Benita Kasbo is the owner of Kasbo's Market based in Madison, NJ. Benita is originally from Syria and specializes in making Jibneh, Syrian Cheese. Her old world recipe is made with a unique spice called mahleb and her cheese was featured in The New York Times food section. She is passionate about Middle Eastern food and enjoys helping people discov…

On this episode, Joe chats with twin sisters Sarah and Boo Simms, co-owners, and the culinary and creative duo behind Lady & Larder – the renowned Los Angeles-based specialty cheese shop credited with initiating a global grazing board movement in 2016. Lady & Larder was founded on their deep respect for American and California-made seasonal ingredi…

Discover the secrets behind the time-honored techniques used to craft this iconic cheese, as Jane shares insights into the art of maturation, flavor development, and the enduring legacy of Quicke's Cheese. From the rolling hills of Devon to your plate, explore the journey of craftsmanship and tradition that defines each bite of Quicke's clothbound …

Kristine Jannuzzi is a journalist, cheese specialist, content creator, and World Cheese Awards Judge. In 2023, she was inducted into the Guilde des Fromagers in Bra. A dual American/Italian citizen, Kristine hosts cheese tastings and bespoke tours in Tuscany and beyond. On this episode, Jessica catches up with Kristine from across the Atlantic. Her…

The Daphne Zepos Teaching Endowment is now accepting applications for grants! You may ask, "What does this mean?" We will explain on this episode, as we have a lively chat with 2023 DZRA recipient Alexandra Jones, 2015 DZTA recipient Tom Perry, and DZTE board president Brandi Wills. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast n…

We interview Diana Pinzón, a biologist, conservationist and co-founder of Zinacantan mezcal. Diana poses 10 questions for the California Agave Council and expresses her concern for protecting endemic agave in Mexico and the bio-cultural heritage they represent.By Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

What is the flavor profile of a clothbound cheddar made in Cincinnati? Six years ago, Scott and Andrea Robbins made 300 pounds of Quark on their first official day as Urban Stead Cheese with no customers lined up to buy it. But they knew they were on to something with their community-focused approach to business. Their success since opening their c…

Joe reflects on Morbier's triumphant return and chats with veteran cheese monger Matthew Rose, who went 'All In' on Cheese, and is now partner at the venerable Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese shops in Connecticut after working there for the past 7 years. Hear about Matthew's path in cheese and what led him to this opportunity while fostering his team'…

In this savory episode of Cutting the Curd, we delve into the world of cheese with none other than Alice Bergen Phillips, the distinguished Cheeselete expert, grant manager for the Back in the Vat initiative, and proud owner the cheeseshop, Cheesemonster DC. Join us for an engaging conversation as Alice shares her journey from cheese enthusiast to …

A special episode recorded at Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville, WI, Liana Mericka and Andy Hatch give us a tour of the farm and creamery during the Art of Cheese Festival last fall. Organized by the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the festival was a weekend dedicated to appreciating the cheeses of Wisconsin and the people who make them. Heritage Ra…

Joe chats with industry veteran Lydia Burns from Rogers Collection, contemplating what makes Food so Fancy and the new location of the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by becoming a member! Cutting the Curd is Powered by Simplecast.…

Award-winning author, educator, and columnist Janet Fletcher is the creator of the Planet Cheese blog, which lands in email inboxes of the cheese-obsessed everywhere each week. On this episode, she joins Jessica for a conversation about her career, reflections on the availability of cheeses over the years, the sadness when a cheese is no longer pro…

We continue our investgation into the plant known as Espadin in Oaxaca; This time following genetic trail. Dr. Jorge Nieto Sotelo from UNAM in Mexico City talks to us about Agave angustifolia and it's possible origins among other things.By Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

Recorded sometime in 2022 - we finally edited this interview / tasting we did with professional cheesemonger, Julia Gross. Some fun and insightful stuff about cheese and mezcal pairing in general.By Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

In this special episode, our CTC hosts reflect on the wheel-turning events, the curd-inary highlights, and the fon-due moments that shaped the cheese-scape this past year. We explore it all with a sprinkle of humor, a dash of clever insight, and a dollop of cheesy charm. Unpack the stories behind the latest cheese trends, hear again about the curd-…

We begin to research the origins of the plant known as "Espadin" in Oaxaca.By Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

In the heart of Albuquerque, we explore the intricate web of raw milk legislation in New Mexico. How do these laws shape the production, distribution, and consumption of raw milk? What challenges do Mousehole Cheeseshop and other local dairy enthusiasts face? Tune in as we navigate the nuances of the legal landscape and hear firsthand accounts from…

