Photo by Carolyne Cowan

An unexpected cheesy challenge has raised thousands of dollars for charity. Carolyne Cowan, a Scottish photographer, has taken hilarious photos of dogs catching cubes of cheese in their mouths. So far, she has raised over $20,000 for local animal food banks and other dog charities.

• Have you ever tried Chihuahua cheese, pata cabra, or quark? These are among the 11 “underrated” cheeses Lauren Johnson of Mashed writes that “you’ll wish you knew about sooner.” We agree with Johnson that the best way to learn about new cheeses is to visit your local cheesemonger and “don’t be shy about asking for some guidance.” Read more here. 
• If you recently bought Mi Ranchito “Fresh Cheese with Hot Peppers” by Quesos La Rincura Ltd., you should throw it out. The cheese has been recalled due to elevated levels of coliform, which may contain E. coli or cause a bacteria-induced illness. Food Safety News has more information, including what states are affected, here. 
• For turophiles with wanderlust: Fairfield Greenwich Cheese Company in Connecticut is partnering with Cheese Journeys for an eight-day British cheese tour through Somerset, London, and Bath from October 2-9. The trip includes a dinner with British cheesemakers, accommodations at an English manor house, and lots of cheddar tasting. Learn more here. 
• US cheese shipments topped 400,000 MT for the first time in 2021, which was a record year for US dairy exports, according to dairyfoods.com.
• Vermont Creamery has announced a new line of dessert-inspired goat cheeses, coming this summer. The new sweet flavors  include Cherries & Cocoa, Strawberry Spritz, and Sweet Truffle.
• In its recent e-newsletter, Forever Cheese examines the reasons for the “serious Manchego shortage right now in the US and beyond.” A decline in the number of shepherds is at the heart of the issue, and Forever Cheese co-owner Michele Buster is among those who believe the national government needs to step in to help.
• An important part of a cheesemonger’s job is to educate their customers about what goes into the making of artisan cheeses. In an interview with Specialty Food Magazine, Monger Clare Jackson of the UK’s Slate Cheese said that cheesemakers’ efforts  to reduce their carbon footprint, including experimenting with cow feed, should also be part of the story. (More on feed innovation in our upcoming issue!)
• A new food-tech start-up has recently received major financial backing to create a vegan cheese that hopes to shake up the dairy-free market. Upfield Group and Sigma have teamed up with Change Foods and plan on debuting the cheese in late 2023.
• Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, whether it’s basic or loaded with other ingredients such as lobster, bacon, or pulled pork. Since cheese is the star, Salon recommends nine of the best—ranging from classics like cheddar and fontina, to more out-of-the-box options like goat cheese and brie. Need recipes? We’ve got you more than covered here. 

Alli Beard

Alli Beard hails from the Midwest but currently resides in Washington, D.C. On her breaks from Instagram-scrolling and cheese-tasting, Alli enjoys listening to her ever-growing vinyl collection, avidly following St. Louis sports and reading poetry at her local coffee shop.