This week on Cutting the Curd, Diane Stemple is joined by three owners of start-up cheese shops. Beth Lewand is in the studio talking about the real esate challenges she faced when opening up her Greenpoint, Brooklyn establishment, Eastern District. Rachel Klebaur calls in from North Carolina to talk about the process of obtaining building permits for Orrman’s Cheese Shop, and how her store has been received as a transplant to Charlotte. Kristin Sande joins via the phone from Las Vegas to talk a...
Dec 10, 2012•32 min•Ep. 120
Today on Cutting the Curd, Diane Stemple is joined by a panel of guests to talk about holiday cheeses and cheese gift ideas. Joining Diane in the studio are NYC cheese geeks Jessica Kesselman, Amy Sisti-Baum, and Sarah Zaborowski. Hear what cheeses to bring to your holiday gatherings! The studio decides what cheese books and accessories would be great holiday gifts! Diane asks the question, “What American cheeses do you bring as a gift to a steadfast Euro-phile?” Hear about some great American c...
Dec 03, 2012•34 min•Ep. 119
On Cutting the Curd we have talked about the intersections between cheese and art on previous shows, but this week host Diane Stemple highlights three personal journeys with guests Aaron Kirtz of Forever Cheese, Beth Griffenhagen of Murray’s Cheese and Adam Moskowitz of Larkin Cold Storage. Find out how each guest found cheese and ended up transitioning artistic energy into their respective cheese careers and how the two worlds are not so dissimilar. Whether you’re a food professional with a cre...
Nov 26, 2012•29 min•Ep. 118
This week on Cutting the Curd, Diane Stemple is joined in the studio by two newly graduated Certified Cheese Professionals, Amy Thompson and Elena Santogade. Amy Thompson is the head cheesemonger at Lucy’s Whey in the Chelsea Market, and Elena Santogade is the head cheesemonger at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. Hear how Amy and Elena studied for the certification exam, and learn about the different subjects that are on the test. How has passing the exam furthered their careers in cheese? Later, hear...
Nov 19, 2012•30 min•Ep. 117
Diane Stemple debuts as guest host on this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd! Diane is speaking with Aaron Foster, the Head Buyer for Murray’s Cheese about the affect of Hurricane Sandy on the New York City cheese business. Tune into hear Diane and Aaron recount the events of the storm, and how the various Murray’s spaces in the West Village, Grand Central, and Long Island City fared in the weather. Aaron tells his story from the night of the storm; hear how Aaron waded through waistdeep water ...
Nov 12, 2012•32 min•Ep. 116
Cutting the Curd returns after a brief hiatus! This week, Anne Saxelby is joined in the studio by Diane Stemple of Jasper Hill Farm. Diane will be hosting Cutting the Curd while Anne is on maternity leave! Tune in to hear how Hurricane Sandy affected the cheese business in New York City. Bedford Cheese Shop, Saxelby Cheesemongers, and Murray’s Cheese are all located in Lower Manhattan and suffered because of the storm. Veronica Pedraza of Meadowood Farms calls in to talk about her experiences la...
Nov 06, 2012•31 min•Ep. 115
On this episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are joined by Kate Arding of the American Cheese Society. Kate is also the founder of Culture Magazine, and British farmstead cheese expert. Learn about the decline of artisanal British cheeses after the Industrial Revolution. Hear about mechanized cheese production, and the practice of coloring cheese. How did Neal’s Yard Dairy revive the British cheesemaking? Learn more about the role of distributors in the cheese business,...
Oct 08, 2012•36 min•Ep. 114
October is American Cheese Month! On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking about the newly inaugurated American Cheese Month, and what it means for artisanal cheese enthusiasts. Learn how you can get discounted farmhouse cheeses with the American Cheese Month’s Passport Program! Later, Anne and Sophie call up Christine Hyatt of Cheese-Chick.com! Tune in to hear how Christine’s time at the American Cheese Society inspired her to help found American...
Oct 01, 2012•21 min•Ep. 113
On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking with author and cheesemaker Gianaclis Caldwell. In addition to running Pholia Farm, Gianaclis has written two cheese-themed books, The Farmstead Creamery Advisor and the recent Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking . Like Anne, Gianaclis comes from a studio art background; hear why Gianaclis left the art world to embrace cream and curd. Tune into listen to Gianaclis talk about what she learned from writing her boo...
Sep 24, 2012•33 min•Ep. 112
We’re talking cheese tools on this week’s installment of Cutting the Curd! Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger talk with Kristy Hadeka and Sean Tice of Brooklyn Slate. Hear about how a graphic and fashion designer came to start a small company to plate cheese and serve beverages! Learn about the different processes that Kristy and Sean use to crack and extract slate. How did Kristy and Sean’s families react to the idea of Brooklyn Slate? Later, Anne and Sophie call Martijn Bos of Boska in Amsterda...
