By Eating a Quarter-Pound Block, Brooklynite Finds His ‘Destiny’
By Mary Morgan
Special to Brooklyn Daily Eagle
BROOKLYN — “I found your destiny.” Those are the four simple words Oliver Butler’s friend left on his voicemail. The destiny was the Stinky Bklyn First Annual Cheese Eating Contest during the Smith Street Fair this past Sunday.
Butler, the winner of the Stinky Bklyn Cheese Eating Contest, ate one full quarter-pound block and more than half of a second quarter-pound block. Most of the other participants did not even come close.
Michele Pravda and Patrick Watson, owners of Stinky Bklyn and Smith & Vine, said they wanted to be involved in the Smith Street Fair and wanted to make it interesting. The contest was a perfect idea.
The chosen cheese was a mild cheddar from France because Pravda and Watson wanted to be fair and not to make things difficult with sharp cheeses. And the prize was not cash but a Cheese Champion Title Belt, which will be on display in Stinky Bklyn with the winner’s name until Butler will be forced to defend his title at next year’s contest. Michele said they wanted the prize to be all about bragging rights.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz showed up for the occasion and was ecstatic that a Brooklynite won. He said Brooklyn has everything from the “Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest to the Frankfurter Contest at Schnak, and now we’re on the history books for cheese eating, too.”
Butler is a long-time cheese eater, and is known in some circles as the “cheese baron.” His friends all thought he would win, and his girlfriend said this victory was a dream come true. He ate a pound of cheese that morning as preparation, along with the Hungry Man’s Breakfast, from Joe’s on Court Street.
“I wanted to stretch out my stomach to make sure it was ready for what was coming,” Butler said.
When Butler is not eating cheese, he is directing plays with the Debate Society Theatre Company, and the company’s latest play was all about food. Maybe a nonfiction play will be in his future about his life as the Stinky Cheese Champion, but until then, we’re sure he will be eating, and training, to defend his title.
(Editor’s note: In traditional underworld slang, a “cheese eater” meant someone not to be trusted, someone who might talk to the cops — in other words, a rat. — R.G.)
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
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