Cheese, like electricity and phone calls to Karl Malone, is a basic living expense. Get the fundamentals with today's Groupon to Onyx Orchard Cheese Company. Choose between two options:

• For $6, you get $12 worth of specialty cheeses and snack fare.
• For $25, you get a gift basket that includes a pound of Amish cheese, a 10-ounce jar of jam or preserves, a 10-ounce jar of salsa, a 12-ounce summer sausage, a 4.5-ounce package of cheese crisps, a 7.1-ounce package of oat cookies, four Lindor chocolate balls, and three Ghirardelli chocolate squares (a $50 total value).

Onyx Orchard Cheese Company boasts a healthy harvest of more than 100 specialty cheeses alongside a diverse selection of snack items, including delectable jams, locally made salsas, and jerky. Free samples encourage munchers to test cheesy waters before diving cracker-first into zesty wheels of New Zealand sharp cheddar ($8.99/lb.), North Carolina hoop cheddar ($5.99/lb.), or two-year-aged Rembrandt gouda ($15.99/lb.). Stocked with olives, pesto, and sundried tomatoes, mediterranean gouda ($10.99/lb.) provides a delectable spread for crunchy landscapes. Alternatively, gift baskets come stocked with a trove of different finger-licking treats, including salsa, chocolate, and jam or preserves for topping toast and making minor edits to refrigerator artwork.

Amidst warm, earthy tones and sleek, wooden floors, dairy devotees can browse the shop's iridescent display cases for the ideal sandwich topping. Sun-drenched picture windows add to Onyx Orchard Cheese Company's vivacious atmosphere, shedding light on a smattering of tables and chairs where shoppers relax, await orders, and carve pressed-curd models of Mount Rushmore.