Leave it to me to check out a new cheese shop and stock up on sweets. I'm sure Valley Shepherd Creamery's cheese is amazing and I love that it's all made just an hour away in Long Valley, NJ, but in my defense their high-end treats are way too distracting. I was finally able to try some cookies from Whimsy & Spice (chocolate orange cardamom, so good with a cup of tea) and discover virgin chocolate from Raaka, a company that doesn't roast their cocoa beans. Let me be clear that this chocolate is not cheap by any means, but I'm a sucker pretty packaging, and more importantly, good ingredients—their Black Coffee bar has espresso from Cafe Grumpy. If a glass of wine in a restaurant costs $10, 5 to 8 bucks for some really good chocolate isn't so crazy, right?
I also picked up a cheese slicer for Daniel's stocking since ours broke ages ago, a pretzel croissant that's a lot like the amazing ones at City Bakery but just 85 cents and much smaller, and some hot chocolate on a stick for Nico. Leo loves cheese and has a soft spot for the good stuff. Soon after we walked in, the guy behind the counter must have heard his cries for "more cheeeee" because he surprised him with a nice slice to snack on. By the time I was done obsessing with the sweets, we had to go, but I'll be back again soon to try the cheese, some fresh pasta, and maybe a sandwich or two.
Valley Shepherd Creamery
211 Seventh Ave (between 3rd and 4th Streets)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
