Q&A WITH KRIS BLONDIN >>>
My first taste of ripe, raw Vacherin (this December in Seattle - oh the nerve of me!) with a bottle of sturdy red (I think it was Marietta Old Vine), a chunk of naturally leavened Kalamata olive bread, and a dollop of this pudding-like rarity brought me closer to God. Smooth, startlingly deep, and with just the right amount of bacterial funkiness, it was cheese perfection. Afterward, I grabbed all said ingredients and recreated the experience the next day at home.
This heavenly scenario can happen in Tacoma in early April 2011 when Kris Blondin, of Vin Grotto Cafe & Wine Bar, and Jack Noble, a hospitality veteran, open STINK - a shop specializing in cheeses, old world meats, soups, sandwiches, beer, wine and "a whole lot of stinkin' attitude," according to their website. STINK will open across the street from Amocat Café and The Mix, with 30 rotating cheeses and salamis, prosciutto and other cured meats from a fine foods distributor and local cheese makers stored in their walk-in refrigerator. Call in your orders and they'll have them ready for your drive home.
Or you can dine in. With a gritty Tacoma feel - industrial meets old world rustic - five or six tables, plus a hi-top along the front window, STINK will offer a spot to read a book or meet with friends over a glass of wine or beer from two draft handles.
I caught up with Blondin - who has penned many a food and drink story for the Weekly Volcano, including our Grocery Stories series - over the weekend to grab the scoop on STINK.
WEEKLY VOLCANO: Why STINK? Why now?
BLONDIN: We came up with STINK because the first thing you notice when walking into a cheese shop is the smell - it stinks. It's a little edgy, but Tacoma can handle it. We are the Grit City after all. ...
As for the reason why Jack and I are opening up this shop ... well ... there are many reasons. First and foremost, I love cheese and salty things. Secondly, there's nothing like it in Tacoma. I think people long for comfort food and STINK will provide slightly elevated or "old world style" comfort food. Thirdly, I miss cooking for people and educating them about the amazing relationship between food and wine/beer.
WV: Did you stalk other cheese and meat shops for ideas?
BLONDIN: I did. There are several regional shops that I pressed my nose against, dreaming of what I could do.
WV: If you had a spotlight shining on a certain cheese in your shop what would it be?
BLONDIN: A mother doesn't favor one child over another.
WV: What cheese will never pass through your delivery doors?
BLONDIN: No one will ever peel the plastic covers off Kraft Singles in my shop.
WV: If someone, God forbid, didn't want to nosh on cheese or cured meats as they sip on wine inside your shop, what will be their other options?
BLONDIN: The cuisine will be similar to what I served several years ago at my downtown Tacoma cafe Vin Grotto. Eclectic sandwiches, salads, soups and creative small plates will grace my menu and specials board.
WV: Why Belgium-ish beers? Were you born there?
BLONDIN: Nope, I'm born and raised in Tacoma. I favor Belgium beers more because they are less hoppy and more food friendly. Although loaded with wonderful flavors, Belgium beers sport a more subtle essence than American beers.
WV: Will folks be able to sip a glass of wine while they wait for their cheese to be cut and packaged to go?
BLONDIN: Yes, but I'll probably not have a strict plan for what I serve by the glass. Most likely, I'll list what I have open for the day on a board, which will also be available by the bottle. I'll rotate through my wines monthly.
STINK is a blank canvas as of this writing. The shop is an empty space, waiting for the love of the two owners' years of expertise. However, STINK does have a website, and a Facebook page. Blonding and Noble also have big dreams, beyond their stinky shop. Stay tuned for more details.
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
628 St. Helens, Tacoma