Demystifying Artisinal Cheeses

CMI 2025 - on my bucket list this year has been to complete in the @thecheesemongerinvitational and get my CCP. All things I believed I would do under the support from my previous employer - who I was let go from for moonlighting for the Cheese Rave. None of these words I ever thought I would string together a year ago, now seem to color every sentence i utter when someone asks “what do you do?”. So on my own I scrapped together a new plan, and competed for CMI under @rosciolinyc an incredible Roman spot I make Cheeseboards for 3 nights a week. A week from yesterday I will be taking the CCP exam virtually to hopefully become a certified cheese professional. CMI is a yearly competition bringing together cheese mongers from all over the country to compete in a series of challenges to test their skills. How refreshing to be surrounded by other fromagé freaks like me for 4 days straight! For my Perfect Bite✨ I was assigned @mariekegouda honey clover gouda - a raw cow’s milk gouda made in Wisconsin with old world techniques. This cheese I layered on a potato chip dipped in Italian wildflower bee pollen dust, dolloped with a dot of Italian sunflower honey, a marinated wild lampascioni onion ring, and a borage flower. Sweet and crunchy with and allium finish. My perfect plate ❌ I was ironically assigned Murray’s Project X - an unreleased project with @roellicheesehaus_ creamery in Wisconsin - this pasturized cow’s milk cheese is made in large wheels undetectably rubbed in an fennel pollen and washed in gewürztraminer. To play into the fennel, name, and season - I laid out the cheese in an X - like a hidden treasure on a pasture of wild flowers and fennel. X marks the spot. For my beverage pairing 🫖 I was assigned OG Kristal. An incredibly popular aged gouda from Belgium 🇧🇪 I paired this with a Taiwainese Oolong tea from a private collection from @floating.mountain - a charming tea house in the UWS. The tea melted the custardy gouda in without overpowering the cheese. The fragrent tea was uplifting and remiscent of the smell of a refined boutique.🌸 The top 8 placements were awarded to my incredibly deserving and experienced peers. 📸 @tristandebphoto

Cheese mongering captured by @hoowebaebe for @notch.magazine 002 issue launch.🌀 Served special French, American, and Belgian cheeses paired with fruit, salty stuff and sweet stuff.🔹including lavender blackverry jam bu @cellardoorpreserves 🩵 Competing in @thecheesemongerinvitational this month 🗣️🔵 stay tuned? wish me luck? Come through?

Moments from the @notch.magazine issue 002 launch in Williamsburg, NY 🔹Serves 6 different cheeses 🔹Covering 4 different countries 🔹From 3 different milk types What a joy to curate and share - hoping to do a lot more of this style of event🌀

Throw back to March 2025 when I was highlighted for the ‘always trust a monger’ media campaign at Murray’s Cheese Although I am no longer with Murray’s - it was surreal to see my portrait in 3 locations at the Bleeker St. Murray’s for a whole month - in addition to the website and many instagram reel campaigns. Nothing but love - thanks for highlighting me!☺️

Red Jacket training with Murray’s at their elusive cheese caves in Long Island City - where affinage varies from science to experiment. Saw the hideen life stages of favorites like Greenswards, Stockinghall, Hudson Flower, and Cornelia.

A moment for the spread A moment for the guests who brought their own reusable plate😍🫴✨🌎 📸 @streetsbyzeph Curds & Chords with @metrocheeseclub

This has been my profile picture on partiful for a minute now - memories of a moment with Noord Hollander Gouda 🌷🇳🇱 at our 1st curds & chords with @metrocheeseclub photographed by @streetsbyzeph Catching up on a backlog of incredible cheese - related experiences as my work in this niché continues to shift and evolve.

Cheese tastings are a fabulous way to meet new people and engage with a novel activity. When you’re hosted by @metrocheeseclub and @singer.songer.monger you’re in for a treat 🏹 Save the date for 9/9 and 9/19 for our next nyc event announcement. 🗓️

Placed this incredible spread for Campbell & Co Catering at the Adidas HQ in Manhattan.🌸 Built by the C&C chefs at the mcgolrick kitchen - set and florals arrnaged by the @singer.songer.monger ✨

La Tur at the Beach

Can you imagine the decadence? the songer monger (myself) sourced artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, local fresh baguettes, and seasonal jams for this special night with @allships - photograpged by @oveck and hosted by @dave.krugman arranged by chefs @thekeyzturn and Tasmine. Spread included Red Rock , Alpine Blossom , Brillat-Savarin, Mamma Marissa Blue, Moliterno al Tartufo and OG Krystal Gouda.

the people Check out @222place to discover unique events and meet new people.

Cheese 101 Tasting in collaboration with 222 at Studio 45 with your lovely hosts myself and @hannah.gersh of @metrocheeseclub ✨🌙⭐️ Next 222 event Thursday, July 25 French cheese club with @metrocheeseclub August 10th Friend & Family cheese tasting in secret backyard coming in September

flight of 6 cheese covering 4 milk types, 5 different countries, a variety of cheese types, textures and flavors of course. in collaboration with @metrocheeseclub

Meredith dairy marinated Sheet and Goat Cheese Mount Tam Gouda Comté Willoughby Cambozola