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Cleveland's only cheese shop brings home national award

Old Brooklyn Cheese Company wins "Best Pantry Item" for its beer-infused "Pepped Up" mustard.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — In the Old Brooklyn neighborhood stands Cleveland's only brick-and-mortar cheese shop. 

"We're definitely a destination," says proprietor Michael Januska of The Old Brooklyn Cheese Company. 

The Old Brooklyn Cheese Company produces seven different cheeses themselves and carries a variety of products from Ohio and from as far away as Europe. 

In making his signature cheeses, Januska sources his milk locally, from a farm in Wooster. "I'm fortunate enough that Hartzler's will bring it to us in Cleveland. It's amazing."

Januska is much more than a cheesemonger. His culinary journey started as a chef and he still uses those skills to this day. He taught himself how to make artisanal cheeses and has built a reputation for amazing flavors. 

The shop recently won a national award for a product they make as an accompaniment with their cheeses, a whole grain mustard called "Pepped Up."

Januska explains the secret to the flavors of what he calls "Cleveland Caviar." "We pickle the seeds, half of them, then the other half we're infusing with a local beer, Collision Bend, and we infuse that with an ale," he says.

Those layers of flavor brought the 2020 Good Food Award for Best Pantry Item back from San Francisco last week. 

The judges loved it: "Once you crush the seeds, it gives it like an instant pop." 

The attention has Januska getting ready to expand mustard production. It can be found in local Heinen's stores as well as the shop and soon, he's expanding in the Midwest. It adds another award to the long list of Cleveland culinary favorites. 

Januska is very proud of the win. 

"Now people are going to be able to taste a little of what we're producing. That's going to be something that keeps things in Old Brooklyn, Cleveland, and Ohio Proud."  

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