In my world, cheese is synonymous with happiness. And though it would be easier to just let it be and continue to eat cheese and love dairy-producing animals from the comforts of home, my curious mind (always) wants more.

In considering what to write for this blog series, I thought about what I enjoy most about cheese. What makes it so great that I would move across the country to be surrounded by it? Turns out it is not a short list, but nearest to the top (under “consumption,” above “farm animals”) are “cheese people”.

Cheese people are the people that have a firm grasp on the greatness that is cheese and have committed their lives in some way to spreading this greatness around. Cheese people are the makers, mongers, bloggers, teachers, writers ,and lovers of all things cheese. Cheese people, to me, are the greatest kind of people.

I realized, I want to know more about the people. I want to know what motivates and inspires them, to know their stories—the behind-the-scenes things and the personal choices and what brought them to cheese. These are the things that make life (and cheese) interesting and inspiring.

Being new to the East Coast, I also want to explore my new surroundings and get face time with farm animals (because, if it wasn’t clear, they are awesome). And so, this blog series will focus on those closest to the milk and animals: the cheesemakers.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be visiting some local makers, learning their processes, and meeting their animals—experiencing their stories and getting to the origins of some great cheeses.

California always told me that great cheese comes from happy cows (and I won’t argue that), but goat’s milk cheese and sheep’s milk cheese don’t come from happy cows (unless I missed that part of science class), so I hope to get to the bottom of that too.

First up: Parish Hill Creamery—come back next week and check it out!

Photo Credits: Daniel J. Clapp

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