Clearance acquisition report · 27 July 2026
This is a post-spread field report: what was bought on clearance, what it cost, how it tastes, and how it became a cheese board. Eight cheeses. Five countries. One fridge that now deserves a velvet rope.
Every dossier appears in full below. No special clearance is required.
Illustration · not the actual aisleWhy this report exists
This site documents a specialty-cheese clearance haul from purchase to plate: what was bought, what it cost, how each cheese tastes and pairs, and how the collection became a shared board. Part tasting guide, part purchase record, and a restrained celebration of unusually good grocery-store timing.
The cheeses, prices, and final board are real. The gloriously lit clearance aisle is an illustration, because the actual moment was not photographed and deserved a little cinematic rehabilitation.
01 · Acquisition ledger
The Kroger receipt documents seven specialty cheeses at a blended $3.72 per cheese. Roth Grand Cru was bought separately at Meijer for $2.10. Together, the full haul lands at $28.12, or $3.52 per cheese. This is not financial advice. It is, however, strong snack economics.
The receipt also lists $26.08 annual card savings. That is a running annual figure, not a claim that this one operation somehow saved more than it spent. We prefer our miracles better sourced.
Mission briefing
Build in waves: start bright and tangy, advance through herb and heat, then release the aged umami machinery. The guide below is deliberately non-fussy.
The field atlas
Murcia, Spain · Goat milk
Wine-washed, semi-firmProduct image ↗Its purple rind comes from a bath in local red wine. The result is much gentler and fruitier than its name suggests.
Utah, USA · Cow milk
Eat the rindProduct image ↗A mellow cheddar with a coffee-and-lavender rub. It is breakfast cheese with enough confidence to make an entrance.
Murcia, Spain · Goat milk
Pepper-marble goat cheeseProduct image ↗Spanish goat cheese gets dazzling red-orange veining from Piment d'Espelette, a fragrant Basque chile with more warmth than menace.
Murcia, Spain · Goat milk
Pesto-marble goat cheeseProduct image ↗A six-month-aged Spanish goat cheese that stays remarkably creamy while pesto winds through the paste. Grate it on pasta if the board somehow survives.
Emilia-Romagna, Italy · Cow milk
24-month raw-milk ParmigianoProduct image ↗Murray's selection is aged 24 months. Crack it into irregular shards, which is both the traditional move and a good way to prevent dainty overthinking.
Netherlands · Cow milk
Gouda × Parmigiano hybridProduct image ↗Artikaas set out to combine creamy Dutch Gouda with nutty Parmigiano character. This is the diplomatic coalition of the haul.
Wisconsin, USA · Cow milk
Yes, the rind is edibleProduct image ↗The pizza BellaVitano is Murray's/Kroger-exclusive: olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper, tomato, onion, and parsley on a rich, crunchy BellaVitano base.
Wisconsin, USA · Cow milk
Alpine-style, 4+ monthsProduct image ↗Roth's signature Alpine-style cheese is made in imported copper vats and aged at least four months in Wisconsin cellars. It melts exceptionally well, if you can resist eating it first.
Board strategy
Final product · board deployed03 · Final product
The finished board pairs the haul with sliced apple, crackers, rustic bread, and local honey. It is not a minimalism exercise, but it has the important property of being extremely ready to eat.
Receipts, but make them tasteful
Flavor descriptions and pairing suggestions are a mix of maker notes and this guide’s editorial recommendations. Product history and production details are linked below.