Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Eastwood.
Hi Jenny, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My cheese story began under the streets of New York City – in the aging rooms of Murray’s Cheese. I had taken an internship in their “caves” not knowing entirely what that was, but really excited by the opportunity. There I learned to age & mature cheese in temperature and humidity controlled rooms – and in time became a monger behind the store’s counter. Cheese quickly became a passion.
Now I am my own monger at Smallgoods Cheese Shop & Cafe, which I own with my husband Mike. Stemming from my time and training at Murray’s, I became really aware and very fond of American cheesemakers. At Smallgoods, we source from all over the country and really respect the vibrant food scene we have here; Mike handles the cured meats part of our business and I handle all the cheeses.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When we began Smallgoods, we were farm market vendors. San Diego’s plentiful farm market scene offered a perfect venue to get cheese to people in a very grassroots way – and, actually a very traditional way for cheese and other small artisan products to get to consumers. Markets are a literal labor of love, but for Smallgoods, it became the core of our customer base and they began to really follow us.
The cafe opened in February 2020 – 3 weeks before Covid and the beginning of businesses and life shutting down. It was a rough time. We sustained ourselves, and tried to sustain others, by offering local fruit and vegetable growers to ‘pop up’ in front of the shop. It was a strange time but we’ve made it through – and still have Heritage Family Farms out front every Tuesday and Thursday. The local community really came to embrace Frankie and Antonio and we’re happy to have them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My passion for cheese really solidified when I sat the American Cheese Society’s CCP Exam – earning the Certified Cheese Professional title. This test makes cheese enthusiasts into cheese professionals and I’m really proud of myself and anyone who has earned this credential.
I specialize in American small batch cheese and as often as possible I try and source directly from the maker. That comes with challenges and costs, but we try and showcase as much variety and as many cheese profiles as we can. Many of these makers have limited resources to get their cheeses to a wider market; we try and help out when we can.
There aren’t many that only work with American cheese and those of us that do should feel really proud to be part of a movement towards our country’s cheeses. My goal is to support US cheese by continually introducing it to a wider audience & changing minds as to what American cheese can be.
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@Smallgoodsusa.com
- Website: Smallgoodsusa.com
- Instagram: smallgoods_
- Facebook: smallgoodsUSA
Image Credits
SmallgoodsUSA
Michael Eastwood
