Spring 2025

WINDMILL MARKET Sometimes a sandwich is more than a sandwich. Sometimes it’s also camaraderie. At least that’s the case with the Windmill Market (located “under the windmill,” owners Joe and Renee Murillo say) on the Monterey-Salinas Highway. While the Murrillos initially started out selling produce from a produce truck, they were able to expand into a physical space and now sell imported Italian specialities and products from as many local producers as possible, including locally sourced eggs and honey, Monterey County wines and Ad Astra breads. But the aforementioned sandwiches might be an unprecedented crossover event. In mid-January, Windmill announced on Facebook they were now carrying sandwiches made by Jerome.As in Jerome Viel. As in the French-trained chef who owns his own grocery, Jerome’s CarmelValley Market. Says Joe:“I know Jerome from shopping at his place. He buys cherries from me, I buy oranges from him and I was in there and asked if he’d be interested in doing sandwiches for us until I get my deli case in.” Viel is providing a dozen sandwiches a day, with turkey, egg salad, tuna, salami and ham all on offer. With a built-in customer base—Granite Rock is opening a new location right next door—Viel’s sandwiches are already attracting repeat customers.The toppings are all fresh and the sandwiches are substantial. As for that deli case? Joe Murrillo anticipates it will be in operation by mid-summer, along with a sandwich bar and a smoothie bar, too. Windmill Market is located at 115 Monterey- Salinas Highway in Salinas. For more information, call 831/659-5205. CARMEL VALLEY CREAMERY Small things are all the rage right now. There’s Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo turned social media sensation.There’s“Tiny Love Letters,” the popular “New York Times” collection of the little musings on everyday life. And to the lexicon of great small things, we can add Carmel Valley Creamery, a bona fide micro creamery housed in the former Rosie’s Cracker Barrel building, where proprietor Sophie Hauville churns out small-batches of high quality fromage blanc; smooth and creamy “Cowboy” (the Normandy- born Hauville’s homage to the camembert of her childhood); a raclette-style with coriander seeds, washed with beer from Other Brother; and a gruyere-style with black peppercorn tea; along with locally produced honeys, bread and pastries from Ad Astra and a full espresso menu. Corporate burnout brought Hauville from San Francisco to Big Sur during the pandem- ic, and Big Sur brought her under the wing of famed Carmel Valley Ranch cheesemaker Charlie Cascio, who taught Hauville his craft. “Cheese has been my life since the pandem- ic,” she says. “I could eat camembert all day every day, so the Cowboy is probably my favor- ite, and my favorite way to eat it is the most simple, with Ad Astra bread and a glass of wine.” Speaking of wine, that’s up next for Carmel Valley Creamery. Hauville, who opened her shop last July, believes she’s in the final stages of getting approval to sell beer and wine on site; a current temporary license only allows for customers to take wine home. Carmel Valley Creamery is located at 1 Esquiline Road in Carmel Valley. For more infor- mation, visit www.carmelvalleycreameryco.com . 168 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 5 Carmel Valley Creamery proprietor, Sophie Hauville (a native of Normandy, France) is making delicious small-batch artisanal cheeses, available at her shop in Carmel Valley along with local honeys, breads and pastries, and a full espresso menu. Photo: Kelli Uldall