The February edition of Meet Your Monger highlights Kai Norton, the Cheese Manager at the woman-owned Bedford Cheese Shop in NYC, and one of the brightest stars in the next generation of cheesemongers. They are responsible for keeping the cheese case stocked with the best domestic and imported products they can find, as well as training other mongers on how to properly care for Bedford Cheese Shop's stellar selection. A passionate educator, Kai also teaches public cheese classes in the BCS education space and helps organize monthly cheesemonger education events. Kai also recently competed in the 2023 Cheesemonger Invitational, and was awarded an American Cheese Society scholarship, and they are currently serving on the ACS Education Committee. Read our interview with Kai below to learn more about their current role, how they draw inspiration from the cheese community, and why they love using Formaticum products. 

What inspired you to become a cheesemonger?
Once upon a time, I worked at a small local market called Local Foods in Chicago, IL. Having been laid off from a third wave specialty coffee shop at the beginning of 2019, my partner helped me get a job packing bulk items for the pandemic panic-buying era. Everyone needed 25 pounds of beans, rice and flour! So I packed it.

Months down the road, I had moved into the role of Category Buyer. They needed help in the deli and cheese so I opted to help out because it sounded so interesting and I really wanted to learn how to build boards. I was immediately fascinated by this unknown realm- rinds, blues, cheddar meets a blue - I couldn’t believe it.

When Immortal Milk did a highly conceptual guided audio tasting in collaboration with Local Foods, I was amazed - I remember being floored that this was a job! 

Conceptual food art brimming with dramaturgical, anthropological and historical styling choices, table design, and thoughtful pairing with unique handmade accoutrement….plus cheese!? It didn’t click until I saw someone who was Black doing this work - I never could have imagined there would be this community, so I went for it.

I scoured the internet to figure out how to pivot from food service/buying to working with cheese once the move to NYC was official. So here we are - I never could have dreamed up this reality but I’m grateful for the roundabouts on the road and the great people I have met along the way.

How do you use Formaticum products at your counter?
We use Formaticum as the recommended cheese storage method for customers coming in to buy large amounts of cheese. They are comfortable getting that extra hunk of Comté because they know it will hold up in the Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags or Sheets, both of which we sell at the counter. 

What is your favorite Formaticum product and why?
I am a fan of the Professional 4-Knife Set. It contains four distinct cheese tools: a general cheese knife, blue cheese knife, soft cheese knife and cheese spreader.

Unlike many others, they do the job they are supposed to do without you losing a limb, taking chunks out of your hard cheeses or smooshing that gooey soft goat cheese. It's just a really great cheesemonger toolkit, especially beyond the counter. 

 If you were a cheese, which one would you be and why?

Zimbro - a cute little Torta-style cheese. 

Zimbro can be quiet and understated, and it has a unique tang of personality but only reveals it with time. It can be pudgy, slightly firm or a gooey mess that’s kind of sweet but has a bite when necessary. 

It has a lot going on, and is hard to pin down- but reliable and true to itself. 

It is evershifting/fermenting.

What is one thing you wish consumers knew about artisan cheese?
The robust ecosystem that sustains such an ancient, sisyphean process born of necessity and passed down to spark passion for tradition in their predecessors. 

The energy, sweat, tears, years, land, ruminant, microbe and human hand that align these elements and shepherd these gems into existence. Artisan cheese is a great opportunity to remind consumers of the ethos, the humility, the humanity and respect behind food- but especially artisan cheese. This is what you are paying for. 

I’d like consumers to remember to savor. 

What is your favorite cheese storage fact?
Mold is not scary. 

You can cut off mold and salvage most cheeses- there’s little reason to have any waste if the cheese is first, properly cared for in the case, and then properly wrapped and stored.

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Kai!

Follow Bedford Cheese Shop on Instagram @bedfordcheeseshop and Formaticum on Instagram and TikTok @formaticum, and stop by BCS if you're in NYC!

To nominate a shop or monger for the Meet Your Monger series, email emilia@formaticum.com.

February may be the shortest month of the year, but this month certainly wasn't short on cheese information and education! We covered a variety of cheesy topics and even launched some new products. Here's a quick recap of everything we discussed this month:

If you wish you liked blue cheese but it's a bit too intense for you, there's no reason to feel blue! Try these monger-approved pairings to help make blue cheese more approachable and enjoyable. Plus, we included a brief history of blue cheese, and some stellar serving and storage tips. 

It's true - good cheese isn't cheap. But do you know why? Read our blog post that breaks down a cheese's journey from farm to cave to boat to cheese shop, and helps foster a better understanding of and appreciation for cheese that is absolutely worth the price tag. 

Need a unique gift idea for your special someone? While Valentine's Day may have passed, Tête de Moine rosettes are always a good alternative to roses for any occasion. Learn more about this historic Swiss cheese and how to serve it in this blog post. 

What is rennet, and what does it have to do with nursery rhymes? Check out this blog post that explains why rennet is so important to the cheesemaking process, and how to discuss rennet with your cheesemonger to select the cheese that is right for you. 

