Cheese and Meat at The Rhined

My girlfriend and I had decided to skip lunch and dinner so we could spend an afternoon at Findlay Market, piecing on various items we'd stumble upon at various booths and surrounding eateries. One of the most unexpectedly pleasant and delicious finds was The Rhined, a small, unassuming meat, cheese and wine shop just across the street from Findlay Market on Elm.

When it comes to meats and cheeses, I'm a simple man. I like stinky cheeses and cheap meats, having grown up on such upscale classics as pickle loaf and Oscar Mayer's bologna, fried in pan with five slits to make it look like a shriveled, meaty star. I rarely order charcuterie boards because I'd never found the concept very compelling and, most importantly, I really don't do a good job of pronouncing the word, "charcuterie" and feel too self-conscious when I do.

But the folks at The Rhined were super pleasant and put us well at ease. They made suggestions for the three cheeses we tried for our board, along with a lovely soppressata, toasty bread, fresh-ground mustard, dried fruit and nuts, pickled beans and carrots and a deliciously fruity jam. The board was satisfying, a lot of fun to assemble and paired well with our chilled bottle of water.

Charcuterie Board