Today we have two fun guests from the cheese world joining us in the Cutting the Curd HRN Studio in Bushwick - Joe chats with Emilia D'Albero aka @Punkrockparmigiano & @Emdalbero of Formaticum and Cat Pickei aka @Catdreamsofcheese from Murray's- hear why they think a cheesemonger's daily work at the counter influences so many critical elements in o…

Recorded live in the Podcast Lounge at the Art of Cheese Festival in Madison, Wisconsin, Cutting the Curd spoke with three women in cheese who are changing the landscape of the Dairy State. Huma Siddiqui-Seitz joined H Conley from HRN to discuss the relationship between food and culture, and her goals for her company, White Jasmine; Madeline Kuhn s…

In this episode of Cutting the Curd, we sit down with Martijn Bos, the innovative mind behind Boska Food Tools, a company dedicated to revolutionizing the world of cheese tools and accessories. Martijn shares his passion for cheese tools and discusses the creative process behind designing unique cheese tools that enhance the cheese experience. Join…

This week, Joe interviews cheese book author, 2011 CMI champ, and bonafide Cheese Ambassador Steve Jones. Over the last 20+ years, Steve has owned and operated 5 cheese businesses, and has since left the cheese counter in 2020 to pursue work in cheese distribution. Let's hear what led him on his journey as he charts the course in his cheese filled …

Recorded live in the HRN Podcast Lounge at the Art of Cheese Festival in Madison, WI in September, we sat down with cheesemakers Orphee Paillotin, Marieke Penterman, and Ricardo Gutierrez Cruz to talk about moving to Wisconsin from other countries and making cheese in the state known as "America's Dairyland". Heritage Radio Network is a listener su…

Tune in this episode when Joe interviews Cheese Professional Jeff Buck, who daylights as a cheese monger and moonlights as a comedian in the LA area circuit and beyond. Hear how Jeff runs bits and cheese anecdotes on and off the stage, and how his good work at the cheese counter has helped him produce three different comedy shows in the LA area - y…

Hablamos con Raul Chavez, un Agricultor de Agave en California

Tenaya Darlington is an author, instructor and a restaurant cheese director based in Philadelphia. She's well known for her cheese-centric adventures, which she shares online and in person through a variety of mediums. Her new book is part cheese history, part cheese science, and 100% inspiration for designing your own cheese adventure, whether its…

A conversation with Craig Reynolds of the California Agave CouncilBy Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

On today's episode we have Amye Gulezian, the Specialty Foods Operations Manager at High Lawn Farm, located in Lee, Massachusetts. Amy has been both a cheesemaker and cheesemonger since 2018 and has a degree in Agricultural and Heritage Dairy Production. I’m excited to catch up with her about the latest at the Massachusetts Cheese Fest and what’s d…

Our guest today is Tom Perry, cheese sales manager of Shelburne Farms, a cheddar producer located in Vermont. He has been a cheesemonger in the New England scene for many years and was a previous winner of the DZTA scholarship. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by becoming a member! C…

Loveneh Labneh is a collaboration between Erivan Yogurt and Merion Park Cheese Co, The story of these two Philadelphia-area companies, and how they came together, is a modern story rooted in tradition and memory. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by becoming a member! Cutting the Curd…

Our new host Vinik Jure and Rion Toal talk about the importance of words when it comes to the preservation of traditional mezcal.By Maestros del Mezcal A.C.

In this inspiring episode, Joe checks in with CMI Masters Champions Courtney Johnson and Sam Rollins. Courtney and Sam will each individually represent Team USA in September 2023 at the Mondial Du Fromage in Tours, France, an elite biannual world champion cheese monger event. If either of them win, it would be a first for a USA cheesemonger! - GO t…

Sarah Simiele, owner of The Curd Nerd in Syracuse, NY has forged a path from Microbiology studies to cheese shop ownership with no signs of slowing down. A story about following your passion and taking risks that most recently culminated in being crowned the new CMI champion. Listen and get inspired! Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported n…

We're doing things a little differently on this week's episode of Cutting the Curd. Our dear friend and former CTC host Diane Stemple is being recognized by the new world chapter of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers for her work in the cheese industry. For decades, Diane promoted artisanal cheese makers form the US and abroad, first as a mong…

Today we welcome CJ Bienert to CTC for the first time! CJ & Kari Bienert are the owners of both the Cheese Shop of Des Moines and Cheese Bar of Des Moines. We discuss what it was like in 2011 to start up a cheese shop in their twenties and the upcoming ACS conference that will be held again this year in Des Moines. Heritage Radio Network is a liste…

