Continuing the discussion from last week about developing new cheeses, this week on Cutting the Curd host Greg Blais chats with Matthew and Maize of Jacobs and Brichford Farmstead Cheese. J&B currently produces three outstanding cheeses that have become standards at counters across the country – Ameribella, Everton and Briana. The R&D process continues, as they are developing a new cheese to round out their selection. Tune in to hear about what it takes to make and market new cheeses, an...
Feb 16, 2015•36 min•Ep. 210
The R&D process for creating a new cheese can be a long and expensive one for new artisan cheesemakers, but it is also a labor of love. On this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais sits down Benton Brown and Sam Frank of the Crown Finish Caves – a cheese aging facility in Crown Heights, Brooklyn – and New York cheesemakers Margot Brooks of Sugar House Creamery and Jos Vulto of Vulto Creamery. While Sugar House ages most of their cheeses in a cave on their farm, they have also...
Feb 09, 2015•44 min•Ep. 209
On today’s “Book Review” edition of Cutting the Curd, host Diane Stemple reviews “One Hour Cheese” by Claudia Lucero, owner of Urban Cheesecraft – a DIY cheesemaking company. With 16 recipes for making cheese in under an hour – from “creamy and spreadable” to “firm and chewy” to “melty and gooey” – Claudia very clearly and concisely describes the science and essentials needed to make simple and delicious cheeses at home. This program was brought to you by The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board . “I ...
Feb 02, 2015•33 min•Ep. 208
For many of us working in the cheese business, cheese is a lens through which we view the world and our place in it. With New Years resolutions still on the top of our minds, on today’s episode of Cutting the Curd , Greg Blais talks to two professionals who made the decision to work with cheese, and proactively sought out their current roles. Jeanine Dargis tells us of her amazing uphill journey to becoming a cheesemaker at Valley Shepherd, while Matt Reilly talks to us about his recent victory ...
Jan 19, 2015•48 min•Ep. 207
This week Cutting the Curd host Greg Blais kicks off the new year with all-star guest Anne Saxelby, first catching up about the crazy cheese holidays before getting into their 2014 year in review. The duo discuss fondness for the Spring Brook Reading Raclette before deeming 2014 as the year of regulations in cheese. Revisiting the Food Safety Modernization Act and what it meant for imported and domestic cheeses, Anne points out that American cheeses have never been better and that by not being a...
Jan 12, 2015•38 min•Ep. 206
On today’s “Book Review” edition of Cutting the Curd , Diane Stemple review “The Science of Cheese” by Michael Tunick. In an engaging tour of the science and history of cheese, Michael Tunick explores the art of cheese making, the science that lies underneath the deliciousness, and the history behind how humanity came up with one of its most varied and versatile of foods. Dr. Tunick spends his everyday deep within the halls of the science of cheese, as a researcher who creates new dairy products...
Dec 22, 2014•39 min•Ep. 205
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais is talking drunken cheese stories with guests Charlotte Kamin and Nate McEllroy of Bedford Cheese Shop, and Matt Rubiner of Rubiner’s Cheesemongers & Grocers. Kicking off the show trying to pry some crazy stories from the guests, Greg recalls a few times working slightly hungover and successfully encourages tales from there. Tune in for a fun episode and hear thoughts on the best, worst, and funniest cheese shop customers, as well as the guests...
Dec 15, 2014•41 min•Ep. 204
Continuing the discussion about the importance of cheese importers and distributers to the cheese chain, host Greg Blais chats with Stephanie Ciano and Shelli Morton of Crystal Food Import/World’s Best Cheese. Stephanie and Shelli talk about the history of Crystal Food, and how the company has changed the industry and adapted to changes in American cheese culture. During the busy holiday season, cheese shops around the country stock their walk-ins and cheese cases to the brim. Tune in to hear al...
Dec 08, 2014•38 min•Ep. 203
This week on Cutting the Curd, co-hosts Greg Blais and Anne Saxelby talk with Adam Moskowitz of Larkin Cold Storage and Debra Dickerson of Tomales Bay Foods. During the busy holiday season, cheese shops around the country stock their walk-ins and cheese cases to the brim. But how does all of this fragile cheese get from the farm to the cheese counter in perfect condition? Tune in to hear all of the details from veteran wholesalers/distributors in the American cheese biz as they talk about how th...
Dec 01, 2014•45 min•Ep. 202
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Diane Stemple is talking Kickstarter campaigns with Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm and Jessica Sennett of Cheese Grotto. First up, Sue Miller talks about her cheese history before delving into the goal of Birchrun Hills’ Kickstarter campaign. As a family-run dairy, they are seeking support in order to build a cheese-making facility (a.k.a. “a cave”) on the farm. The money will go to purchasing a curd vat, shelving (to ripen cheese), and a cooling system fo...
