Cutting the Curd

Most DIY cheesemaking books are hard to follow, complicated, and confusing, and call for the use of packaged freeze-dried cultures, chemical additives, and expensive cheesemaking equipment.  This week on Cutting the Curd, host Diane Stemple is in studio with David Asher, author of “The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World’s Best Cheeses,” who seeks to influence cheesemakers to adopt more natural, sustainable practices. Preaching a traditional, but increasingly countercultural, way of making cheese―one that is natural and intuitive, grounded in ecological principles and biological science―Diane goes behind the scenes of the book and uncovers David’s path to natural cheesemaking. This program was brought to you by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. “I believe that there’s a healthy community of microbes out there that can help cheesemakers practice a very safe, traditional cheese making.” [18:10] “I will not necessarily choose certified organic cheese over not certified organic cheese. The organic regulations really just apply to the production of milk rather than the production of the cheese.” [24:25] –David Asher on Cutting the Curd    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daphne Zepos was a teacher, mentor and inspiration to many in the food industry. Her legacy is embodied by Daphne Zepos Teaching Award, which was established in 2013 in order to promote the sharing of knowledge between Europe and young cheese professionals in the U.S.. On today’s episode of Cutting the Curd, host Greg Blais talks with last year’s award recipient Emily Shartin and this year’s recently announced recipient, Tom Perry. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “What if you can’t have a cave – how do you still incorporate some of these techniques, this way of thinking, into what you do?” [13:00] —Emily Shartin on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Farming is in Inga Witscher’s blood. A fourth generation farmer, Inga talks to host Greg Blais about her passion for sustainable agriculture and her family’s creative solutions for maintaining a viable organic farming business. She is also the host of her own television show – Around the Farm Table. Rachel Perez joins in the studio to give an update on this year’s American Cheese Society Conference, which ran from July 29 – August 1st in Providence, Rhode Island. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “If I do things the way nature intended, there’s a good chance I’ll be able to do that longterm.” [6:13] “We need more small farm cheese makers!” [12:34] —Inga Witscher on Cutting the Curd “It’s important that the FDA comes and reaches out to the cheese community so that we can work on policy that makes sense together.” [33:06] —Rachel Perez on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On July 19, 2015, cheese lovers descended upon the historic Shelburn Farms Coach Barn for the annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival. Tune in to hear host Diane Stemple interview cheesemakers live from the festival in this special on location episode of Cutting the Curd. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Cutting the Curd, host Diane Stemple talks to Debra Dickerson, who has been passionately involved in the cheese world for over two decades. A board member of the American Cheese Society, Debra lays out the necessary details about the organization plus highlights the upcoming ACS Conference before welcoming cheesemonger and author Gordon Edgar to the show to add to the discussion. Tune in as the conversation winds down with an interesting talk on European buyers taking over American cheesemaking companies. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “There is a panel for every interest in the cheese world and I think as the American Cheese Society has evolved and as the conference has evolved, the panels have become more meaty and more engaging and relevant for the future of the industry.” [21:28] —Debra Dickerson on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tune in for a special episode of Cutting the Curd as Greg Blais and Emily Acosta take listeners through a plethora of cheese travel stories told by attendees of a recent Academie Opus Caseus sponsored gathering. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason Hinds joins host Greg Blais in Cutting the Curd’s continuing discussion on lost cheeses. Find out how two World Wars changed the course of traditional English cheese production and about today’s growing renaissance of cheese in the UK. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “We have to sell cheese on the front foot. When you stand in front of a customer and that initial engagement happens there’s an instant you have the fear or no fear. You step forward or step back. If you step back, the customers smell the fear.” [24:00] –Jason Hinds on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this Cutting the Curd Book Review, host Diane Stemple talks to Nina Teicholz, investigative journalist and author of The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet. Tune in to hear how certain fats might be the key to reversing the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “The book has been called a nutrition thriller. It really attempts to tell this question that is at the center of everyone’s mind which is: why are we as a nation getting so fact and sick?” [3:20] “It’s impossible, I think, for these large institutions to be the stewards of good science.” [14:15] —Nina Teicholz on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Cutting the Curd, host Greg Blais learns about some new and exciting cheese ventures in the Pacific Northwest. Dan Utano, cheesemaker and production manager at Ferndale Farmstead Creamery talks about recreating Italian cheese recipes in Washington State, and Anna Juhl joins in studio to discuss the latest Cheese Journey offering to Oregon State. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “There’s a lot that can go wrong in cheesemaking. If I was easy everybody would be doing it!” [17:00] “Whether you’re doing it with your hands or a machine, it’s what you understand about your milk, culture, how you taste, grade, evolve your cheese, that’s what going to define you.” [22:40] —Dan Utano on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the record drought in California – the worst in hundreds of years – continues to make headlines, food producers across the state are forced to adapt. For Sue Conley of Cowgirl Creamery, this means cutting down on certain styles of cheese. In this next installment of Cutting the Curd’s Lost Cheese series, tune in to hear Sue, Greg Blais and guest co-host Matt Rubiner discuss the drought, cottage cheese, and the present and future of dairy in California. This program was brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus. “We stopped making it [cottage cheese] before the the drought hit because it is a water intensive cheese.” [10:40] “This drought, what it’s done, has made every commodity precious so our whey is in demand and we actually get a little bit of money for it.” [14:50] —Sue Conley on Cutting the CurdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.