The Weary Blues
On Black fatigue In the years I’ve been writing this column I don’t think I’ve ever written my original idea. This piece is no different. My plan was to write about my first time judging at the American Cheese Society’s Judging & Competition in Minneapolis. I wanted to tell you all about how a friend […]
Mountain Cotija: Mexico’s Endangered Heritage Cheese Faces an Uncertain Future
As the future of Mexico’s only aged cheese becomes increasingly uncertain, producers, advocates, and researchers seek to preserve its flavor and history. Mountain Cotija’s character and production is defined by the the Sierra Jalmich region’s landscape. Mountain cotija is aged for at least three months. There’s a cheese made high in the mountains, where cows […]
Marieke Penterman Is Putting Wisconsin Gouda on the Map
Marieke Penterman is impossible to miss—she’s got the kind of presence that commands a room, much like the gouda she makes. Born and raised on a dairy farm in the Netherlands, she grew up surrounded by cows and the daily rhythm of farm life. But it wasn’t until she landed in Wisconsin with her then-husband, […]
The Case for the “Indie Cheese” Category
Like indie music and films, the indie cheese category is about independence and a defiant or necessary DIY spirit. Here, cheesemakers turn their backs on the mass market and focus instead on crafting cheeses with an unfiltered spark. This category name occurred to me when I was working with a cheese brand that felt “artisan,” […]
How I Fell In Love With Cheese—and The Art Of Describing Flavor
When I was an 18-year-old college student in New York City, I found a job on Craigslist. It happened to be at a Michelin-starred, old-school French restaurant called Picholine with a magnificent cheese cart curated by Maître Fromager Max McCalman. Each afternoon, just as I started my shift, he would share a taste of a […]
Matt Rubiner: An Unconventional Path to Cheese Mastery
Matt Rubiner’s journey to become one of the most respected cheesemongers in America is anything but traditional. After studying Japanese language and culture in college and working on US government contracts and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rubiner found his true calling in the world of artisanal cheese. Today, he runs the acclaimed […]
Are you kidding me right now?
Nothing is cuter than a baby goat. I’m ready for the weather to change. I am constantly checking the Chicago forecast to see if I can pull my Birkenstocks out of hibernation. My brother has succumbed to my demands and promised to send me some Vermont maple syrup from the upcoming season. My DMs are […]
How to Lead According to Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s Deli
Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Zingerman’s Delicatessen, has spent over four decades building an iconic group of businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which includes the original Zingerman’s Deli, a creamery, and around 20 other food and leadership ventures. With more than 700 employees under its umbrella, Zingerman’s has become a model of sustainable growth and innovative […]
The Power of Self-Care: Prioritizing Me Time in 2025
Self-care isn’t just about treats—it’s about preservation, boundaries, and healing.
Tradition, Collaboration, Love: How Comté Cheese Unites
In France’s Jura Massif, thousands of farmers, hundreds of creameries, and more than a dozen affinage houses work together to protect the land, their culture, and their livelihoods through cheese. The day’s first batch of Comté at Fruitière du Valromey, a state-of-the-art creamery near the southern tip of France’s Jura Mountains, is almost ready to […]
