstanding and have come so far,” she praises. “In the seven years that I've been in this business, I've seen tremendous steps that they've taken as far as quality, integrity, and consistency in their product.”

And Martin knows her cheese. She’s one of approximately only 1000 Certified Cheese Professionals in North America, so designated by the American Cheese Society, after undergoing a rigorous and intensive process and exam. (See our story about How to Become a Certified Cheese Professional) “We look for things that you're not necessarily going to find in supermarkets,” she explains. “If you are looking for gruyere, we're bringing in the best for you. if you're looking for cheddars, we've got a selection of five or six. We've got your classic double cream Brie, but we also have four others that you can choose from, domestic or international,” she adds.

Our foundation is cheese, for sure,” Martin continues, “but we're all about the whole gourmet experience. If we find something that we think is just absolutely exceptional, that you can't find anywhere else, for sure we're going to bring it in because we want our customers to appreciate that as well. We sell cheese, number one, and we sell the jams, the nuts, the vinegars, and everything else that you can have with or in addition to the cheese.”

Top Selling Cheeses

Tapping Reeve Cheese photo credit Arethusa Farm Dairy

Tapping Reeve, Arethusa Farm Dairy in CT

“We describe it as a cross between a cheddar and a Parmigiano,” says Martin. “Kind of sharp, kind of crumbly – perhaps like its namesake?” Tapping Reeve was an American lawyer, judge, and educator. In 1784 he opened the first law school in the United States, in Litchfield, Connecticut. The tribute cheese is made in a savory “colonial” style. It is described as having milky flavors balanced with grassy notes, and a hint of brown butter on the finish. A farmstead cheese, it has a pleasing crunchy texture.

Wabash Cannonball photo courtesy of Capriole

Wabash Cannonball, Capriole Dairy in Indiana

“Wow, just wow,” Martin raves. “Unbelievably pure, powerful goat cheese flavors in all unique formats.” An award-winning small, wrinkled ash coated cheese that is aged for just 10 days and the most well-known cheese from Capriole.

Prairie Breeze, Milton Creamery in Iowa

“We’re known as crack dealers for this cheese,” Martin says, in all seriousness. “If we ran out, we’d be run out of town.” A popular pick at many cheese shops, it’s an American style cheddar with a very sweet flavor profile.

Wrangeback, Almnäs Bruk

“Cheese from Sweden? Ja,“ declares Martin. Umami? Ja.“ Wrangeback is the oldest cheese registered in Sweden. Learn more about it in 7 Swedish Cheeses You Should Know.

Also Look For

A host of classes for adults and children and tasting events are offered in-person when allowed and by Zoom.