SMELLS SO GOUDA

Delicious as
they may be, little buttons of goat cheese, big chunks of bleu
and runny triangles of Camembert share one trait: they’re smelly.
Partners Michelle Pravda and Patrick Watson celebrate the odorous
goods with Stinky Brooklyn, the shop they opened in June. The
owners of the Smith Street store divide their stock according
to its "stinky factor": "Not-so-stinky, stinky
and supa-stinky," so the cheese freaks who linger before
the cases know what they’re in for.



Culled from artisanal dairies large and small, the 100-plus varieties
of fromage come from "as close as Poughkeepsie, New York,
and as far as Tasmania," says Chris Remy, one of the managers.
"You won’t find anything factory-made here. It’s all about
quality."



With the cheese, you can pick up charcuterie, salads and signature
dishes from the purveyor’s Smith Street neighbors. From Taku,
there’s charred long bean salad and focaccia from Savoia. Add
something sweet, like six different choices of fresh fudge from
CarryMo Chocolate in Red Hook, and you’ve got yourself a picnic.



What about the wine? They’ve got that covered, too. On the label
of each cheese’s wrapper, there’s a suggestion for a good partner
and a nearby source to pick up a bottle: Smith & Vine, the
wine shop the duo has owned for two years.



Stinky Brooklyn (261 Smith St. at DeGraw Street in Carroll Gardens)
accepts American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Cheese: $1.50-$6
per quarter-pound. The shop is open Monday through Friday, from
11 am to 8 pm, and on weekends, from 10 am to 8 pm. For more
information, call (718) 522-7425.