Nov 24, 2014•34 min•Ep. 201
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais is talking cheese hacks! Similar to the popular life hacks, which solve everyday problems using everyday items in an unconventional way, Greg and guest Nadjeeb Chouaf of Flora Artisanal Cheese in Charlottesville, VA chat about shortcuts in cheese. Nadjeeb also opens up about how he became involved in the cheesemongering world and how he came to open his own cheese shop. Kicking off the hacks with some thoughts on parmesan rinds and cheese rinds in ...
Nov 17, 2014•33 min•Ep. 200
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais is wrapping up the series on cheese and art discussion cheese in the visual medium, whether that be in photography or painting. Welcoming guest co-host Cara Warren, Cheese Manager and Buyer at Greene Grape Provisions, to the show as well as Mike Geno and Carol Bobolts. Mike Geno is a fine artist from Philadelphia who specializes in realistic paintings of objects such as cheese, bread, bacon, and other types of food. Carol Bobolts leads the Red Herr...
Nov 10, 2014•41 min•Ep. 199
Continuing the ongoing series on cheese and art, this week host Greg Blais is talking film on Cutting the Curd! Welcoming co-host Matt Spiegler, a writer, documentarian, and creator of the blog Cheese Notes , the duo kick off the show talking about their recent viewing of the movie, “The Boxtrolls,” and how cheese in general is beginning to become more visible in film but still has a way to go to achieve popularity. Going through a plethora of movies that do feature cheese, the guys discuss if t...
Nov 03, 2014•41 min•Ep. 198
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Diane Stemple welcomes Lou Di Palo of Italian Selects based in Little Italy, NYC and author of the new book, “Di Palo’s Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy.” Talking to Diane about his family’s prominent background in the food industry (Lou’s great-grandfather started their business in 1903!) as well as why he decided to take on writing a book, Lou talks in great detail about making cheese and dairy products like his great-grandfather and father did. Join i...
Oct 27, 2014•39 min•Ep. 197
This week Cutting the Curd is continuing its series on cheese and art. Host Greg Blais and co-host Emily Acosta delve into the interesting topic of breast milk cheese with artist Miriam Simun, who has personal experience in this realm. Having started the human cheese project in order to provoke a space for discourse around norms and practices with regard to human exceptionalism, food production, emerging bioavailabilities, and the commodification of bodies, Miriam brings up many questions surrou...
Oct 20, 2014•39 min•Ep. 196
This week on Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais and guest co-host Anne Saxelby begin a series talking about cheese and art – how cheese tends to intersect across all platforms. This week in particular, tune in to hear guests Soyoung Scanlan of Andante Dairy and Andy Hatch of Uplands Cheese Company talk about their experiences with cheese and music. Soyoung kicks off the conversation sharing how she has been inspired to combine her love of music to create a unique, multi-sensory experience with h...
Oct 13, 2014•39 min•Ep. 195
What’s in a name? This week on Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais is talking cheese names with guests Rachel Perez and David Grotenstein. Rachel is the French Cheese Ambassador for The French Cheese Club and is on the Judging and Competition Committee with the American Cheese Society, while David is an industry veteran having been in the business for over 30 years. Rachel kicks off the show with explaining European standards for naming cheese as it pertains to American producers. The group goes ...
Oct 06, 2014•40 min•Ep. 194
This week on a brand new Cutting the Curd , host Diane Stemple is kicking off the show’s monthly book review, welcoming chef and cheesemonger Chester Hastings, author of The Cheesemonger’s Seasons to talk about his beautifully photographed volume. Complete with his favorite cheese recipes, Chester shares with Diane how to match peak-season produce with fine cheeses. Also chatting with Diane about how a recipe truly becomes one’s own and the differences between what you might see used in his prof...
Sep 29, 2014•33 min•Ep. 193
This week on a brand new Cutting the Curd , host Greg Blais takes on current events in the cheese realm and welcomes Susan Sturman and Stephanie Ciano to the program to shed light on what’s going on. A Cutting the Curd veteran, Susan Sturman is the Director of the Anglophone Program at Academie Opus Caseus and is a Co-Chair of the 2015 Annual Conference at the American Cheese Society. Stephanie Ciano is the Vice President of Sales & Purchasing at Crystal Food Import Corporation, specializing...
Sep 22, 2014•42 min•Ep. 192
Cheese royalty is in the house this week on Cutting the Curd ! Join Greg Blais as he chats with Peter Dixon and Benton Brown on a candid and insightful episode of the world’s best cheese radio show. Peter Dixon is a dairy foods consultant and artisan cheesemaker. His work with people engaged in or interested in making cheese and other dairy products draws on 30 years of cheesemaking and 15 years of consulting. Peter works with dairy farmers and experienced or aspiring cheesemakers to research, d...
