We had the great luck of ending up in Great Barrington yesterday. So rare to have an afternoon together, yet we managed one, and so immediately set off on a drive through The Berkshires here in Massachusetts.
We parked the car and noticed a tiny farmer’s market set up on the steps of a building we had not noticed before. Concentrating on the carrots we had spotted we were still not aware of where we were until we looked up and saw a lovely chalkboard with the names of cheeses written on it…and then we found heaven.
Stepping inside we did not know where to look first. Between the cheese, the chocolate and the lovely meats we probably would have stayed all day if we could have. It was everything we had ever hoped to find in a shop. We do not live in an area where the shops are so lovely as this one was. It was a treat to find making us feel like we were in Brooklyn. To think it has been here since 2004 and we knew nothing about it in all the years we have been coming here!
We wanted local cheeses, although the selection at Rubiner’s also included many gorgeous cheeses from all over the world, so we set our sites on reading the fabulous little cards that flanked each cheese to find some local treasures.
We did not find this shop to be over priced as we have since read about on line. The quality of the product and the simple experience of enjoying the shop coupled with the helpful service of the staff all balanced out. The cheeses are hand cut and then perfectly packaged back up in their saran wrap to keep them pristine.
The meats such as bacon and prosciutto were stunning. Some were local.
We purchased this fabulous Maggie’s Round from Willamstown, Massachsuetts.
Everything in this shop was perfect. The products that line the shelving are like works of art. There was not a fleck of dust or messy shelf- it was honestly so refreshing to walk though and spend so much time looking at each item all chosen with obvious care.
We purchased a quarter of a pound of prosciutto de Parma which we could not resist. You can find prosciutto de Parma at the market for about $17 a pound- and here it was about double that- but the quality of the prosciutto was out of this world. We both agreed we could never purchase it at the market again.
We also purchased a quarter of a pound of this Mrs. Kirkham’s Lancashire which we are hoping to use tonight…and while it is true it is not local…how could we not when the Brit amongst us was going on and on about it?!
Even the packaging was fabulous. We loved the care with which each treasure was wrapped and labeled.
We cannot wait to go back and try some of the chocolates and the restaurant / cafe that is called Rubi’s. They also have a fish club which is a rare find in this area. When we inquired about the fish, the girl who was helping us immediately went into the office to retrieve a print out of what was available. The staff that we encountered were all very willing to answer questions and help out. We cannot say enough about this treasure of a shop.
Rubiner’s Cheesemongers and Grocers is located at 264 Main Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. They are open Monday-Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 10-5. We highly recommend a visit if you are in The Berkshires!
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