Cheese Shops We Love: Bloomy Cheese and Provisions
Location
3 Cedar St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
Cheese & Community
Jessica Galen photo credit Luis Ruiz Photography
In some ways, the pandemic proved instrumental in leading Jessica Galen to the type and size of the cheese shop she opened in November, 2022 in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The store aims to make a large statement in a small space – one that was designed with an eye toward not only cheese, but community.
Galen has harbored a love for cheese since she was a child. “I grew up near Wasik’s Cheese Shop (Wellesley, MA) and I was overwhelmed with delight when I would go there.” But her path to opening her own shop was not a straight line. Galen worked in the non-profit sector upon graduating from college and then entered the graduate program in Food Studies at NYU. Along the way she had experiences that solidified her love of cheese. Working at Caseus Cheese Shop, New Haven, CT, “was the first time I was exposed to the American artisan cheese world.” She said it was there that she realized that “cheese is the remaining frontier where you can have a shared culinary experience with the person behind the counter – it provides that spark of intimacy you don’t get anywhere else.” Galen says the time there was a “big unlock for her – I love helping customers take a moment to open up their minds to think about the people behind the cheese they’re eating.”
The second experience occurred while Galen volunteered at Cato Corner Farm, Colchester, CT. She says the farmstead cheeses farm offered up an “eye-opening experience” as she witnessed firsthand the labor that went into cheesemaking.
Bloomy photo courtesy of Bloomy Cheese & Provisions
Upon moving to NYC from CT, Galen did a caves internship at Murray’s Cheese, and then worked at the recently opened (now shuttered) Lucy’s Whey. At Murray’s, Galen said she learned the physical labor and science that goes into cheesemaking. And working retail at Lucy’s Whey offered a continuation of those conversations she had at Caseus. “I cherished those shared experiences with customers that are so important.” Conversations at Lucy Whey’s also led her to explore, for her final project at NYU, the topic of cheese consumption recommendations during pregnancy. Her thesis, which became an article for the Graduate Association for Food Studies, was “Cheesemongers over Fearmongers: Toward Data Driven Cheese Recommendations for Pregnant Women.”
Upon graduation, Galen worked at New York Shuk, a Brooklyn-based maker of handcrafted Middle Eastern pantry staples, did some writing for The Oxford Companion to Cheese, and enjoyed motherhood. Her path then took her to Westchester County, NY, and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. “Working there tied everything together – the ability to connect people with the farmers who provide their food, the social mission of a non-profit, and issues of advocacy.” Galen noted that it’s important for society at large to be interested in these issues.
In 2021 Galen says, “I caught the bug to go back out on my own.” She had moved to Dobbs Ferry and, now with two children, saw, “As I got more involved in the community I knew that my calling had to be part of building a future for my kids – that’s how Bloomy was born.” Its first incarnation was as part of HudCo, a co-working space. “It was wonderful to be part of HudCo for a lot of reasons – there was always something going on there, I was able to collaborate with other women, and at that point during the pandemic people were looking for creative ways to entertain and gather with friends again.”
The Shop
From her stint at HudCo, Galen realized, “the co-working idea can be applied to retail as well.” The store serves as a platform to collaborate with her neighbors – so there have been cheese and beer pairings with a local brewery/coffeeshop, an oyster collaboration, and a take on an apres-ski Raclette evening. The functionality of the 575 sq. ft. store (moving shelves, tables and staircase) with a kitchen in the rear, lend themselves to these get-togethers.
Store courtesy of Bloomy Cheese & Provisions
“I learned a number of things during the pandemic that solidified my plans for what type of shop I wanted to open.” Galen decided she wanted a space that put cheese front and center, while offering “all the specialty groceries and home items that people need.” Bloomy Dobbs’ motto is “Lactose & Tolerance,” and Galen says she’s sourcing very deliberately from women-owned, BIPOC-owned, and LGBTQ-owned companies. “I’m looking for quality foods, items with really intense or spicy flavors, and brands that complement cheese.” At Bloomy Dobbs, customers will find cheeses from women-owned Lazy Lady Farm and Capriole, spices from Diaspora Co. and chocolate from Sol Cacao. Customers can order also order meat to pick up at the store from Butcher Girls, a sustainable and natural online butcher site. The company, which says “Made by Queer People for all People,” used to own a shop where Bloomy Dobbs now is located.
There are two cheese cases in the store – one with fresh, soft-ripened cheeses and charcuterie, and the other with large format, cut cheeses. There are also some grab-and-go items in the store. The cut cheeses list the cheese’s country of origin and has evocative tasting notes under them. Galen says the cheeses are divided 50/50 between American and European selections, and she’s hoping to expand to Latin American and other cheeses as well. “Keeping seasonality front and center is very important to me – as springtime and summer cheeses become available there’ll be a strong emphasis on those cheeses.” And Galen says she sees customers who have their own perspective on what they’re looking for, and those who leave the shopping up to the cheesemonger.
Featured Cheeses
Calderwood
Galen raves about a collaboration cheese made by industry icons, “There are a few things I love about this cheese. Jasper Hill is among the leaders in American cheesemaking and affinage. The company is fostering American cheese making, particularly in its neck of the woods. Jasper Hill is always looking to capture a sense of place in its cheeses. The cheese is so delicious and packed with flavor. It has notes of caramel and toasted nut, a really complex flavor profile, and has a super-long finish. Pretty much everyone who tries it comes back for more. I love to use it in classes because there’s so much to talk about. Additionally, it was created in collaboration with Anne Saxelby and I like to keep her present. It's a great embodiment of how American cheese makers take a traditional European cheese process and make it their own.”
About this cheese from France, Galen shares, “This doughnut shaped goat’s milk cheese is a great example of a Loire-style goat’s milk with an ash rind. The shape brings some levity and visual interest to a cheese plate. The cheese is brought to us from Rodolphe Le Meunier, an incredible affineur in France. This makes for a nice opportunity to talk about affinage with customers and how the process of cultivating environment a cheese is aged in is critical to the final product.”
O'Banon
A classic from Capriole, this limited-edition cheese has a long shelf life. According to Galen, “The texture of this cheese is astonishingly beautiful, and the presentation is stunning. It’s wrapped in bourbon-soaked chestnut leaves, imparting a bit of both sweetness and earthiness.”
Named for Glacier Peak in the Cacades and made by Cascadia Creamery in Washington state, it’s a aged 75 days and has a natural rind. Says Galen, “This blue cheese has the hint of a really lovely salty note – the cheese channels the brisk and clean Pacific fresh air. There’s a cleanness to the finish, along with the richness of the cheese. I love the way these cheesemakers describe their setting – you really get a sense of place.”