Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bypass the processed cheese slices in your neighborhood supermarket and head to Dobbs & Bishop, where you’ll get an education in proper cheese (and pairings) from Scotland native Kevin McNeill and his American-born wife, Ruth Walter (she’s from Dobbs Ferry; he’s from Bishopbriggs, Scotland, hence the mix-matched name). The cheery gourmet shop, which opened in November ’09, has become one of those “we can’t live without it” neighborhood spots where people gather to grab a coffee, buy French bread delivered daily from Balthazar Bakery, and sample from among the more than 120 hard cheeses, fresh cheeses, and blue cheeses from all over the world the store carries. Some favorites include Challerhocker, an artisanal cheese from Switzerland; La Tur, a three-milk cheese from Italy; and Ewephoria, a sheep’s-milk gouda from the Netherlands. There are free tastings daily so you can always try before you buy. And talk about service: if you don’t see what you want, just ask. They’ll order it for you.
