{"id":48288,"date":"2024-09-26T11:45:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T15:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=48288"},"modified":"2024-09-26T11:45:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T15:45:03","slug":"only-in-your-state-north-carolina-cheese-bar-speakeasy-dinners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/only-in-your-state-north-carolina-cheese-bar-speakeasy-dinners\/","title":{"rendered":"Only in Your State: A North Carolina Cheese Shop Offers Speakeasy-style Dinners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Michelle and Stevie Webb Bring European Flair to a Small American Town<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Michelle<\/a>
Michelle and Stevie Webb, owners of the Cheese Shop and the soon-to-be-open Wedgewood in Carrboro, North Carolina. Photographed by Stacey Sprenz. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A European wine and cheese bar in the small town of Carrboro, North Carolina? Absolutely. Michelle and Stevie Webb are \u201ccheese entrepreneurs\u2019\u2019 in my home state of North Carolina. Having evolved from a two-person farmers\u2019 market stall to the Cheese Shop, the Triangle\u2019s only cut-to-order establishment, Michelle and Stevie\u2019s ventures have influenced not only a town of 20,000 people, but the entire state. Unsurprisingly, their series of \u201cSpeakcheesy\u201d dinners in a speakeasy bar consistently sells out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their success is a fusion of complementary skills. Michelle brings over 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing while Stevie, originally from Great Britain, offers some serious cooking chops. He trained as a chef at London\u2019s prestigious Leiths School of Food and Wine and worked as a cheesemonger at the Greene Grape Provisions in Brooklyn. The common denominator is their shared passion for amazing cheese. I squealed when I discovered some of my favorite (and rare) cheeses from the Netherlands in their shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe 100 percent saw a gap in the market when we moved here from New York,\u201d says Michelle. \u201cAnd being able to bond so early on and quickly with our friends at Belltree Cocktail Club, and Paula de Pano from Rocks and Acid Wine Shop, really amped up the concept into a truly one-of-a-kind experience,\u201d she says. From there, an influx of people began to drive in from Durham, Raleigh, Wilmington, and even regulars from Seattle who planned trips around the dates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stevie<\/a>
Stevie Webb cuts cheese in the Cheese Shop. Photographed by Stacey Sprenz.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first-ever Speakcheesy was so rough and ready, I had a flippin\u2019 sandwich for the main course,\u201d notes Stevie. \u201cAdmittedly, it was a phenomenal sandwich, the best jambon beurre this side of the Trocad\u00e9ro\u2014and I\u2019ll stand by that, but a sandwich nonetheless,\u201d he adds. \u201cBy the end of the year, we were doing lobster with Brabander Reserve and caviar with 30-month Comt\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June 2024, the duo announced their next iteration: Wedgewood Cheese Bar, a 2,000-square-foot space in the historic Carolina Car Wash building, with a 15-seat cheese bar, an 18-foot cheese case, and a mezzanine with ample space for dining tables, opening fall 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re calling it a \u2018farm-to-bar menu,\u2019 which means taking inspiration from those great European cheese shops and small, friendly restaurants, past and present,\u201d says Stevie. Wedgewood is a mix of British flair with a nod to Michelle\u2019s obsession with the blue and white porcelains of the world. \u201cMuch like countries and regions around the world have signature porcelain or tile (Greece, Spain, Colonial America, France, China, Portugal), they also have distinct cheeses that reflect their culture, terroir, and commerce,\u201d she says. \u201cWe might be the only stand-alone cheese bar in North Carolina, but we\u2019ve taken inspiration from all the greats in the Southeast: LaBodega by C\u00farate in Asheville, Truckle Cheesemongers in Richmond, goat.sheep.cow. in Charleston, Orrman\u2019s Cheese Shop in Charlotte, and Greys Fine Cheese and Entertaining in Nashville,\u201d says Michelle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The “Full English” salad, which made its initial appearance as a 2023 Speakcheesy dinner menu item. Photographed by Stacey Sprenz.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The idea is to transport diners back to the Old World. \u201cFor me, the inspiration [for Wedgewood] comes from growing up in Britain and Europe,\u201d says Stevie. \u201cWhen I was young, you didn\u2019t just go to the supermarket\u2014you went to the greengrocer for your veg, the butcher for your meat, the fishmonger for your fish, and the cheesemonger for your cheese,\u201d Stevie reminisces. The nostalgia for a time when each shop was a sensory adventure and a meaningful connection to the people and the products is what defines Wedgewood. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t going shopping, it was an experience, and that\u2019s what I want people to feel when they come to Wedgewood,\u201d he adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glass case is a treasure trove for cheese aficionados, offering an array of rare and hard-to-find specimens. \u201cPeople often ask me what my favorite cheese is, and it\u2019s impossible to choose one favorite,\u201d says Stevie. Expect cheeses that almost went extinct, such as Abbaye de Belloc or Bismark II. \u201cI got my hands on one of the first raw-milk Montgomery\u2019s Cheddar to have hit these shores in a very long time, thanks to my good friends at Neal\u2019s Yard Dairy, who also got me some Baron Bigod after a year of pleading with them,\u201d Stevie says with a laugh. \u201cI\u2019m extremely excited to see how much Brabander Reserve I get allocated this year.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the ever-rotating food menu, think small plates with local produce, including the best meats and cheeses from around the world. Friend and sommelier Paula de Pano will bring some stellar wine pairings. Cheese-forward dishes such as burrata and seasonal produce will shine, as well as a simple-yet-delicious cheese toast with a stellar UK cheddar. Stevie\u2019s favorite, a proper British ploughman\u2019s lunch (a hunk of cheese, crusty bread, and pickled onions), and heartier dishes such as gnocchi with guanciale and sauerkraut will also grace the menu to showcase the versatility of cheese. Ultimately, the wish is for cheese fanatics, newbies, and everyone in between to waltz into Wedgewood and experience the marriage of a little European caf\u00e9 and quintessential Southern hospitality\u2014like the Cheers of the cheese world. Stevie imagines a place where people meet up after work for a glass of wine, delicious food, and endless laughs, forgetting the troubles of the day. \u201cI love to recreate those feelings and create new ones for our friends and guests,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A European wine and cheese bar in the small town of Carrboro, North Carolina? Absolutely. Michelle and Stevie Webb are \u201ccheese entrepreneurs.” Unsurprisingly, their series of \u201cSpeakcheesy\u201d dinners in a speakeasy bar consistently sells out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":48295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[3386],"tags":[],"coauthors":[34438],"class_list":["post-48288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chefs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOnly in Your State: A North Carolina Cheese Shop Offers Speakeasy-style Dinners - culture: the word on cheese<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/only-in-your-state-north-carolina-cheese-bar-speakeasy-dinners\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Only in Your State: A North Carolina Cheese Shop Offers Speakeasy-style Dinners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A European wine and cheese bar in the small town of Carrboro, North Carolina? 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