National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day is July 29

Christophe Megevand, EVP and Master Cheesemaker at Schuman Cheese

http://www.yellowdoorcreamery.com

Los Angeles, CA

What kind of cheese do you make?

We make primary hard Italian cheeses, so that’s Parmesan, Asiago, Romano—these are all in the family of Italian cheeses. We also do some Fontina, traditional Gorgonzolas and Blue Cheese, and we just started alpine specialties too!

What are the trends in cheese?

I think the trend is cheeses that have more character, more flavor, more regional attributed. People are going away from the typical Cheddar or American cheeses and are now venturing into more traditional, European cheeses. Millennials aren’t scared of cheeses with good character, flavor and unique profiles and really, it’s changing the industry completely.

Do you believe it matters what you feed the cows/sheep or goats?

Absolutely. The feed greatly influences the end product. So this feed, which is usually made up of hay, grains and what we call “silage” are all important— the proper feed makes good milk, and without good milk you cannot make good cheese. The characteristics of the cheese can change, it effects the fat, flavor and also how the protein is broken down during the curation process.

What is the difference between organic and non-organic cheese?

The composition and flavor. Organic products have very specific standards; how the land and crops can be prepared, how your herd are treated, grazing periods and introduction into the farm. Organic cheese require their own set of rules.

How does one become a cheese expert?

In my case, I went to dairy science school in the French Alps and I was able to work in the alps doing small artesian cheese making, and it just evolved. It’s a slow process, I started with an old cheese maker and combined with science and my schooling, here I am.

What are the most popular varieties of cheese?

Hard Italian Cheese – a true, good Parmesan or asiago is very trendy—especially when they are aged over 14 months. Then you see alpine cheeses like gruyere getting popular. Blue and Gorgonzola as well, we’re starting to see people interested in these as well.

How can someone store cheese to make it last longer?

There’s no secret, what needs to be done is that you need to unwrap the cheese and store it in a tupperware near your vegetables, on the lowest section of your refrigerator. If it molds that’s actually ok. Just scrape it off and eat it the remaining parts, this just means that the cheese is a live product—the surrounding parts are completely safe to eat.

What are some tips you would give to someone who doesn’t know too much about cheese?

Go into your local deli, go into the retail section and specialty sections of stores and ask questions, taste new flavors, be adventurous and don’t be afraid to try. Cheese can be like candy, never buy one, buy 2 or 3, try different kinds all the time. It’s a very good way to learn and then really begin to enjoy cheese.

What are the health benefits of cheese?

Well the main one is protein, cheese has many unique, beneficial proteins. And obviously the next one is calcium. These properties are well balanced throughout cheese and both are fantastic health components. Even the fat found within cheese, has brain-health benefits.