We’re more than halfway through March, AKA National Noodle Month—which means if you haven’t been regularly whipping up carb-filled dishes lately, you’ve been doing it wrong. But it’s not too late to join the party! Check out our roundup of spring-forward pasta recipes that’ll help you incorporate fresh seasonal produce while piling on plenty of cheese.
In other cheese news:
- Have you checked out our new frequently-asked-question roundup yet? We collected the most commonly searched Cheese IQ questions on our site into a one-stop-shop to fuel your inner curd nerd. Check it out here.
- Two iconic women of the industry are joining forces for a special virtual event: Marissa Mullen of That Cheese Plate is hosting Anne Saxelby of Saxelby Cheesemongers for a virtual class that will teach attendees about the world of American cheesemaking and guide them through building a beautiful at-home cheese plate that’s worthy of a photoshoot. Reserve your spot here.
- The World Championship Cheese Contest has announced their 2021 auction event, which will take place on April 7th and feature 10 award-winning cheeses for bidders to battle it out virtually. The bids placed will help support the WCMA’s contributions to industry education. Learn how you can become a part of this industry event here.
- Retail cheese sales are booming, despite pandemic challenges in other areas of the industry. According to Dairy Foods, both natural and processed retail cheeses saw double-digit growth in the past year. (I guess we’re not alone in our obsession with cheesy at-home snacks.)
- We’re honoring the legacy of Tony Caputo, founder of Salt Lake City staple Caputo’s Market and beloved member of the mongering community, who passed away last week. His son Matt announced his death on Facebook, writing, “It didn’t matter what color your skin was, if you were the governor or a blue-collar worker,” he said. “He made each person feel like an old friend by welcoming them with genuine kindness, respect and hospitality.”
- The semi-annual Cheese Days festival, originally scheduled for September 2021 in Monroe, WI, has been cancelled for the second year in a row. “The board feels it would be irresponsible to the financial future of the festival to take a chance on making that investment in 2021,” the organization stated on their Facebook page. “If you’d like to help out on the path to success for the next festival, now would be a great time to sign on as a volunteer.”
- France—much like the staff at culture—has eaten a record amount of cheese while in lockdown. But their most popular wheel of choice wasn’t a local. Italian-made mozzarella came out on top with a 21.2% increase in sales, behind raclette, comte, and other French favorites.
Monica Petrucci
Monica is Culture's former Social Media Editor. Coming from a formaggio-obsessed Italian family, she was very excited to combine her passions for cheese and writing at Culture. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and pairing wine and cheese in her spare time.
