Have you checked out our brand-new Innovation issue yet? In it, we tasted artisan vegan cheeses, talked to CMI champion Alisha Norris Jones, dove into the world of washed rind cheeses, and more. If you haven’t already, check out the issue’s full table of contents here.

In other cheese news:

• We talked to founder of Crooked Face Creamery, Amy Rowbottom, who is among a cohort of women business owners who find ways to collaborate and support each other in Maine. Learn about Amy’s journey to launching a creamery and how she juggles life as a cheesemaker and single mom here.
• A year and a half after voluntary shutting down due to food safety concerns, Consider Bardwell Farm has officially relaunched both in stores and online. This award-winning maker revamped their food safety protocols, renovated their facility, and are now prioritizing sustainability in their new business model. “We’re committed more than ever to crafting the best cheese possible all while acting as good stewards of the land,” co-owner Angela Miller said in a press release.
• It may not feel like it yet, but warm weather is on the horizon. And Capriole Goat Cheese is getting us especially excited with the launch of their new cheese, Tea Rose, which has springtime written all over it. This chèvre is dusted with fennel pollen, herbs, and aromatic flower petals. Pre-order your taste of spring here.
• Cheese Expo 2021 is taking place virtually April 6-8, and has just announced some of this year’s seminars to get attendees excited. Topics will range from Crisis Management to Environmental Goals and more, and dairy processors and marketers around the world will have free access to live exhibits and networking events. Learn more here.
• There are some listeria concerns surrounding Hispanic-style soft cheeses in states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia. The CDC says a specific brand hasn’t yet been identified, but they’re advising people at high-risk for severe illness to stay away from queso fresco, queso blanco, and queso panela, according to USA Today.
• This weekend, Massachusetts-based Artifact Cider and Grace Hill Farm are launching their new collaboration: Philbrick, a tomme-style wheel that’s been washed weekly for two months with Artifact’s craft cider. The launch starts with a takeaway pairing experience hosted by Artifact, where locals will take home four pairable ciders and cheeses—including Philbrick—before the cheese becomes a staple menu item next week. Locals can pre-order here.
• Speaking of new cheese: Champignon just released a new line of wheels under the name Briette, consisting of 4-ounce soft-ripened wheels in Creamy & Mild, Creamy & Blue, and Creamy & Buttery Red flavors. They’re all made from pasteurized Bavarian cow’s milk, lactose-free, and the perfect size for intimate snacking.
• March is just around the corner, which means we’re getting ready to celebrate Women’s History Month. Cheese experts Laura Werlin and Janet Fletcher will be hosting a Wonder Women of American Cheese event as part of their Cheese O’Clock series on March 4th. Then, on International Women’s Day, women-owned Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. is hosting a Cheese & Coffee Tasting with Devorah Freudiger of Equator Coffees to discuss their joint missions of supporting underserved women and how they plan to give back.

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.