Sep 15, 2014•40 min•Ep. 191
This week on Cutting the Curd , guest host Greg Blais and co-host Diane Stemple kick off the new radio season with a very special guest, none other than Anne Saxelby! Catching up with Anne, Greg and Diane start the show off discussing the culinary perks of Brooklyn as well as putting the guest on the spot asking about her journey with cheese. Though growing up in the midwest and going to college at New York University for art, it wasn’t until she took a trip to Italy that she truly discovered th...
Sep 08, 2014•37 min•Ep. 190
Tune in for a fun and insightful episode of Cutting the Curd as Greg Blais is joined by friend and cheese expert Max McCalman. Max is a highly visible advocate for artisanal cheese production, and is renowned as one of the cheese world’s living legends for his expertise, insight and passion. Max is a dedicated scholar of cheese, where he acts as consultant to the trade, judges at cheese competitions and is a frequent guest lecturer. He was America’s first restaurant-based Maître Fromager. Max’s...
Aug 25, 2014•38 min•Ep. 189
This week on Cutting the Curd , Diane Stemple chats with Michael Paternity, author of The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese . In the fall of 1991, while working at a gourmet deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michael Paterniti encountered a piece of cheese. Not just any cheese. This was Paramo de Guzman, a rare Spanish queso reputed to be the finest, and most expensive, in the world. The cheese carried its own legend: Made from an ancient family r...
Aug 18, 2014•36 min•Ep. 188
On a new episode of Cutting the Curd , hear from last year and this year’s recipients of the Daphne Zepos Teaching Award . The Daphne Zepos Teaching Award is an annual scholarship awarded to a USA-based cheese professional who uses the funds to travel, learn and further their education on cheese. First, hear from Jess Perrie of Beehive Cheese Company who won the award last year. She recounts her trip to Basque country in Spain and reflects on how it inspired her to try new things in her cheesema...
Aug 11, 2014•34 min•Ep. 187
Re-live the 2014 American Cheese Society Conference, held this year in Sacramento, California, on a brand new episode of Cutting the Curd ! Hosts Greg Blais and Diane Stemple are joined by Debra Dickerson, co-chair of The Festival of Cheese at the ACS, and Jeremy Stephenson, a cheesemaker who’s Tarentaise Reserve took home best in show at the ACS. Find out what makes the cheese world such a vibrant community and hear some great stories from the big event! This program was brought to you by The W...
Aug 05, 2014•38 min•Ep. 186
Re-live the 2014 Cheesemonger Invitational on this week’s episode of Cutting the Curd . Greg Blais, Sophie Slessinger and Andrew SiIskind were at the event and recorded some great interviews that they are sharing with listeners today. Hear from Matt Spiegler of CheeseNotes.com, Adam Smith of Jasper Hill, Jeremy Stephenson of Springbrook Farms and Veronica Pedraza of Meadowood Farms. This program was brought to you by Consider Bardwell See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...
Jul 28, 2014•42 min•Ep. 185
Re-live the Vermont Cheesemaker’s Festival on a special episode of Cutting the Curd, as host Greg Blais is joined by Lisa Battilana, the Executive Chef of the Woodstock Farmer’s Market in Vermont and cheesemonger Perry Soulos for a re-cap. The 6th Annual Vermont Cheesemaker’s Festival, sponsored by the Vermont Cheese Council took place July 20th at the Coach Barn at Shelbourne Farm in Vermont and featured over 200 cheeses from more than 40 cheese makers, as well as dozens of artisan food produce...
Jul 21, 2014•36 min•Ep. 184
What happens when a punk kid figures out how to handle cheese? The Bedford Cheese Shop is born! Get some insight into running a cheese shop as Greg Blais and guest co-host Matt Rubiner chat with Charlotte Kamin, owner of Bedford Cheese Shop- an old-fashioned cheese shop dedicated to providing the finest quality cheeses from around the world. Tune in to find out what the day to day life of a cheese shop owner is like, what plans Charlotte has for expansion and what inspires her “brand”. From qual...
Jul 14, 2014•38 min•Ep. 183
Andy Hatch is responsible for one of the most ubiquitous cheeses on counters and menus across the country – Pleasant Ridge Reserve. He’s the guy behind Uplands Cheese Company, a seasonal grass-based dairy farm. Uplands is unique in a number of ways: it follows the “Alpine pattern” of milking, and its a place where cows harvest their own feed, spread their own manure, and give the farmer a bit of a break in the hard labor department. Tune into a conversational and candid episode of Cutting the Cu...
Jul 08, 2014•34 min•Ep. 182
Jason Hinds of Neal’s Yard Dairy has damn-near seen it all when it comes to cheese. This week he joins Greg Blais and Emily Acosta on Cutting the Curd to discuss his work at Neal’s Yard Dairy, his cheese travels and his experiences in the Jura region of France. Tune in and hear Jason recount trips to the cheese fortresses of Jura, the seasonality and terroir of the area and what makes the cheeses of the region so incredible. Neal’s Yard Dairy is a London artisanal cheese retailer and cheesemaker...
Jun 30, 2014•43 min•Ep. 181
