KEY POINTS:
Here's one less reason to go to Sydney: Jones the Grocer is coming to Auckland. The famous gourmet food store that opened its gourmet doors in Woollahra 10 years ago, opens a branch in Newmarket on Monday.
You may want to start queuing now. As well as Jones' own goodies - the rock candy, nougat, rocky road, pasta, preserves and muesli are legendary - there will also be bounty from New Zealand and Australia.
What's more, the communal table Jones is known for will also be installed for people to order and eat breakfast, lunch or coffee from. The food is made on the premises with ovens working all day to produce artisan bread.
Good news for mothers. There's a kid's menu and buggy park.
Another attraction is the walk-in fromagerie, a Jones the Grocer hallmark, stocked with local and international cheeses, some of which will be aged onsite.
Jones will be open seven days from 7am-6pm at 143 Carlton Gore Rd, ph (09) 522 9161. There's even carparking behind the store.
What's cooking: Kelvin Bartholomeusz
Kelvin Bartholomeusz is Jones the Grocer's national franchise manager. He used to own the Woollahra store but has since sold it. He arrived in Sydney to manage a law firm but when friends showed him Jones the Grocer, he saw the ad for a fromagier and applied. Six years on, he remains committed to teaching people about cheese, something he learned from his father, and when he was living and working in France.
What do you love about cheese?
Its dynamic nature in that it is always changing and there are new cheeses being made every day, or subtle improvements to styles.
The best cheese you ever tasted?
Piano Hill gouda. It's a beautifully fruity Australian gouda, which is even better than the lovely old gouda I remember from my childhood, as I am Portuguese/Dutch. Only the three-year-old Piano Hill gouda should be eaten, as this has developed a marvellous butterscotch quality. It will be available in Auckland.
When should cheese be eaten?
There's a cheese for every meal, from breakfast to supper. Generally though, subtle-tasting cheese is better before dinner with a nice dry white or good sparkling and the more full-flavoured cheese (cheddar, washed rind, blue) is ideal after dinner with a good red or sticky.
What should be eaten with cheese?
This varies greatly. You need a sharp, dried sour cherry with a blue or a triple cream, a bunch of muscatels is perfect with brie, and quince paste is delightful with cheddar or blue. Only a plain crispbread or baguette should be served with cheese, no flavoured biscuits.
The worst thing to do with cheese?
To eat it cold. It's akin to not letting a good red breathe before drinking it. Generally, cheese must be eaten at room temperature (at least 1-2 hours out of the fridge). The exception is a dry blue such as stilton which should be eaten virtually cold to maintain its dry, crumbly consistency.
How would you cope if you became lactose intolerant?
I am. Cheese contains much lower levels of lactose than milk, and hard cheese has virtually none, as the lactose is held in the water (whey) which, in hard cheese, has wept out of the curds. I eat small amounts of very good cheese. If I couldn't eat cheese or dairy, I'd find life difficult as I base all my travel plans on food shows and where good food is, such as my annual pilgrimage to France.
