It’s May Day, and the beginning of American Cheese Month, which was moved from October to May in 2020. While at culture we cover cheeses and cheesemakers from around the world, our primary focus is American cheese, specifically American artisan cheese. The American Cheese Society defines artisan cheese as being produced primarily by hand, from the highest-quality ingredients, with as little mechanization as possible. We explored who and what makes artisan cheese so special (including Sarah Wiederkehr of Winter Hill Farm in Freeport, ME, above) in a feature from 2020 that seems like an apropos read to kick off this celebratory month. Read it HERE.
- Rogue Creamery has reintroduced Flora Nelle Blue, which debuted in 2011 and left the marketplace in 2017. Now a seasonal cheese, it’s a naturally-rinded, cave-aged blue made with traditional, non-vegetarian rennet and organic pasteurized cow’s milk. The dense, savory cheese, whose recipe was inspired by European blues, is named for Rogue President David Gremmels’ grandmother, Nelle.
- Jasper Hill Farm is hosting a live virtual cheese board-building class Sunday, May 15 with Elle Simone Scott, executive editor for America’s Test Kitchen and author of the new book, Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings. Participants can order a board-building kit with four cheeses, pairings, and the book ($120), or register without the kit ($10) Registration fees will donated to the Cheese Culture Coalition.
- The Cheesemonger Invitational returns to NYC June 9-12 with 2 1/2 days of education followed by the event at BK Steel. From organizer Adam Moskowitz: “Please know this is not a competition. It is community building followed by a cheesemonger obstacle course. We do not judge you. We score you and provide insight on your performance.” Find more info and the application here.
- Nut butter is the accompaniment you might be missing from your cheese board, according to Yahoo!Life in a story that quotes Marcella The Cheesemonger, along with mongers from Murray’s and DiBruno’s. Suggested pairings include Parmigiano Reggiano with cashew butter and Mimolette with pistachio butter. Culture‘s been on top of this trend for a while, check out more cheese + nut butter pairings here.
- Epicurious has released a YouTube video starring Elias Cairo from Olympia Provisions, who shows you how to slice every kind of charcuterie.
- There are lots of delicious things to eat at Disney World, many of them sweet (here’s looking at you, Dole Whip and Mickey Waffles). But if you’re craving something savory and a little more adult, DisneyDining.com has a list of 15 places where you can tuck into a cheese and charcuterie board.
Susan Axelrod
Susan Sherrill Axelrod is a former editor of Culture. Her love affair with cheese began at age 12, when she bicycled to a gourmet shop to taste an exotic newcomer—French brie. She lives with her partner in midcoast Maine, where she enjoys a well-made cocktail, hiking with their dog, Lucy, and spending as much time as possible on the water.
