Welcome to the blog of the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. Pull up a bar stool and experience our Counter Culture!

I'm Andy Meddick, Owner and President of the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. In 2005, I left my corporate I.T. job in Washington DC, to relocate with my spouse's business to the DE beaches. What to do now we live in a state where chicken houses can often outnumber human? Faced with a four hour round trip to the closest decent food market, I opened my first store, Good For You Market, a full service grocery store, focusing on organic, natural, and gourmet foods. In the worst economy since the 1930s, I won Best of Delaware awards three years running. After four years, I decided to simplify the business, re-aligning to focus on what we did best. The result is the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. We sell (retail and wholesale) artisan/farmstead cheeses, charcuterie, organic produce,and other specialty foods such as spices and seasonings. We also teach cheese classes, cater, sell online, and consult with other businesses to build their cheese programs.

I've learned much since starting out. For example, staffing was a steep learning curve, and I discovered that a savvy sales and marketing professional lay dormant in an I.T. geek! Systems analysis, business analysis, database design and development, data architecture, web design, specialty cheeses and foods, organic farming, catering, and cooking. What do all these threads have in common? Curiosity! It begets technique, which in turn begets better solutions to commond needs. Why complain about lack of choice, if you're not willing to offer an alternative? Our move, and my business development has taught me to participate in life, and to be ever curious! Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Cooking - baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking - baking. Show all posts

Jan 17, 2010

Sunday, January 17, 2010  Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company  No comments


I just made wholewheat shortcrust pastry and pasties with said pastry and frankly I'm stunned! The pastry is light, crumbly, and a little crunchy. For the filling I used some caramelized onions which I cooked down over 24 hours in my crockpot and added steamed organic veggies and a strong cheddar from the store. While I don't think I'd win many awards for appearance, the result is one to be proud of. I listened to my Mother's advice when it comes to pastry and, well as always, Mother knows best!

Next time I roll the edges of the turnover like an old Cornish lady.

Meanwhile Tom, being from Jersey thinks a British pasty could be improved by deep frying like a Panzarotti. Ychafi!

More on pasties later. For now I gotta nap. I'm so overwhelmed at my pastry!


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Dec 22, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009  Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company  No comments

I'm in the Good For You Test Kitchen, we're all systems go, testing recipes for Madeleines and how they fare in silicone pans versus metal. A word stops us. Just one word: Caster. What the heck is, "Caster Sugar?"

I have a dim memory of clutching a shopping list for my Mother at the corner shop as a kid:

1lb Potatoes.
1lb Carrots.
Hairspray (a daily occurrence in the CFC un-enlightened '70s.).
Milk.
Eggs.
1lb Caster Sugar.

There it is. I never forget anything I write down.

So, must be a British 'English' word.

I hit google. Turns out Caster Sugar (also known as Castor Sugar) is what we Americans call, "Superfine Sugar." Call me unpatriotic, I prefer Caster Sugar. Who gets to define, "Superfine?"

There are three grades of used for cooking. Granulated sugar, which is the coarsest; superfine or caster sugar which is finer; and icing (powdered or confectioner's) sugar which is the finest. So Caster Sugar, used in baking (for example meringue and cakes), is a fine grained sugar which dissolves quickly.

It was an eventful day in our test kitchen. Later in the day it was Bakus Interruptus again. This time we called it a day. Our frozen pipes had burst.

So what did we learn from this?

  1. Wireless internet hookup is an essential tool in the kitchen!
  2. Plumbers are a Test Chef's best friend!
We Know Yum, we no know the Queen's English or plumbing...

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