What started as conversations about the stark reality of the pandemic effects of the cheese industry has turned into conversations with the passionate people that care deeply for an industry that has grown immensely in the last 20 years.
Cheesemakers, cheesemongers, distributors, dairy farmers, and food writers, are just a few of the vast amounts of people to give American cheese the stage it currently sits on, competing in a global market with a perception of high quality.
These are their stories, told in their words, about why cheese is so special.
Your host, Janee´ Muha, Certified Cheese Professional, cheesemonger, and producer advocate interviews the fascinating people working behind the scenes in the ever-evolving cheese world.
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What started as conversations about the stark reality of the pandemic effects of the cheese industry has turned into conversations with the passionate people that care deeply for an industry that has grown immensely in the last 20 years.
Cheesemakers, cheesemongers, distributors, dairy farmers, and food writers, are just a few of the vast amounts of people to give American cheese the stage it currently sits on, competing in a global market with a perception of high quality.
These are their stories, told in their words, about why cheese is so special.
Your host, Janee´ Muha, Certified Cheese Professional, cheesemonger, and producer advocate interviews the fascinating people working behind the scenes in the ever-evolving cheese world.
Get bonus content on PatreonHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hot off the presses is this new book dedicated to the Driftless Region in Wisconsin and the cheesemakers within! With gorgeous photography and profiles of 12 cheesemakers, this book is for every cheese lover, no matter your location.
In this episode, we chat with Keith Burrows, Leslie Damaso, Kristin Mitchell, and Nicole Bujewski, who produced the book, about how it came to be.
You can order the book directly from Little Creek Press
IG:
@littlecreekpress
@republicoflettersbooks
@thebookkitchenmp
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Fromagerie L'Amuse has changed the perception of Dutch cheeses worldwide because Betty Koster believed in a better quality product while recognizing the hard-working people behind that product. As the company looks to the future, it's claiming a new face with Thassia Koster taking the reigns. What does this look like, and where are they in the process? This is your chance to get to know Thassia and hear what it's like to fill the shoes of an internationally beloved mother.
Where to find L'Amuse:
https://essexcheese.com/lamuse-gouda
IG:
@fromagerielamuse
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Rachel Fritz Schaal and Peter Dixon come to chat about creating starter cultures from scratch, and we also talk about the science and craft of making cheese. That also happens to be the name of the conference they created. These two just riff off each other and drop so many pearls of knowledge. This is a good representation if you've ever wondered what it is like to hang out with them.
Find them:
IG:
@parishhillcreamery
@cheesemakersjourney
@sciencecraftcheese
Learn more about the conference:
https://www.sciencecraftcheese.com/
March 15th & 16th 2025
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The opportunity for internship scholarships is much more prevalent than in years past. Carrie, aka Justice of the Cheese, has done two scholarships through the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund. We chat about the differences in the scholarships we both have received and the realities behind going to work in a cheese plant for a month.
Find Carrie:
IG @justiceofthecheese
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At any given time during the summer, there is a major cheese party going on somewhere. While September is nearing the end of summer, it is prime leaf-peeping season and cheese party season in the great state of Vermont. In this episode, I chat with Andi Wandt, Creamery Manager of Shelburne Farms, about the upcoming Vermont Cheese Week and Summit. If you've been on the fence about going, Andi is here to romance you into being there to fulfill your cheesy rom-com dreams through Vermont's dairy delights.
This is a hefty episode filled with so many details, but you can find all the events on the Vermont Cheese Council's website.
Hope to see you there!
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Hill Valley Dairy is making big moves in Wisconsin and may soon extend its reach outside of the cheese state's borders. Listen in as Ron Henningfeld recounts his pure Wisconsin dairy tale.
IG@hillvalleydairy
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Take a walk through Seattle's food history over the last 15 years with Tyson Danilson and learn how he's made the switch from distribution to food brokerage.
IG@cheesetruckin
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The days of "The Cheese Primer" being the primary source of cheese education are long over. These days, we are fortunate enough to have things like the Academy of Cheese. Based in the UK, this tiered cheese education program will lead cheese professionals and lovers into a more profound knowledge base on cheese's many layers.
IG: @cheese_academy
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Consider this episode a Spring pledge drive because I am chatting with the ladies behind Street Cheese, and we are talking about their Indiegogo campaign to open their brick-and-mortar shop here in Seattle. After four years of hard work building their name, they are angling to have a permanent home. They tell us all about their vision, the hurdles to get there, and what dealing with commercial real estate in Seattle is like.
