New Cheese Shop Opens in Fairhaven

If you enjoy a good glass of wine and slice of cheese on a crunchy baguette I’ve got great news for you. There’s a new cheese shop in town that goes way beyond your ordinary pre-packaged orange block of cheddar and it’s certain to make your next pairing of wine and cheese an absolutely heavenly experience.

Proprietor Rachel Riggs and her husband Joe Vidal opened Quel Fromage in early December and the response from Bellinghamsters has been outstanding. The couple discovered” the city by accident while on a vacation to Seattle. Riggs says she always wanted to open a cheese shop and Bellingham needed one, so the vacation turned into a serendipitous event, of sorts.

One of the things that makes Quel Fromage unique is that all the cheeses are cut to order and hand-wrapped in cheese paper, not plastic. This allows the cheese to breathe and keep its shape. The shop features dozens of choices that are handcrafted by artisan cheese makers rather than factory assembly lines. And Riggs encourages patrons to sample many of the cheeses available, allowing you to give them a taste before deciding what to buy.

Another nice service the shop provides is a detailed description of the cheese on your sales receipt. The description includes the phonetic pronunciation of the cheese, its texture and flavors, and suggested food and wine pairings. It’s little touches like this that make a visit to the shop well worth your time.

Quel Fromage is located in Suite 101 at 1200 Old Fairhaven Parkway and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Phone 671-0203 for more information.