Friday, October 17, 2008

Scardello Artisan Cheese to open in Dallas’ Oak Lawn in November

By Pegasus News wire

DALLAS — Cheesemonger Rich Rogers has a nose for fine cheese. As proprietor of Scardello Artisan Cheese, opening in November, he is proud to have the opportunity to share his expertise and will offer high-quality artisan cheeses, along with a selection of other artisan products including breads, jellies, wines and cheese-friendly beers, salamis, and gourmet crackers in an inviting, friendly atmosphere.

"My passion is cheese, and my goal is to educate others about the various types of cheeses while building a solid reputation for my knowledge and enthusiasm. This venture will allow me to do what I love daily in a cozy, gourmet shop with excellent food and service," Rogers said.

The three main milk types for cheese are goat, sheep, and cow.

Striving to support local artisan producers, Rogers seeks traditionally made, handcrafted foods and will carry breads from Village Baking Company, one of the only true artisan bread makers in the Dallas area. The store will feature approximately 120 cut-to-order seasonal cheeses from vendors around the world offering the freshest products available for peak flavor. Scardello’s inventory is predominantly artisanal, with mostly European imports and American cheeses, not to mention the large selection of native Texas cheese. Guests are encouraged to sample the different selections, since everything is available to taste.

Scardello is located on Oak Lawn Avenue, in a circa-1929 building with original brickwork and pressed tin ceilings, which Rogers restored himself. The shop will be rustic and warm, reflecting the old-world ambience of a local formaggeria.

Further demonstrating his passion for handcrafted cheeses, Rogers and his wife Karen, a partner in Scardello and self-proclaimed "sous chef", also will host educational tasting and wine pairing classes in addition to cheese-related books and book signings. They hope to arm patrons with pertinent information on Scardello’s products, thus making them "cheese rock stars" by sharing stories behind and around the products featured.

Just in time for the holiday season, Scardello will offer custom-order holiday and gift packages, complete with a round wooden cheese box containing a selection of cheese with either one or two bottles of wine as the customer chooses. Cheese plates and wines by the glass will be available daily, and Rogers will eventually offer homemade paninis in the shop during lunch hours throughout the week.

Scardello's mission is simple. "We embrace our role as 'cheese enthusiasts' by sharing our knowledge and passion with our guests. Scardello offers high quality artisan foods and accepts a responsibility to our world, our community, our guests and each other," Rogers said.

Not only do the Rogers have a shared enthusiasm for gourmet cheese, outstanding customer service also is a top priority. A family-owned and -operated endeavor, personal attention to detail and service is one of the many guiding principles Scardello was founded upon.

"We believe giving extraordinary service is an honorable profession. Quality service is a dignified and respectable pursuit, and we take great pride in our ability to provide our guests and our team with exceptional service," Rogers added. "Service is about giving and caring for those around us."

Scardello Artisan Cheese is located at 3511 Oak Lawn Avenue, and will be open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. For additional information please call 214-219-1300 or visit the Web site.

Source: Scardello Artisan Cheese

Related stories

• Pegasus News week in view: Boos and ballots edition (Oct. 23, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Retail
• Food and Drink