Please donate or share this episode to find people wanting to back this worthy venture!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mobile-shop-seeks-home-to-stop-spinning-its-wheels#/
https://www.streetcheeseseattle.com/
IG: @streetcheesesea
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Urban Stead Cheese just celebrated its sixth year in business, and this episode is all about how they got there. Andrea tells all about how they gutted a building to create the cheesemaking space of their dreams.
IG: @urbansteadcheese
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South Africa has had a rich history of agriculture and fermented dairy products. Still, it's only been within the last 100 years that cheese has played a part, mostly due to colonization. During apartheid, cheesemakers had to sell their cheese to the government, which led to only a few styles being made. Since the end of apartheid, an innovative cheese industry has started to bloom. Klein River Cheese is one of the cheesemakers making a name for themselves in South Africa and the world. Ray Siebrits joins me to chat all about cheesemaking in South Africa.
Find Kleinn River Cheese: Klein River Cheese
IG: @kleinrivercheese
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Social Media has helped us connect in entirely new ways, and Erika Kubick is out here doing Cheesus' work by preaching the word of curd to the masses. Author, IG baddie, and cheese educator, there isn't much Erika can't do, but we chat about the pitfalls of living your life online and the lack of money that entails if you want to stay true to your creative vision.
Find Erika here: https://www.cheesesexdeath.com/
Find the black garlic honey mentioned in the episode here: https://www.eatblackgarlic.com/shop/black-garlic-infused-honey
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While we've lost some big-name cheese shops over the last couple of years, we've added some new flavors to the roster. One of the cheese show's new stars is Agnes Cheesery and Restaurant in Pasadena, California.
Vanessa and Thomas Tilaka Kalb, two professionally trained chefs who love cheese, opened this venture in 2021 but started the process in 2018. We chat about everything it took to open it in an uncertain time.
Find the shop and restaurant here: https://www.agnesla.com/
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Opening a cheese shop is no easy feat, but once you get past the initial opening, you have the challenge of keeping the doors open. In this episode, we check in with Laura Downey from Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company about some of the strategies they've employed to keep the lights on and make the shop a valued part of the community.
Here are your links to connect with Laura and the team!
IG: @fairfieldgreenwichcheeseco
Website: https://fairfieldcheese.com/
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Rachael Lucas has been hustling hard in the Seattle cheese world to create her perfect cheese job. She's built relationships in the wine world, leading to her current hyper-fixation and a perfect blend of passions. From cheese classes to small cases in wineries' tasting rooms, she's trying, and succeeding at solidifying her place.
Find Rachael at https://cheeseladyloveswinellc.com/
IG: @cheeseladyloveswineseattle
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The passionate, hard-working people that brought you a 5k during the middle of a cheese conference are back with more tricks under their sweatbands! They've added some friends and created grants geared towards cheese professionals to get experiences at some of the best in the biz. The deadline to apply for these grants is right around the corner on February 28th, 2023, so now is the time for the last push!
Apply here: thecheeseletes.org
Questions/Sponsorship Opportunities: network@thecheeseletes.org
Find The Cheeseletes on IG @thecheeseletes
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How does a small cheese shop compete in this current space of instant gratification? With heart, enthusiasm, and passion, of course!
You can find all that and brightly colored aesthetic at Lady and Larder in Santa Monica, California. Created by twin sisters Sarah and Boo Simms, this small but mighty shop feeds celebrities and local cheese lovers.
Sarah's energy will excite you for your next trip to the cheese shop.
IG @ladyandlarder
Website https://www.ladyandlarder.com/
Sarah also mentioned working with the Cheese Culture Coalition, and you should check out their work.
https://cheeseculturecoalition.org/
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If you are in or near the Philly cheese scene, then Alexandra Jones is a name you know well, but even if you live on the other side of the country, her food writing has likely informed your ideas about cheese. From Culture magazine to Modern Farmer, Alex has bylines that range in topics about cheese and agriculture. She's taking a more personal approach by starting her own newsletter over at Milkfed.
Here's where else you can find Alex and all of her work:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/arockjonestown/
Website: https://www.alexandrajones.net/
Collective Creamery: https://www.collectivecreamery.com/
Stuff Every Cheese Lover Should Know: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646054/stuff-every-cheese-lover-should-know-by-alexandra-jones/
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