I went to my local Ralphs “Fresh Fare” supermarket. I got some staple foods, the usual stuff. And wandering back to the register I passed the display for the Boar’s Head deli stuff. Boar’s Head mostly makes overpriced lunchmeat, which is fine as far as that goes. Now they’ve branched out into highfalutin cheese. I like cheese. They had a number of things that looked good, including Double Gloucester which is one of my favorite cheeses. Imported from England and everything. Yay, I said!
I took it home and opened it up. As far as I could tell it was the blandest, mildest California “cheddar” or Colby or Longhorn. Totally flavorless, waxy rubbery texture. Not Double Gloucester at all. It was, in fact, cheese fraud.
Boycott Boar’s Head!
(This is a cheese shop, is it not?)
Be My Blog 
Boar’s Head is an interesting company. About 2 years ago industry experts IDDBA (International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association) were saying that private label deli was very much on the rise, because consumers percieved it to be better quality then comparable brand products, and safer than generic, over the counter products in the deli. This led to a huge rise for Boar’s Head nationally. And as you noted, there is nothing special about Boar’s Head. In fact, most of their products are considered inferior to the big branded products.
(sorry, deli research is probably the main part of my job…I rarely get an opportunity to talk about it…so here I pounce)
LikeLike
you don’t know how much I appreciate this comment. I thought I was the only one who grocery-geeked in this way. I’m pretty cheese-specific myself, but I love industry trend/gossip info.
As for Boar’s Head Double Gloucester, what were you thinking?
LikeLike
tempted
My lust for cheese clouded my judgment. But wow. That was FRAUD.
LikeLike
Boar’s Head
Local hotness whose name I can’t recall opened a restaurant on main st on the peninsula in 198whatever. She was a Ferry customer, and I think she even dated a couple of the boys during my time. So we all knew her and ate at her restaurant. All her stuff was Boar’s Head. To this day when I think of BH, I think of the worst bacon I’ve ever had. And I’m not picky.
LikeLike
Re: Boar’s Head
Local Hotness’ name is JON. Except I didn’t open a restaurant or anything. But thanks for thinking of me.
LikeLike
Re: Boar’s Head
OMG yer so GAY
LikeLike
Re: Boar’s Head
OMFG U R SO MUCH GAYER TEHN I COULD EVAR HOEP 2 B.
LikeLike
grocery store cheese, no matter what brand, is usually teh sux. one of the few exceptions is the feta in oil in a jar. gotta find yourself a good cheese shop!
LikeLike
There is good cheese about: at Trader Joe’s, at Whole Foods, and other places. Just not at 11:30 pm!
LikeLike
oh yes, i’m a HUGE fan of cheese from Whole Foods; in fact, that’s where i buy most of my cheese when a specialty shop isn’t nearby (aside – they carry Spanish Drunken Goat Cheese – if you haven’t tried it, DO!). Trader Joe’s is ok, too. i mostly meant super-supermarkets, though, like Safeway, Alberson’s, Raley’s, etc. they suck for cheese, if you’re even remotely into good cheese at all.
LikeLike
Finest in the district, squire.
LikeLike