by Andrew Chalk
Rich Rogers, owner of Scardello Artisan Cheese, is nothing if not persistent. At the American Cheese Show last year he tasted a cheese named Salers and had an aha moment. It was God’s cheese and he had to have it. He gave the vendor an order for a wheel, price unseen. Only later, while waiting for delivery from France, did he have symptoms of buyer’s remorse at not having firmed up the price. It turned out price would be the least of his ‘Salers Problems’.
His east coast importer called to confirm that his wheel was on its way and just entering customs. It never made it out. The FDA, always protecting us from ourselves, had seized the wheel because it contained cheese mites. Cheese mites are tiny organisms that both live on certain cheeses and contribute to flavor. They have existed virtually forever. Their crime? According to the FDA, some people are allergic to them. Continue reading
