Pennsylvania isn’t what most people think of when they think of artisan cheese, but that may be changing soon. A booming local cheese scene, coupled with the fact that it’s the nation’s fourth-largest dairy-producing state, has Pennsylvania on the fast track to becoming a US cheese mecca. From stellar shop Di Bruno Bros., to a slew of local cheese experts and even an artist, don’t doubt the Keystone State when it comes to cheese.
There are writers and artists in Philadelphia, in fact, who have created entire careers as a result of the artisanal cheese trend. There are university-level culinary instructors who regularly school their students on the importance of a proper cheese education. And throughout the region, there are scores of professional cheesemongers working behind counters who possess an encyclopedic knowledge of all things stinky, waxy and gooey.
Photo by Dan Eldridge
Rebecca Haley-Park
Rebecca Haley-Park is culture's former editor and resident stinky cheese cheerleader. A native New Englander, she holds a BFA in creative writing from University of Maine at Farmington.
