When Giles Schnierle first approached chefs with a small collection of American-made cheeses, it was hard to get any of them to take him--or his cheeses--seriously.

But he stuck with it, seeking out, in his words, "cultured concoctions that reflected [American] terroir."

Now, 20 years later, Schnierle's Great American Cheese Collection supplies 250-plus domestic artisan and farmstead cheeses to Chicago restaurants (Blackbird, Cibo Matto and Province, to name-drop a few).

After two decades in the biz, his collection is the best in the city--and it's hidden in a South Side warehouse that's only open to the public on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Inside, you'll find an ever-rotating selection of over 60 domestic cheeses to sample and buy at wholesale prices. Schnierle will be there, pointing out rare and limited specials and instructing how to taste aged cheese.

Two highlights coming in this weekend are seasonal, holiday-themed goat's-milk Camembert cheeses from Vermont's Lazy Lady Farm: Figaro, topped with spiced figs and dates, and Cranberries and Cream, which comes loaded with dried cranberries soaked in sweet wine and cream.

And they both come with a good story to tell around the cheese plate: "So I met this guy at this warehouse near South 47th St..."

Great American Cheese Collection, 4727 S. Talman Ave.; 773-779-5055 or greatamericancheese.com