After spending a year and a half selling cheeses at a counter in the Harbord Bakery, Nancy Peppler opened her own cheese boutique—aptly named Nancy's Cheese—in late October on Dupont Street. "I like tastings to be interactive... After a brief introduction of the cheeses and terms that can be used to describe them, I have people taste the cheese and discuss with the people around them what they think. While this is going on I'll join the various conversations, answering questions," said Peppler, who can also hold tastings off site.
The boutique can host tastings for 12 to 15 people, and it can also be booked for private events. Wine pairings are also available, and catering is offered through the shop. Peppler provides boards, knives, labels, and tasting notes for each cheese, and accompaniments include bread, crackers, dried fruit, and nuts. A tasting room at the rear of the retail store is expected to open in mid-January.