Sep 17, 2012•33 min•Ep. 111
This week, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger call up New York state dairy farmer Lorraine Lewendowsky for a report from the New York State Yogurt Summit. Lorraine is not only a dairy farmer, but an activist in the New York food community. Tune in to hear Lorraine talk about the percentage of yogurt that is made from large farms versus small farms. Learn about the environmental effects of New York state yogurt boom, and hear about some of the past trials that dairy farmers have had to face in the...
Sep 10, 2012•36 min•Ep. 110
Cutting the Curd is back from summer vacation, and Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are reviewing some of the best cheese-focused events of the summer. Hear about the American Cheese Society Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the new Certified Cheese Professional Exam. Learn about some of the best cheeses in-show from all across the country. Also, hear about the upcoming Washington County Cheese Tour in New York, and the Nutmegger Cheese and Wine Festival at Jones Family Farm in Shelton...
Aug 27, 2012•27 min•Ep. 109
On this week’s Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are traveling via the airwaves to Oregon! That’s right, this week’s episode is all about the state of cheese in Oregon. The Oregonian that Anne and Sophie are talking to is Sasha Davies, cheesemonger and author of The Guide to West Coast Cheese and The Cheesemaker’s apprentice. Anne, Sophie, and Sasha talk about how Portland is similar to Brooklyn in terms of artisanal food production; Portland’s got a huge population of homebrew...
Jul 16, 2012•38 min•Ep. 108
On today’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are remembering the life and work of cheesemonger, educator, writer, and chef Daphne Zepos. Anne and Sophie speak with two call-in guests for the occasion. Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s recalls Daphne’s passion and eloquence when it came to cheese. Ari also talks about some trips he took with Daphne in pursuit of good cheese, and her dedication to spreading the word about cheese and food education. Katherine Alford, current...
Jul 09, 2012•29 min•Ep. 107
What’s the state of cheese in Arizona? On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking with some cheese people from Arizona in the know! First up, we have Krista and Troy Daily from the Wedge and Bottle, a new cheese shop in Phoenix, Arizona. Find out what got Krista and Troy interested in cheese, as well as some of the local and imported cheese that they sell in their shop. What’s in store for Wedge and Bottle in terms of cheese education and tastings? ...
Jul 02, 2012•29 min•Ep. 106
On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are in the studio talking about the Cheesemonger Invitational. First, Anne and Sophie talk with Adam Smith of Cowgirl Creamery in Washington, D.C. Adam was this year’s Cheesemonger Invitational champion, and he discusses the rigors of the cheese competition. Hear about the different facets of the contest, including everything from a “plate the slate” test to a blind tasting. Later, Adam Moskowitz, founder of the Cheese...
Jun 25, 2012•46 min•Ep. 105
On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking with Sandor Katz, author of the book The Art of Fermentation. Tune in to hear about how bacterial cultures are reflections of our cultural identity! Anne, Sophie, and Sandor also discuss the war on bacteria, and how it is completely antithetical to boosting one’s immune system and can be seen as harmful to one’s health. Sandor praises the merits of fermented food and beverage, such as wine, salami, sauerkra...
Jun 18, 2012•36 min•Ep. 104
On this episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are on the phone with Rynn Caputo of the Caputo Brothers Creamery in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. Recently, Rynn came into Saxelby Cheesemongers in the Essex Street Market and showed Anne her mozzarella-making process! Tune in to hear about how Rynn and her husband set out with the intention of becoming chefs, and became makers of fine Italian-style cheeses. Learn about the different proteins that are present in milk, and how ...
Jun 11, 2012•32 min•Ep. 103
On today’s episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking with Chris Vamos, president of Milkman Cheese Services. Tune in to hear about cheese in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. Chris believes that younger cheesemakers are so eager to please all palettes, that they make several types of cheese without having a focus. Hear about Chris’s role in advising cheesemakers with his company, Milkman Cheese Services. While Chris takes cheese very seriously, ...
Jun 05, 2012•33 min•Ep. 102
Leave all of your stereotypes about “diets” and “dieting” behind! On this episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are talking with Elizabeth Fassberg, Registered Dietician and president of Eatfood (and her son, Jack) about nutrition and healthy dietary habits. Tune in to hear about Elizabeth’s start in the food world making cakes at age fourteen. Hear about how her experiences working with low-income youth inspired her to become a dietician. You might not expect a dieticia...
