A new cheese shop has opened in Hermann. Der Käse (German for “the cheese”), a 900-square-foot shop, opened doors at 100 E. Fourth St., in mid-August. Owner and cheesemaker Tom Blatchford’s shop focuses only on Missouri artisan cheeses and carries more than 30 varieties.
Der Käse features products from cheesemakers such as Baetje Farms, Heartland Dairy, Homestead Dairy, Green Dirt Farms and Blatchford’s own Cool Cow Cheese. He hopes to have representative from these dairies in the store most days. Pairing products are available, too, like wine, fresh bread from Hummingbird Kitchens and locally made pickles, jams and mustards. The shop will also be home to cheesemaking and pairing classes and workshops.
“Wisconsin has so many rules for what qualifies as Wisconsin cheddar, and Vermont has rules for its Vermont cheddar, but Missouri’s like the Wild West for cheesemakers; there are no rules,” Blatchford said. “I want to highlight all these different cheeses being made in Missouri. … This is the type of cheese shop I wish was around when I started making cheese.”
Der Kase is open Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This article appears in September 2016.