And finally, it's a Leap Year, so it's time to Leap into something new the next time you visit the cheese shop. This blog post outlines some of the most popular cheeses that customers ask for, and what you should ask for if you want to try something new. Remember - your cheesemonger is your friend and your best resource!

Thanks for joining us this month! Check back in March for more cheese serving tips, cheese facts & history, wrapping tutorials, and so much more. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube.  If you have any questions or want to suggest a topic for us to cover in the future, please email emilia@formaticum.com.

This year is a Leap Year, meaning there is one extra day in February to eat cheese! If you're stuck in the same routine, week after week, buying the same quarter pound of the same cheese, it's time to Leap into something new for 2024. 

Cheesemongers are your tour guide through the cheese case, so don't be afraid to ask for their assistance. They are a wealth of knowledge and are always ready to help you find your next favorite cheese.  

To help you get started on your new cheese journey, we've put together a list of some popular cheeses that can help expand your palate and horizons. The list contains some of the more popular cheeses, as well as some suggestions for new things to try that are either similar or the next step to elevate your palate and knowledge. 

If you like Humboldt Fog, try an ash-ripened chèvre like Valençay, Selles-sur-Cher, or Blakesville Creamery Linedeline. 

If you like Midnight Moon, try Brabander or OG Ghost. 

If you like Brie, try Jasper Hill Harbison, Nancy's Camembert, or Moses Sleeper.

If you like Manchego, try Ossau Iraty, Pecorino Sardo, Zamorano, or a traditional raw milk farmhouse Manchego. 

If you like Delice de Bourgogne, try Brillat-Savarin, Tulip Tree Trillium, or Nettle Meadow Kunik. 

If you like fresh chèvre or goat cheese, try an aged goat cheese like Bucheron, Leonora, or Blakesville Creamery Lake Effect.  

If you like block cheddar, try a raw milk block cheddar like Shelburne Farms Cheddar, or even a clothbound cheddar like Montgomery's Cheddar or Cabot Clothbound. 

If you like Gruyère, try Uplands Cheese Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Comté, or Beaufort. 

If you like Jarlsberg, ask to taste the original Swiss cheese - authentic Emmentaler AOP. 

If you like Beemster, try L'Amuse Gouda, Jake's Aged Gouda, or OG Kristal. 

If you like Stilton, try Stichelton or Bayley Hazen Blue. 

If you like Roquefort, try Fourme d'Ambert or Gorgonzola Piccante. 

If you like Piave, try Sapore del Piave, KM 39, or Montasio. 

If you like Parmesan, try real Parmigiano Reggiano or Grand Padano.

Once you've selected your cheese and your monger has cut you a piece, it's important to properly care for the cheese once you get it home. Formaticum Reusable Cheese Storage Bags & Sheets are perfect for most styles of cheese and will keep it healthy in your fridge so that the flavor stays as fresh as the day you tasted it in the shop. If you're adventurous, you can ask your cheesemonger to teach you how to wrap like a pro with the Reusable Cheese Storage Sheets, or check out our wrapping tutorials on our website and social media. Reusable Cheese Storage Bags are a quick and easy way to store your cheese without any complicated wrapping techniques involved. Purchase a package on your next cheese shop excursion so that you always have professional cheese storage at your fingertips in the future.

We all know the popular nursery rhyme about Little Miss Moffett eating her curds and whey, but you might not be quite as familiar with rennet. Simply put, rennet is an enzyme that coagulates milk and separates it into the aforementioned curds and whey. But where does it come from, and what does it do for the cheese?

Coagulation is the first step of cheesemaking, separating the solids (curds) from the liquid (whey) so that the solids can be manipulated in different ways, eventually resulting in cheese. Some cheeses are lactic- or acid-coagulated, meaning that the action is caused by lactic acid bacteria present in the milk. But many cheeses, including most hard or aged cheeses, are made with rennet. Rennet-coagulated cheeses use animal (or "traditional"), microbial, or vegetable-based rennet. 

Traditional rennet is derived from the 4th stomach, or abomasum, of a young ruminant animal.  Vegetable-based rennet can be derived from plant-based sources like thistle, and microbial rennet is grown in a lab using live organisms like mold, yeast, or fungi.

Each version has benefits - while traditional rennet is better for longer-aged cheeses, microbial rennet is suitable for vegetarians, and is also cheaper to produce, which decreases the cost of cheesemaking. Thistle rennet is more common in torta-style cheeses from Spain and Portugal, and lends an herbaceous flavor to the cheese. Some cheesemakers use combinations of different types of rennet to achieve their desired texture and flavor. 

If you're interested in tasting some cheese made with different types of rennet, consult your local cheesemonger! They are a wealth of knowledge and can guide you through your options, as well as give you samples to taste. If you're searching for a vegetarian-friendly cheese, we recommend that you try an American cheese! The USA produces the highest number of vegetarian rennet cheeses in the world, second only to Portugal. If you don't have access to a cheesemonger, check the packaging on your precut cheeses - it will likely denote what kind of rennet is used during cheesemaking. 

Once you've selected your cheese, don't forget to add a package of Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags to your basket as well, to preserve the flavor of your newest discovery.