Women are and always have been inherently connected to cheese. Cheesemaking was traditionally a woman's task, as evidenced by written record as well as historic recipes - for example, some of the earliest cheddar-style recipes were very forgiving and included a long, slow acidification to allow for the cheesemaker to accomplish other tasks during the day. Many families owned a few cows and women were responsible for milking them and turning that bit of milk into cheese, the ultimate value-added product. The blueprint for many homes and creameries included a make room that was connected to the kitchen so that the cheesemaker could keep an eye on the vat while working on other things. The invention of Camembert is credited to Marie Harel, and the artisan cheese renaissance in the United States would not have been possible without the Goat Ladies of the 80s, a group of goat farmers who began making French-inspired chèvre and changed the landscape of the American cheese scene forever. Today, women all over the world and from diverse backgrounds work hard to both uphold this legacy and create their own - from cheesemakers to affineurs, educators to importers, farmers to buyers, women continue to be integral to the cheese industry, now more than ever.
Keep reading to learn more about some of our favorite women in cheese:
Anna Landmark, Landmark Creamery - Landmark Creamery was founded in 2013 in Paoli, Wisconsin. Anna knew that she had access to some of the best quality milk in the state and dreamed of using that milk to create excellent sheep’s milk cheeses. In addition to their sheep’s milk cheeses, Landmark Creamery also produces a line of stellar cow’s milk cheeses and a few styles of decadent small-batch butter. In order to guarantee the highest quality milk, they work with nearby farmers to build sustainable, family-run dairies that also help support the local economy in Southern Wisconsin.
Veronica Pedraza, Blakesville Creamery - Veronica is no stranger to the cheese scene, having worked for some of the most well-known creameries in the US before landing at Blakesville. As head cheesemaker, she has spent the last few years creating some of the most exquisite goat cheeses on the market, which can now be found on most of the best cheese counters in the country. Veronica and her team also make some incredible sheep's milk cheeses using milk sourced from Mariana Marques de Almeida, which you will learn more about below.
Mariana Marques de Almeida, Ms. J & Co. - Mariana is the queen of sheep's milk in Wisconsin. This woman-run sheep dairy is known for their high quality and high-yield milk that produces an exceptionally clean flavor in the cheese, so it's in high demand! The milk comes from a hybrid breed called Assaf, which is frequently used in Spanish and Portuguese cheesemaking. Mariana provides milk for cheesemaking to Landmark Creamery, Blakesville Creamery, and more.
Patricia Morford, River's Edge Chèvre - Patricia Morford uses the freshest milk from her own herd of goats to create award-winning French-inspired goat cheeses in Oregon. A former chef, Patricia is fascinated by flavor development and employs that curiosity to create unique and delicious cheese that are ash-ripened, bourbon-infused, and even leaf-wrapped and smoked. Many River's Edge cheeses are wrapped in Formaticum paper to keep them looking and tasting fresh in your refrigerator!
Kyra James, Own Your Funk - Kyra is a cheesemonger, educator, and consultant whose passion for cheese and community makes her one of the most well-loved members of the cheese industry. She is also an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, and a Cheesemonger Invitational finalist. Her brand, Own Your Funk, promotes food education and empowerment within marginalized communities. Kyra is also a board member of the Cheese Culture Coalition, an organization that aims to provide professional advancement and educational opportunities to BIPOC folks in the cheese industry and beyond.
Amye Gulezian, High Lawn Farm - Amye is the Specialty Foods Operations Manager at High Lawn Farm in Lee, Massachusetts, a family-owned dairy farm in the Berkshires that milks 100% Jersey cows and was founded by a woman named Marjorie Wilde. Amye studied heritage breed and dairy management in France, made raw milk cheese in Indiana, and was a cheesemonger in LA before settling at High Lawn Farm. Amye's main role is to help develop value added products like cheese, butter, and ice cream, with a focus on product quality and consistency as well as relationships with customers and vendors. High Lawn Farm makes some of the best butter we've ever tasted, and it's wrapped in Formaticum paper!
Sue Miller, Birchrun Hills Farm - Formaticum's blog author is a Pennsylvania resident, so we couldn't write a blog post about women in cheese without including the illustrious Sue Miller. Since 2006, Sue and her family have been making and aging farmstead cheese from the milk of their 80 cows, and are committed to sustainable farming and cheese production. They practice regenerative agriculture and maintain a high level of animal welfare, and their love of the craft can be tasted in their cheese.
Formaticum's motto has always been "Honor the cheesemakers. Save your cheese." In our opinion, the best way to honor the work of these amazing women is to properly care for their cheeses so that they taste their best for as long as possible. Store your cheese in Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags and Sheets to experience the flavors and textures of your cheese as the cheesemaker intended.
