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Murray's Cheese

Murray's Cheese

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See all classes taught at Murray's Cheese
Greenwich Village, New York, New York
(430 Reviews)

The History of New York's Oldest and Best Cheese Shop: Murray Greenberg (never met him; he died before I got here) was a Jewish Spanish civil war veteran and communist who opened a wholesale butter and egg shop a few doors up Cornelia street in 1940. The old timers tell me that even though he was an old leftie, he was still a street smart capitalist who used to buy cheese cheap and trim it and sell it. In the 70's he sold the shop to his clerk Louis Tudda, an Italian immigrant from Calabria. The old shop was used like a bodega or a Korean deli is today; not only cheese was sold but cheap oil and tomatoes to the locals, who were predominantly Italian back in '91 when I bought the shop. That's changing now. I'd left the family supermarket business in '85 to do full service specialty shops in New Jersey, where I was from. When my shop, in Princeton tanked with the crash of '87, I wound up in my brother's old apartment here in the Village (he's a lawyer and he'd moved to L.A.), wondering what to do with my life next. One day, when I was in line at the original shop, I heard Louis say he'd lost his lease and was closing. I made him an offer and moved the shop to the corner of Bleecker, where we stayed 14 years, until November '04, when we moved to our current location at Bleecker and Leroy. Frankie came with the shop; he lived around here and had been the delivery boy, then a counterman through college, and stayed here when his folks returned to the island of Malta where they were from. Louis himself worked for a year before he went back home. We'd hang out behind the counter selling cheap cheese, mostly commodity stuff bought on deal. Around ten years ago we got serious about the good stuff, and at first we couldn't sell it. Now we can't keep it in stock! The first line we got in was Neal's Yard Dairy cheese, and boy, did it sit there in the case. The old neighborhood is changing. Zito's bread, older than Murray's even (1920) is gone, and so is the pioneer of all, Balducci's up on 9th St. (Citarella's there now). But the new customers are a lot younger and hipper. We always had a good staff, though this is by far the best. I'm often grouchy, but everyone else was, and is, really very nice. Go figure. And the business grows each year. These days I can barely keep up on all the new stuff that's going on: we have a kitchen, a new web site, mail order, a gift catalog, a classroom and cheese caves. It's not quite anarchy but it's certainly not corporate. It's the Village: artists, folkies, poets, creative types have made this their home for over a century. Our shop in Grand Central even has the feel of it. The main thing is to let the customers see our passion, that's what it's all about. Turn them on to whatever we've got going. Taste it yourself. My Grandpa, whose own store is in a picture above the dairy case (ca. 1925), and an immigrant (Russian Jewish) himself, always said, in that sort of accent of his, 'go on, take a taste.' Nothing's changed, I suppose. We tell them, 'here, take a taste.' --Rob

Reviews of Murray's Cheese

(430 Reviews)

9/10/2017
James H.

Attended: Cheese 101


Great class, well worth the money, my only request would be to be told more about pairings. The teacher did say that there are classes dedicated to that and maybe if I have of asked I would have been told so won't hold it against the class/teacher. Everything else was spot on.

9/4/2017
Anonymous

Attended: Wine & Cheese 101


The class was interactive and the content was good. I, however, expected it would be an introductory course,so it would begin with basics.

8/31/2017
Anonymous

Attended: Cheese 101


Good introductory cheese class overall.

7/25/2017
Anonymous

Attended: Cheese 101


Great cheese, good wine, very knowledgeable host, a very enjoyable time.

7/24/2017
Justin L.

Attended: Wine & Cheese 101


Fun and educational, great leaders!

7/12/2017
Alan S.

Attended: Cheese 101


This was my first course through CourseHorse and I've been recommending the service all day. I was extremely pleased with the venue, format, and instructor at Murray's Cheese and had an amazing time. Will definitely be on the lookout for more courses.

7/3/2017
Daniela L.

Attended: Wine & Cheese 101


Murray's (the venue) is regarded as one of the best chartreuseries in NYC so I was super excited for the class ahead of time and had high expectations. The class did not disappoint me in any way; I would highly recommend it and would not change anything about it! The cheeses and wines were delicious and the pairings were customized for the summer season. The teachers were price-conscious and chose pairings and brands that we could buy regularly or take to parties. This class would be great for people with no knowledge of cheese or wine because the teachers explain everything thoroughly and welcome any/all questions. The teachers are clearly knowledgeable and create a lighthearted, non-pretentious atmosphere that I really enjoyed. There is not much time to hold private conversations within the class so you should not come to this event expecting to use it as an opportunity to catch up with someone, though you can certainly do that next door after the class at Murray's wine/cheese bar (you get a discount at Murray's the day you take the class, I think).

7/2/2017
Nancy G.

Attended: Cheese 101: American Artisan Cheese


I absolutely loved this class. The only thing I will criticize it is that the presenter has to talk louder for those of us who are a little bit older and can't hear as easily as the rest.

6/22/2017
Jason C.

Attended: Cheese 101


Great introduction to cheese. The class offered a tasting of 6 varieties, which paired very well with the prosecco and wine. Bread, dried fruits and nuts were also available to pair with the cheeses. The instructor was very knowledgeable of the production and history of each cheese and offered great suggestions on how to enjoy the cheeses with other foods. Tip: Don't eat before the class!

6/14/2017
Tulio H.

