Culture Magazine

6 culturecheesemag.com I N N OVAT I O N 202 3 I t's hard to believe that this is the third Innovation Issue since I've been with culture—you know what they say about time flying and fun! The theme might seem unusual given our focus on a food steeped in history and tradition. But we've found no shortage of stories about the ways cheesemakers and dairy farmers continue to innovate—while respecting the ways of the past. Selective breeding to make animals, and therefore farms, more productive is not new, but today's farmers are using a mix of modern tools and old- age techniques such as genomic data and natural insemination, respectively, to "raise healthier herds, strengthen their businesses, and produce better milk for cheese," writes Alexandra Jones in Breeding Better Cheese (p. 36). Although we rightly think of the Netherlands as the home of gouda, Paola Westbeek introduces us to a new wave of Dutch makers who produce small-format goat's milk cheeses, cow's milk bloomy rinds and a buffalo milk washed rind, among others (Dutch Treat, p. 42). And Tanya Henry profiles three women who are using technology to grow their business while maintaining the legacy of their dairy farmer parents at California's Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company (Sister Act, p. 48). This issue's stories of innovation extend beyond cheese to mead (Drinks with Cheese, p. 10), a dairy plant–turned boutique hotel (Seven Acre Dairy Company, p. 11) and the menu at Philadelphia's Mish Mish (Chef 's Dish, p. 17). You'll also find two new departments: Around the Board, a collection of cheese accompaniments (p. 9); and Stirring the Curd, in which we look at a complex issue from differing perspectives (p. 64). As I write this, the cheese world is buzzing about the recent court decision affirming that American cheesemakers can use the name "gruyère", and its potential ramifications for makers in Mexico, Latin America, and elsewhere. While many cheeses produced here are innovations—"American originals"— many others have their roots in other parts of the globe. For our deep dive into this issue, I'll quote Rachel Maddow: Watch this space. SUSAN SHERRILL AXELROD, EDITOR F R O M the E D I T O R PHOTO: Heidi Kirn

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