Meraki – Artisan Cheese and Rustic Bakes

Staring down a cheese case can intimidate even the most confident cook. The array of styles, textures, hard to pronounce names and ingredients are puzzlingly satisfying. Let’s be honest, we all have a love affair with cheese. Regular or store-bought, processed cheese is a thing of the past, we realized as we slowly uncovered the wonders of salty ricotta, chevre infused with herbs or mozzarella.

Whether we’re eating it as an appetizer, or experimenting with it as a dessert, understanding the different varieties and types of cheese can help us discover the best ways to relish it. And among all the varieties, the one which deserves a special mention is the much loved Artisanal cheese. Artisanal cheese refers to the cheese produced by hand using the traditional craftsmanship of skilled cheesemakers, which makes it a delightful treat for all of our taste-buds. Though the foodies out there are yet to develop a taste for Artisanal cheese, one cheesemaker in Kolkata is making inroads into space with her top-quality produce. Meraki - Artisan Cheese and Rustic Bakes owned by Arpita Nag is a paradise for those who prefer fresh, clean and healthy eating.

Meraki provides all of us the joy of indulging in homemade cheese curated from fresh milk, that too without any preservatives or emulsifiers. Arpita, the proprietor, cheesemaker and business coordinator of Meraki has always wanted to be associated with the food industry with a unique product. She stumbled upon cheese making on social media and was truly mesmerized and curious from the very beginning. The thing which attracted her the most is how such a variety of taste, shape, and texture could be created from the humble milk! Though Artisan cheesemaking is still in its nascent stages in India, India is one of the largest producers of milk and with global food trends catching on, Artisan cheese is bound to catch on the palate of food connoisseurs very soon.

Inspired by artisans like fellow cheesemakers, bread makers, artists, potters, and weavers, she started her journey with Meraki - Artisan Cheese and Rustic Bakes & has successfully followed her dream by just using her hand and imagination, creating different types of scrumptious and heavenly cheeses. Meraki is a Greek word which means when you create something with a lot of love and passion, you leave a part of yourself in it. Cheesemaking as a procedure and creating an exquisite gastronomic experience with its unique products was Meraki for Arpita, hence she named her dream as Meraki - Artisan Cheese and Rustic Bakes.

Meraki has in store for us all types of cheese. Be it soft, stretched, semi-hard or hard, they have got everything a cheese lover would wish for. Some of the must-try items to buy are Pickled Feta, Halloumi, Buffalo Mozzarella, Gouda, Cheddar, and Jack. Apart from making delicious and different varieties of cheeses, Meraki also provides us with some mouthwatering baked items like Cheesecakes made from fresh cheese curated by Meraki itself and Crackers, etc along with Relishes, made from vegetables, fruits, and nuts, etc.

Especially for all the gourmands or the ones who are extremely conscious of what they are indulging in, Meraki is the right place for all of them! The products are not only preservative-free but also curated under strict hygienic conditions. The special thing about Meraki is that all types of cheese available here are vegetarian since only microbial rennet is used to produce it and at the same time, they are a rich source of protein. To be more precise, Meraki as a brand always motivates people to eat clean and healthy food and make them aware of what they are consuming! For this, they also conduct regular cheese tasting sessions, wine & cheese pairing, and culinary workshops. With this, they also regularly exhibit their products at various farmers market throughout the city.

Arpita, in the next five years, wants to see her brand as a most trusted and familiar one, in the gastronomic circle, by creating the line of products that is simultaneously delectable and safe to consume. Meraki truly upholds the values of clean, healthy eating and working with locally available ingredients with complete transparency. So place your order now! You can also get your order delivered (in south Kolkata only) if it is worth Rs. 1000/- or more.