Episode Details

This is a Vintage episode from 2007

Why This Episode Matters

• Though this is a vintage episode, many of the producers and traditions discussed here remain part of the American artisan cheese conversation today.
• American artisan cheese was growing fast, and this conversation captures the moment when local cheese in the U.S. stopped being a curiosity and became a movement.
• Jeff Roberts explains how better-informed consumers helped create demand for small producers, regional specialties, and more thoughtful food buying.
• The episode highlights New Jersey makers proving that great American cheese is not limited to Vermont or California.
• This conversation connects flavor, farming, craftsmanship, and local economies in a way that still feels highly relevant.
• Anyone interested in cheese, local food, food culture, or where American food got more interesting will find plenty here.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with a run through food trivia from Gourmet magazine, including America’s limited eaters, the national devotion to ketchup, and the little problem of people eating more “low-fat” junk because the label told them to feel virtuous.

The Conversation

Jeff Roberts joins the show to discuss The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese and the dramatic expansion of American cheese makers over the previous decade. He explains how consumer taste changed the market and why artisan cheese matters not only for flavor, but for farming, community, and regional identity.

The conversation moves through Vermont, Cabot, and the broader American cheese landscape before landing in New Jersey, where Roberts praises producers and fresh mozzarella traditions that most people would never think to place in a national cheese conversation. The episode also explores early goat-cheese pioneers, the stories behind small producers, and the idea that every food choice has consequences far beyond the table.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Food trivia, ketchup loyalty, and the “low-fat” trap
• 06:00 – Jeff Roberts on the boom in American artisan cheese
• 09:00 – How consumers changed the cheese market
• 13:00 – New Jersey cheese makers, Fiore’s, Vito’s, Bobolink, and Valley Shepherd
• 20:00 – Why artisan cheese is really a story about people and place
• 23:00 – Douglas Newbold and the early days of American goat cheese
• 28:00 – Seasonal cheese, pungent cheddar, and tasting with courage

Bio

Jeff Roberts is the author of The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese. He helped establish the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont, served as national director of Slow Food USA, and co-chaired Artisan Cheeses of America.

Info

• The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese by Jeffrey P. Roberts
• Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse www.cowsoutside.com
• Valley Shepherd Creamery valleyshepherd.com

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