May 21, 2012•28 min•Ep. 101
This week is Cutting the Curd’s 100th episode! Congratulations to Anne Saxelby, Sophie Slesinger, and everyone else who has either been a guest or supported Cutting the Curd thus far! For this very special episode, Brian Keyser, Dimitri Saad, and Leigh Friend of Casellula Cheese & Wine Café are in the studio for a seven-course cheese tasting! More specifically, Anne and Sophie are taking a lesson in cheese pairing from everyone at Casellula. Hear about some of the cheese condiments at Casell...
May 14, 2012•49 min•Ep. 100
This week on Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are in the studio with two cheese professionals Marwen Amor of Fromagerie Catin in Paris and Sue Sturman of the American Cheese Society’s Cheese Professional Certification Program. Tune in to hear about Marwen’s beginnings in the cheese business, studying dairy sciences, the state of cheesemongering amongst the French youth, and his thoughts on American cheeses. Hear about his company, Saveurs de Laits, and its place in the cheese ...
May 07, 2012•29 min•Ep. 99
On this week’s Cutting the Curd, Anne and Sophie are talking about cooking with cheese! Joining them in the studio today is Sarah A. Maine of Saxelby Cheesemongers and the website RecipeRelay . Hear about Sarah’s unique website that encourages readers to alter recipes and spread them across the globe. Also joining Anne and Sophie is Lizz Spano, winner of Artisanal Bistro’s Grilled Cheese Competition and The Grilled Cheese Experiment. Hear about Lizz’s introduction to grilled cheese, and how it t...
Apr 30, 2012•31 min•Ep. 98
Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesginer are joined by Michele Buster of Forever Cheese and Mitica on this week’s Cutting the Curd. Forever Cheese and Mitica are importers of European cheeses, almonds, and other goods. Tune in to hear Michele’s start with distributing cheese, how language has helped her importing cheeses, and the differences between different Manchego cheeses. Listen to how FDA regulations have impeded cheese importation, and thus affects the already depressed economy in Europe. Michel...
Apr 23, 2012•33 min•Ep. 97
It’s time for more urban cheese making on Cutting the Curd! This week, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger talk with Matt Spiegler- web developer by day, and cheese maker by night. Tune in to hear Matt’s first memories of cheese, his initial interest in making his own cheese, and what types of cheeses he prefers to make. Hear about how Matt translated a French cheese documentary into English, and his self-imposed ‘365 Cheese Challenge’. Learn more about Matt’s cheese infatuation at Cheese Notes . ...
Apr 09, 2012•30 min•Ep. 96
This week’s Cutting the Curd is all about Mexican Cheese! Our hosts Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are joined in the studio by Carlos Yescas of the Guild Du Fromage and Lactography . Carlos is currently working with the government of Chiapas to help grant a collective trademark to cheese makers of queso de cuadro. Joining via phone is Catalina Rivera, an award winner for sheep’s milk cheese in the World Cheese Awards. Also on the phone is José Trejo of Chiapas, maker of cincho, queso de cuadr...
Apr 09, 2012•34 min•Ep. 95
This Week on Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger are continuing their discussion about goats. But they’re not just talking about goat cheese, but also goat meat. Tune in to hear Anne and Sophie talk to Jonny Hunter of the Underground Food Collective, and Heritage’s own Erin Fairbanks! Topics range from goat charcuterie to selling and eating dairy animals. Hear about Johnny’s famous goat bacon and Erin’s experiences working with goat farmers all over the Northeast. This program wa...
Mar 26, 2012•32 min•Ep. 94
On this episode of Cutting the Curd, Anne and Sophie are joined in the studio by Patrick Martins of Heritage Foods USA, and Joe Dinoto of the Red Hook Criterium running and bicycle race. Tune into hear about the history of the race and some of the amazing athletes that participated in this year’s Red Hook Criterium on March 24th. Joe also discusses his own running group, the Orchard Street Runners, and their upcoming races. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch . “[The race] transformed the...
Mar 26, 2012•25 min•Ep. 93
Today’s episode of Cutting the Curd is all about goats! Tune in as Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slessinger chat with Louisa Conrad of Big Picture Farm in Vermont about all things goat. Learn how she fell in love with goat cheese and what makes kidding season such a crazy time of year. Find out about how the seasons affect the milk and cheese and what makes goats such unique creatures! Later on, they catch up with Gregory Bernhardt and Hannah Sessions of Big Picture Farm who are also in full-blown goa...
Mar 13, 2012•32 min•Ep. 92
This week on Cutting the Curd, Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slesinger sit and chat with Gabrielle Langholtz & Rachel Wharton, editor and deputy editor of Edible Manhattan , about “The Dairy Issue.” Hear their thoughts on the recent cheese revolution in the dining world and find out why everybody’s got dairy on their minds these days. Find out why they love Steve Jenkins so much and what they have planned for their upcoming Good Dairy event. Also hear the incredible story of Milk Thistle Farm and ...
Mar 12, 2012•33 min•Ep. 91