In her latest book, "Spoiled: The Myth of Milk as Superfood," Anne Mendelson deconstructs the history of 'drinking milk' and the myths, scientific developments, and social constructs that have supported the growth of an industry, for better or worse. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd …

Our guests are Oliver Ford and Britton Welsh, Director of Sales and President of Beehive Cheese respectively. We examine how they became B Corp certified and the advantages of being a B Corp company. Plus, we deep dive into of some of their greatest flavor origin stories, starting with their classic Barely Buzzed and now to their newest venture Red…

On our latest episode, Joe chats with Trevor Warmedahl, the 2022 Daphne Zepos Teaching Endowment Award winner. Trevor is known as the "Milk_Trekker" by his popular instagram and YouTube handle where he is followed by thousands. Trevor is a real life nomadic herdsman, cheese maker, writer, and educator who has traveled to remote areas of the world s…

Marissa Mullen, founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of Cheese By Numbers, is back with us to celebrate her new book, That Cheese Plate Wants to Party. We get into the details of writing a second book, social media, book deals, and building a work life you love. We also dive into the book and talk cheese plates, cheese pairings, and cheese play…

We finally got a Pizza expert on Cutting the Curd! On this episode Cara and Joe interview Peter of HRN 's Pizza Quest about everything form best practices of cheese to the new wave dough movement hitting the Pizza crust domain. Plus, we review the philosophy of artisan Pizza and its similarities to cheesemongering. In the words of the great Michela…

Back in June 2014, almost a decade ago, our former CTC host Greg Blais chatted with Mike Lee of Twig Farm Vermont and Judy Schad of Capriole Goat Cheese Indiana to learn the differences between the two goat cheesemakers. Each farm milks the alpine breed of goat but has very different cheesemaking styles. Here we take a look at the thought provoking…

Zach Berg and Will Werner met when they were ten years old in Michigan. After living in the Bay Area for a few years, they wrote a mission statement for a new food business, Mongers' Provisions, focused on supplying customers for a journey of Cultivation, Connection, and Passion. Now co-owners of two retail locations in Metro Detroit, Zach and Will…

In this episode, we catch up cheese monger extraordinaire Lassa Skinner about the many hair pin turns she has taken in her storied career as a cheese professional. Lassa is co-founder of Culture magazine, author of two books; 'Cheese for Dummies' and 'Cheese Boards to Share', and also is the mind behind Counter Culture events to help further cheese…

Cheeses are alive, and cheeses of all types are influenced by their environment. Once a cheese leaves the caves and enters the suppy chain, we need to do more than cross our fingers that it will make it to a customer in good condition. One of the responsibilites of cheesemongers is to continue to care for cheeses after they arrive to the store. In …

On today's episode, we discuss with buttermonger Sheana Davis the various butter types in available in the US, how compound butters can be made, and what makes them special. Plus, we look at the attributes of AOP French butters. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by becoming a member! …

Meet Sean Hartwig, the specialty food manager at Zingerman's Deli. In this episode, Sean shares cheese tales about what he has seen and learned over his 14 years at the Zingerman's cheese counter. We discuss what servant leadership is, and what changes Zingerman's has made since 2020 that have improved work / life for the team and what makes things…

On today’s episode we have Guillaume Dupin, Export Manager of Maison Agour based in the Basque country. He's on the program to help us learn more about the Basque gastronomic culture relating to worlds of Ossau Iraty, Petit Agour, and Bayonne Ham. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by …

Molly Browne, Directory of Education at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, joins us to discuss Cheese State University, a digital campus for people in the cheese industry to "deepen their knowledge, sharpen their skills, and build connections". Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cutting the Curd by becoming a…

Some people know cheese and some people really know cheese. On today's episode we catch up with Alex Armstrong, Sensory Evaluator and Educator at Jasper Hill Farm. He is on the program today to help us understand what it means to be a sensory evaluator and how it can be useful for cheesemaking and sales. Heritage Radio Network is a listener support…

Jasleen and Tarush Agarwal, first generation immigrants from India who met and married in California, could not find a Paneer that wasn't highly processed or tasted anything close to what they enjoyed growing up. So Jasleen started making her own. A couple of years later, they started Sach Foods to bring organic, high protein, great tasting Paneer …

A look into Lakin's Gorges Cheese with Allison Lakin, head cheesemaker and owner of East Forty Farm. She has been making cheese since the early 2000's and is now winning awards for her cheeses like Rockweed. Here we take a deep dive into what it means to be a Maine Cheesemaker and how studying anthropology can help you make better cheese. Heritage …