Katharina Mennrich-Ketelsen of Floral Fromage.
KATHARINA MENNRICH-KETELSEN
Floral Fromage, Brooklyn, New York
What was your gateway cheese?
A young mimolette. I remember when I was about six or seven, my mom would sometimes buy herself a very tiny wedge of mimolette—a pure luxury for a single mom of four. But once she got home, she had to hide it because if I got wind of mimolette in the house, I would search for it everywhere and then usually just bite right into it. I would try not to eat the whole thing and leave my mom a little bit because I knew how special this was for her, too. But most of the time, tiny me couldn’t help herself and would return to finish the whole thing. A gateway cheese indeed.
How did you settle on selling dried flowers and cheese? Was there someone or an experience you had growing up that made you fall in love with dried flowers?
My grandmother, Hannelore. I used to spend most of my summers and winter holidays with her and her partner, Ludwig, on their Christmas tree farm in Denmark. During the summer, we would take long walks through the woods or her garden, and she would tell me all the different fables and stories about specific trees and flowers. During the winter, I would help prep for Christmas season, learning all about how to take care of Christmas trees. She knew so much about plants and flowers, and she found so much joy in collecting little flowers and leaves to dry and press. She had so many beautiful pressed flowers around the house that she would frame or create little notecards from and would send to me and my siblings for birthdays and holidays. Having the flowers in the store reminds me of her.
Which pairing will be on your spring equinox cheese plate?
Gorgeous Goat Creamery Plain Chèvre with Brimstone Bakery Riesling Caraway Jelly on homemade bread or sourdough crackers. Also, some quark with caramelized apples, nuts, and maybe some toasted pumpernickel rounds.
Tina Haskopoulos of New Jersey’s C’est Cheese.
TINA HASKOPOULOS
C’est Cheese, Asbury Park, New Jersey
What is it like running a cheese shop with your mom?
Interesting, fun, challenging—all the things. Mostly awesome, but we definitely have plenty of clashing moments. A couple of strong-willed Jersey girls and mother-daughter dynamics can make things spicy at times. I think there’s definitely a reason why, historically, people advise against working with family. She’s gonna kill me, but I’m just keeping it real! But it’s mostly great, and the level of trust and safety when working with your own mother in a family business is tremendously important and helpful. I also have always poured myself into my work, taken it very seriously, and kept it separate from my personal and family life, so I think she’s seeing a different side of me, which is cool.
Do you have a favorite young or fresh cheese?
Fresh mozzarella. I become feral around warm, fresh mozzarella. I just want to eat it like an apple.
Which pairing will be on your spring equinox cheese plate?
Alp Blossom and Hellenic Farms Chios Island Rose Petal Sweet Preserve! To me, Alp Blossom is one of the most gorgeous and unique cheeses ever. And the rose petal preserve is tied to my Greek heritage. It’s made slowly, with lots of love and patience, and is traditionally offered as a gesture of hospitality.
Amanda Simcoe, left, with Meat & Cheese Show co-owner Joel Bein, right.
AMANDA SIMCOE
The Meat and Cheese Show, Tulsa, Oklahoma
What was your gateway cheese?
Really good blue has always been huge for me. Mountain Gorgonzola is still way up there. And I always loved goat cheese as a little kid. But I would probably say a good Gorgonzola Piccante was probably my first addiction. One of the blues that I love but I’m having a hard time sourcing right now is Chiriboga Blue. It’s Bavarian, actually made by a gentleman from Ecuador, but his wife’s Bavarian—I love that one because it’s salty and creamy, but it’s not so overly blue that it is a fabulous weapon in my arsenal of blue-lover conversions. It’s kind of like a gateway blue.
You and your business partner, Joel Bien, recently reopened after a 17-month closure due to a storm. How does it feel to be back?
I’m happy that we’re reopened. I’m happy that people are coming in and getting excited about tasting cheese. That’s one of the things that’s important to us. Here, you come in, and you pretty much taste anything in our case… I don’t want somebody going home with a $20 piece of cheese, opening it up, and realizing they don’t even like it. So that’s kind of where we’re at, just getting back to that point where, on a busy Saturday, there’s four people deep at the counter sampling cheese and getting really excited.
Which pairing will be on your spring equinox cheese plate?
I love figs with blue. I love figs with anything, just to be real. Walnuts and figs, all with blue cheese. [Also] a good fresh chèvre and some just-picked strawberries. That’s a happy place.
Alana Pedalino
Alana Pedalino's work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and The Buffalo News. She's currently serving as culture's social media manager. She loves to write poetry, cook spaghetti carbonara, and kayak. Follow her @APstyle on X. Read more by her at alanapedalino.com.
