CEO Sean Moore Ushers Jarlsberg Cheese into a New Age
At Norseland, Inc.—the Scandinavian company behind mild, nutty, and utterly snackable Jarlsberg—you’ll find Irishman Sean Moore at the helm.
Where to Find Some of the Most Unique Cheese in Appalachia
The winding roads of Appalachia’s Blue Ridge Mountains are characterized by jutting pine trees, sprouting wildflowers, and a hazy blue blanket of mist. The serenity and mystique surrounding these mountains have long drawn artisans, makers, and storytellers to take root in the foothills. That same allure brought cheesemaker and glassblower Victor Chiarizia to Fairview, North Carolina in 2005. A self-starter by nature, Chiarizia fell in love with the traditional methods of crafting cave-aged cheeses. In 2010, he took a backhoe to the side of the mountain on his property and carved his own cheese cave, launching Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery. Little did Chiarizia know, this cave—a testament to his creativity and grit—would soon withstand one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever hit North Carolina.
Making Cheese at Home Is More Popular Than Ever
Home cheesemaking, like sourdough bread baking, enjoyed a pandemic popularity surge when house-bound humans had a lot of time on their hands and the national cheese supply chain was experiencing many disruptions.
I Never Noticed my Grandmother’s Cheese Plates—Until They Became Mine
Pamela Vachon ruminates on a different kind of cheese plate. Growing up, cheese in my family’s Midwestern household usually came in plastic-wrapped blocks, cubes, or slices. The dairy appreciation was strong, but anything bordering on artisanal just didn’t cross my path until adulthood. Even conventional brie or gouda wasn’t anywhere on my radar. I was […]
Inside Andy Hatch’s Radical Farmstead Approach at Uplands Cheese
Andy Hatch is a legend in the American artisan cheese world. As head cheesemaker and co-owner of Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, he’s responsible for two of the most celebrated cheeses in the country: Pleasant Ridge Reserve and Rush Creek Reserve. A passionate steward of place, process, and flavor, Hatch has built a farmstead model […]
How to Pass Down a Cheese Business
Case studies in how retiring dairy pioneers keep their cheese legacy alive A scene from Uplands Cheese’s farm in the Driftless region of Wisconsin. Photographed by Kevin J. Miyazaki. Early pioneers in the American cheese industry—which exploded between the 1980s and 1990s—are reaching retirement age. As with many small businesses, it’s not nearly as simple […]
Cheesemaking Tradition Meets Innovation in the Azores
In the Azores, find happy cows and volcanic soils Grazing cows in the countryside of Sao Jorge Island in the Azores. Photo: AdobeStock. Nine windswept volcanic islands sit precariously where the Eurasian, African, and American plates meet. As these plates slowly moved apart over time, rifts formed, creating the volcanoes that shaped each of the […]
Meet Lucy Cufflin, a Founder of London’s Chiswick Cheese Market
Imagine planning a visit to London and learning that there is a monthly outdoor market entirely dedicated to cheese. On a scale from immediately to yesterday, how quickly would you prioritize the pilgrimage?
Taking place monthly on every third Sunday in a London borough named for its cheese, the Chiswick Cheese Market doesn’t just have its finger on the pulse of the British cheese industry—it is the pulse of the British cheese industry.
“I was born loving cheese,” says Lucy Cufflin, one of Chiswick Cheese Market’s founders and a chef and caterer by profession. “I have no idea why … I think some people just are.”
The Chiswick Cheese Market is a labor of love for Cufflin and the volunteers who operate it. Officially founded in 2021, the market is quickly approaching its fifth anniversary and shows no signs of slowing.
We recently caught up with Cufflin to talk about the importance of providing a forum for the artisan cheese industry, educating consumers about good-quality cheese, and supporting the next generation of cheesemakers.
Finding Meaning in a Cheese Club
Hannah Gershowitz reflects on cheese and community I’ve never done anything traditionally. I moved and changed schools often, so I didn’t hold onto friends or hobbies for long. I regularly struggled with a lack of belonging and community, and graduating college during the pandemic didn’t help. So, I took an unnerving leap and moved back […]
What it Takes to be a Competitive Cheesemonger
A conversation with three power mongers on their experiences in the competitive cheesemongering ring Sarah Simiele triumphantly raises the Cheesemonger Invitational trophy after winning the 2023 competition. Photo by Kathryn M. Sheldon. Sarah Simiele, Emilia D’Albero, and Courtney Johnson are competitive cheesemongers. Simiele won the Cheesemonger Invitational (CMI) in 2023. D’Albero won the virtual CMI: […]
