‘American cheese should be getting more attention’

I recently found myself on the red eye to JFK for the love of cheese.

I’ve been wanting to visit the USA to explore their cheeses ever since meeting David Gremmels from Rogue Creamery in Bergamo at the World Cheese Awards. His cheese, Rogue River Blue, won Best Cheese in The World. This blue cheese from Oregon is totally awesome. The organic outer rind is wrapped with pear brandy-soaked vine leaves. This perfectly leads your palate to a luscious and creamy blue cheese heart, with crunchy tyrosine crystals. What a tasting trip my taste buds went on. Truly magical. If you have not tried it yet please do, at least put it on your bucket list of cheeses to taste. It’s available from Neal’s Yard Dairy.

The last time I was in New York was 2012. I had the most brilliant time at the famous Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. I was there to do a restaurant takeover, and had an absolute blast with my chefs. Though I found it strange I could not find any cheese of note at the hotel or the delis. There was definitely an artisan cheese scene in NY, led by people like Adam Moskowitz and Murray’s Cheese, both importers and exporters.

So why don’t we know about American cheese in the UK? America actually has a thriving artisan movement. Like the UK, the percentage of artisan made over industrial is circa 3%. In Britain we do not get to see many of these beautiful cheeses due to import cost and time spent in transit.

Most of the UK believes American cheese is mass-produced. In fact, the first factory-made cheese was crafted in America. This, I am sure, was full of the best intentions, such as feeding the growing population, and helping Americans strive forward whilst building the new frontier. As with industrial British cheese there are some American factories making processed cheese with only huge profit margins in mind. The cheese is then not about quality, sustainability and ethics. It is palatable, and looks good in packaging, which tempts the consumer in. Marketing of such products is often misleading, with slogans like The Nation’s Favourite Cheddar.

So, we really do have a big job to help make artisan more appreciated. Industrialists have big budgets and investors propping them up. They have the highest tech machinery that helps to produce cheese in no time at all. They will have huge budgets for marketing and compliance, including grads paid highly in research and development to help look at ways to increase overall productivity.

As an artisan cheese specialist I know how hard it is for these amazing artisan producers to keep their business thriving. Challenges in 2023 for both the UK and American artisan cheese markets include high interest rates, power price hikes, spiralling travel costs, and animal feed prices. The cost of living has become exponentially challenging.

My visit to New York was to attend the Cheese Mongers Invitational, founded by Adam Moskowitz. This is a platform where the best cheesemongers of the USA compete for a massive prize worth thousands of dollars, plus a trip to Europe to visit a cheesemaker. It is held in a giant music venue with cheesemakers offering tasters, and filled with loads of paying guests that are total cheese nerds.

Importantly, the CMI showcases American cheese and shouts out artisan as loudly as possible. The event has media coverage from the New York Times, Vogue, GQ and more. We need events like this in the UK to help the pendulum swing in favour of artisan. Watch this space with more happening soon. The Great British Cheddar Challenge is being held online on the 16th of September at 7pm, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke. Check out your local cheesemongers for more information.