An inconspicuous little shop in an inconspicuous part of town, Nancy's Cheese is easy to miss. It may not be the biggest cheese shop in town, or the flashiest, but for cheese-lovers in Toronto, the shop is a can't miss. There are many cheese shops in the city, many of which have a much bigger selection than Nancy's Cheese, but what sets this shop apart is the eponymous Nancy Peppler herself.

After teaching ESL in Japan for nine years, Nancy made a major life decision: she was going to open up her own cheese shop. This was a bold move considering she had no real background in cheese or any entrepreneurial experience. But she paid her dues, taking cheese education at Faculty Club at University of Toronto and exposing herself to as much cheese as she could in order to become an expert in the field. Eventually she was able to open her own kiosk in Harbord Bakery. In her time at Harbord, Nancy developed a dedicated clientele and in late 2008 she decided it was time to open up her own antonymous shop.

Upon first glance, the place seems a bit underwhelming. Only about 50 square feet large with a few shelves of accoutrements and only a single glass display case of cheese, it's easy to think "that's it?" But the small selection is actually a conscious decision. "I try to cover all the different categories of cheese, but only carry a few of each at a time," Nancy explains. "Too much choice can be intimidating for a beginner." A favourite of connoisseurs, cheese can be an intimidating thing for a beginner or a novice. Coming from a similar place, Nancy tries to be as plebian-friendly as humanly possible. "My goal is to take the intimidation out of cheese," she says.

With a carefully-selected assortment of between 25 and 30 cheeses, Nancy is able to stay knowledgeable about everything she serves, while helping customers decide what they like. Everything in the store is available for sample and each cheese comes with an accompanying tasting note (a little slip of paper with information on where it comes from, what it goes with, and how its made). Among her most prized selections are a Peau Rouge raw milk cheese, and a soft washed rind Le Sauvagine from Quebec.

In case that's not enough selection, Nancy orders new cheese every week and the entire selection is listed on her website. Individual orders can also be placed through the store. Nancy has started booking a weekly Cheese Chat Tuesday, in addition to various wine and cheese educational events. The idea is to foster a community and get people to ask questions about the products.

In addition to cheese (you mean there are other things in the world?), the store carries jams and salsas by From These Roots, flat breads by Pasquales, and baguettes and breads from Thorbors Bakery. In order to cover the whole experience, special cheese plates have been designed by Rosario Renoto Sapienza and are for sale at the store.

If you don't know your cheddar from your gruyere, Nancy's Cheese should be your first and last stop. - R.T.

260 Dupont Street
Toronto, ON
647-343-0315