Attended: Wine & Cheese 101


First, the two presenters were very knowledgeable and friendly. Presentation and seating facilities were excellent. As a way of feedback, I do wish there was more variety of wines and cheeses. Fewer whites, more reds. The Cardamaro, a digestivo, did not belong at all with the paring of cheeses. Neither did the Lambrusco, which, as an apperitivo was excellent, it just didn't belong around the cheese.

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254 Bleecker St, New York, New York 10014
Murray's Cheese
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
254 Bleecker St
Btwn 6th & 7th Avenues
New York, New York 10014

Teachers at Murray's Cheese

Aaron Foster Aaron Foster and Justin Chearno Aaron Foster and Jon Lundbom Aaron Foster and Sascha Ingram Adam Moskowitz Adam Ford Adeline Druart Alexandra Leaf Allan Roth Allison Hooper Allison Hooper, Zoe Brickley, Chris George, Jamie M. & Jason Hinds Amanda Parker Amanda Parker and Jordan Zimmerman Amanda Parker and Jeremy Adona Andy Hatch Anthony Belleveau-Flores Anuradha Jayakrishnan B.R. Rolya and Sascha Anderson Barbara Frank & Dan Belmont Beau Rapier and Beth Ann Coulton Becky Nawrocki Ben Anhalt Ben Granger and Sascha Anderson Ben Watson and Greg Hall Beth Ann Coulton Beth Ann Coulton and Joel Zighelboim Brad Knebel Brad Knebel & Anuradha Jayakrishnan Brad Knebel & Murray's Faculty Brian Ralph Brian McKenzie & Dan Belmont Bruno Gritti Chris Gray Chris George Chris Munsey Chris George and Sascha Anderson Chris George and Lillian Wilkie Chris George & Jordan Zimmerman Chris Munsey and Beth Ann Coulton Chris Munsey and Sascha Anderson Chris Munsey and Brian Ralph Chris Munsey and Brian Ralph Christopher Briar Williams and Dan Belmont Claus Meyer Dan Belmont Dan Belmont & Jordan Zimmerman David Furer Dean Fisher Diane Flynt and Sascha Ingram Diane Flynt and Sascha Anderson Diane Flynt and Liz Thorpe Diane Flynt, Steve Wood & Andy Brennan Elizabeth Chubbuck Elizabeth Chubbuck and Sascha Ingram Elizabeth Chubbuck and Diane Flynt Elizabeth Chubbuck and Lee Blumenschine Enric Canut Enrica Maffucci Eric Genau and Sascha Anderson Eric Genau and Beth Ann Coulton Ezra Sherman and Sascha Ingram Ezra Sherman and Sascha Anderson Ezra Sherman and Brian Ralph Ezra Sherman of Eve's Cidery and Murray's Faculty Garrett Oliver & Aaron Foster Gianaclis Caldwell Gidon Coll Greg Hall Greg Hall and Sascha Ingram Greg Hall and Aaron Foster Heather Paxson Janet Fletcher Jason Donnelly Jason Donelly and Susan Weldon Jeff O'Neil Jenn James Jennifer Mattson Jeremy Adona and Beth Ann Coulton Jeremy Adona & Anuradha Jayakrishnan Jeremy Adona and Sascha Ingram Jim Hutchinson and Amanda Parker Jim Hutchinson and Sascha Ingram Joan Prior Joel Zighelboim & Elizabeth Chubbuck Jon Lundbom and Jordan Zimmerman Jon Lundbom and Sean Kelly Jon Lundbom and Sascha Ingram Jon Lundbom and Josie Adams Jon Lundbom and Sascha Anderson Jon Lundborn and Brian Ralph Jordan Zimmerman Jordan Zimmerman & Roman Roth Jordan Zimmerman & Allan Roth Josie Adams Justin Philips and Sascha Anderson Justin Philips and Chris George of Beer Table Kamal Kouiri Kerin Auth Kerin Auth and Waldemar Albrecht Kirstin Jackson Kristina Sutter and Sascha Ingram Laene McCarthy & Murrays Faculty Lan Cheung Liz Thorpe Louella Hill Marina Marchese and Sascha Ingram Masha Hamilton Mast Brothers Master Sommelier Christopher Bates Matt Rainiei Matthew Ranieri May Matta Aliah Megan Giller Melanie Franks & Murray's Faculty Michael Steil Michael Kalish Michael Green Michael Green & Anuradha Jayakirshnan Michael Green and Sascha Anderson Mike Benz Murray's Faculty Murray's Cheese and Le Pain Quotidien's Staff Murray's Faculty and Jon Lundbom Murray's Faculty and Joel Zighelboim Murray's Faculty and B.R. Rolya of Shelton Brothers Murray's Faculty and Traci Donaldson Lee Murray's Faculty and Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey Noah Rothbaum Orr Shtuhl Orr Schtul and Murray's Faculty Paolo Fontana Paul Kindstedt Ranith Librach and Elizabeth Chubbuck Rebecca Lando & Murrays Faculty Richard Olsen-Harbich & Murray's Cheese Expert Ryan Ross Rynn Caputo Sascha Ingram Sascha Anderson Sebastian De Martino Summer Babiarz Sydney Willcox Traci Lee Victoria James Waldemar Albrecht and Elizabeth Chubbuck Walshe Birney Zeke Freeman & Murray's Faculty Zeke Freeman and Liz Thorpe Zoe Brickley
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