Modern Monger - Lessons From Behind The Cheese Counter

Hello there! Come celebrate National Cheese Day the right way, by eating cheese of course! Build your own cheese board from your favorites, or follow along with me as I lay out my top picks for cheeses this cheese day.

This episode we look at monks and monasteries and why they were so important in creating the modern food scene. With all they did for beer, wine, and especially cheese, these ancient and highly educated foodies helped create tried and true methods for making some of the greatest food that humans have ever enjoyed. All that and more on this weeks episode of the Modern Monger!

This week we celebrate American Cheese Month by looking at the history of cheese in America. We look at a few American originals, and a few people and companies that helped push artisan cheese making into the modern world. Come and celebrate with us this May and every May moving forward by eating plenty of American made cheeses!

For the Modern Monger Podcast's 20th episode, we look at what being a protected cheese means. We talk about the difference between protected named cheese and their non-protected counterparts. In this episode we also touch on how reading a cheese label might feel reminiscent of reading a wine label.

This week we talk about one of the largest pillars of cheese pairing foods.. wine! Find out how grapes are grown, what makes a grapevine flourish, and learn the difference between aroma and bouquet. Plus get some cheese and charcuterie pairings for different wine types.

This week on the Modern Monger we talk meat! In this intro episode to the world of charcuterie we talk about what the word charcuterie even means, why is it so popular, and why there is a big difference between a cheese board and a charcuterie board. We also touch on the similarities of charcuterie and cheese origins, and why the two can always find a home paired with each other on any board or table.

This week we talk about what it means when a cheese is difficult. Whether it is difficult to make, difficult to find, to eat, or to even pronounce, some cheeses are just a little trickier than others. Dive in and explore some of the most interesting cheeses you may or may not have heard about before in this weeks episode of the Modern Monger.

This week we talk about some of the most popular ways to eat cheese from the last hundred years or so. Listen and find out how the rise of social media channels dedicated to cheese has changed how we look at food forever. Plus find out why fondue sets became such a common wedding present.

This week we talk about the World Championship Cheese Contest held in Madison Wisconsin! Every two years this amazing contest showcases the best of the best from around the world featuring over 3,300 different cheeses. Do you know who won first place this year? Listen to this competitive episode of the Modern Monger to find out!

This week we talk about some of the big names in dairy animals!

This week we talk about some of the top cheese regions around the world! From France and Spain, to the Americas and New Zealand, and many more. We touch on why these locations were beneficial to cheese making and why some of those same regions are integral to the history of wine too.

This week we briefly look at why cheeses fit into the categories they do. Why is a semi-soft different than a firm, and why do washed rind cheeses smell so funky? We also touch on how cheese cases in stores might be organized for easier shopping experiences.

This week we talk about how cheese has infiltrated our popular culture. How did cheese help create famous works of art, how did the moon's reflection in a well change what we thought it was made of, and how to call something cheesy with intent? Listen to this weeks episode of the Modern Monger and find out!

This week we talk about some of the most famous names in cheese. From inventors, to makers, to authors and down right cheese obsessed advocates, anyone who has a role to play in keeping cheese alive and part of the modern food conversation will be talked about here. Plus I reveal plans for upcoming mini-series! Enjoy this very human based episode of the Modern Monger.

This week on the Modern Monger, we talk about all the other lives of milk. What can you do with milk, if not to make it into delicious cheese? You can make butter, ice cream, whey protein, and a few other food staples. Find out how all these are made and more on this episode of the Modern Monger!

This week on the Modern Monger we talk about dairy intolerances, allergies, and lifestyle choices that don't allow you to enjoy traditional cheese. Spoiler warning - there are plenty of alternatives and options you can select from to continue to keep cheese and cheese flavored foods a part of your life.

Happy New Year! This week we talk about why cheese can still fit into your New Year's resolutions, the health benefits of cheese, and how New Years is celebrated around the world. Plus I give you my top 10 moments of 2025. We celebrate the New Year and toast a goodbye to the old year on this episode of the Modern Monger!