Culture Magazine

BEGINNINGS 2024 culturecheesemag.com 17 FOR THE CULTURE Agela Abdullah (AA): In November 2023, you posted a video on TikTok highlighting Waagashi, a cow's milk cheese from West Africa. It was the first time I'd ever heard of this cheese, and the brief video had my mouth watering. Can you tell us a little bit about it? Natalie: Yes, please! Waagashi is sentimental to many West African diaspora when found stateside because it's a reminder of home. If you've ever had paneer, Jibneh Nabulsi, or many of the white cheeses you can cook up and fry, you can understand its use, but Waagashi is so unique to me because it's coagulated with local apple of sodom (Calotropis procera, a type of milkweed) extract and has these excellent spongy holes. The cheese tastes like fresh milk, and the sponginess helps soak up the pepper sauce it's typically eaten with. You really cannot make it exactly like you'd get it in West Africa, so when someone brings you some back, it's almost like they brought you along with them on their trip back home. AA: A few years ago, when we first met online, you mentioned a cheese from the Dominican Republic that you love. Can you tell us more about that cheese and how people use it in culinary applications? Natalie: The two big ones everyone brings back to the States after visiting family in DR are Queso Geo and Queso de Hoja. Geo is an Edam-style with red wax on the outside, something you find in many former colonies, like Marca Pina in the Philippines. You eat it with crackers and salami, but it melts nicely, so I love it in a grilled cheese. Queso de Hoja is a pasta filata cheese, similar to mozzarella but tangier. It doesn't sit in a water mixture so it holds onto its yummy richness. This one is fun to peel back like string cheese, but I don't think many folks eat a whole one in a single sitting like I do. AA: Do you have any suggestions for finding and incorporating cheeses f rom outside the European model? Are there any stores or markets that you can suggest? Natalie: If you go to markets intended for diaspora or immigrant people, see what their dairy aisle looks like; also, you can sometimes find cheeses in cans. Most importantly, if you're in community with these folks… ask them. You'd be surprised how many people around you eat cheese! It doesn't always have to be pretentious; maybe it's super- processed, but I genuinely believe all cheeses are beautiful because they tell a story. I'm trying to get a cheese store opened here in Los Angeles where I can sell or at least have pairings with global cheeses, but in the meantime, you can get a snapshot of some of these cheeses on my website, madcultured.com. c Disclaimer: I am the board president of the Cheese Culture Coalition. "...when someone brings you some (Waagashi) back, it's almost like they brought you along with them on their trip back home." PHOTO: Noahalorwu/Wikimedia Commons Read the rest of my interview with Natalie on culture's website. I am so grateful to Natalie for sharing her experiences with us, and hopefully, she's inspired you to look for cheeses from different cultures. Additionally, I would like to introduce a nonprofit organization called the Cheese Culture Coalition. Founded by Whitney Roberts, the Cheese Culture Coalition is focused on education, beginning at the elementary school level, and advocates for teaching and promoting Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color within the cheese industry. This spring, they are announcing a new grant program for BIPOC industry folks. There are no limitations to your proposal. They want to meet you where you are in your professional journey. Suppose you want to use the grant funds for continuing education, studying for your American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional Exam, doing an apprenticeship with a cheesemaker, or exploring cheese from other cultures—the Cheese Culture Coalition wants you to apply for this grant. Check out the website for more information: www.cheeseculturecoalition.org. TO LEARN MORE Waagashi Cheese

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