The Culinary Underground

10/13/2026

🎃🧀 Aged to perfection. Haunting your taste buds for eternity. 👻

Mimolette is one of the Halloween cheese staples we love sharing with you every spooky season—and for good reason! With its striking pumpkin-orange interior, rugged natural rind, and rich, nutty, caramel-like flavor, this French favorite looks as though it was conjured up and aged with care inside a witch’s cellar. 🧙‍♀️✨

🕯️ A little history for curious minds… Mimolette originated in northern France, particularly around Lille, in the 17th century. Legend has it that it was developed as a local alternative to Dutch Edam during a time when imports of Dutch cheese were restricted. Its distinctive orange hue traditionally comes from annatto, a natural coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. 🌿

🦇 Its bumpy, moon-like rind only adds to its spooky charm, while aging transforms its texture from smooth and supple to firm and delightfully crumbly, deepening its savory, nutty flavors. The older it gets, the more mysterious its character becomes…

🎃 Haven’t tried Mimolette yet? This Saturday is your chance to taste the magic!

🕸️ Join us at Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum for their annual Witch & Warlock Ball—a night of witchy wonders, gothic gatherings, and Victorian elegance, where old-world charm meets Halloween enchantment.

🧀 Come try this orange, eerie, and dangerously delicious beauty. One bite, and you’ll be under its spell!

10/13/2026

10/07/2026

Introducing a new series: Stories Behind the Rind— where we’ll get to know the cheesemakers behind some of the cheeses we love most. 🧀

Every wheel, wedge, and rind has a story. From the farms and animals that provide the milk to the traditions, techniques, and people who bring each cheese to life, there’s so much more behind every bite.

In this series, we’ll go behind the scenes to meet and interview the makers, explore their cheesemaking philosophies, share pairing with their cheeses, and discover the inspiration and craftsmanship that make each cheese truly unique.

Because great cheese isn’t just about what’s on the plate (or cheese board). It’s about the people, places, and passion behind it.

Follow along as we uncover the stories behind the rind. 🧀✨

Our first mini cheesemaker feature:

🧀 Meet Jake Heller (Jake Heller), a cheesemaker at Perrystead Dairy and former monger at Downtown Cheese Shop in Philadelphia.

With 14 years in the cheese world, Jake has gone from working behind the counter at family-run cheese shops to making cheese Perrystead Dairy . Along the way, he’s become a passionate advocate for cheese education, a 2024 Cheesemonger Invitational champion, and, above all, a lifelong student of the craft.

For Jake, cheese is more than food — it’s a living collaboration between people, animals, and microbes, rich with history, transformation, and community. His curiosity keeps him learning, making, sharing, and, of course, eating more cheese.

Chef Andrea first met Jake during the 2024 Cheesemonger Invitational, and more recently, the two teamed up for a Curd Program in San Luis Obispo, where they dreamed up a new cheese for a cheese innovation project.

Tune in next week to see how we’re putting wh***ey-preserved figs to work in cheeses from Jake and the team at Perrystead Dairy. 👀🧀

Say hello to Jake and discover the story behind the maker. 🧀✨

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

The breezes taste of apple peel. The air is full of smells to feel.

— John Updike

10/05/2026

It’s still over 90°F, but we’re already dreaming of chilly fall evenings, unctuous cheeses, and warm apple butter. 🍂

So, here’s a fall pairing that works in every climate.

THE CHEESE

Stepladder Ranch & Creamery’s Big Sur — a funky, ash-coated triple crème

A stunning tribute to our Cambria’s coastline, Big Sur is an ash-coated triple crème made from a blend of tangy goat’s milk and rich cow’s milk. Buttery, earthy, and just a little “barnyard” funky—think Brie or Camembert, but with a little more earthy character.

THE PAIRING

🍎 Apple Butter + Toasted Pepita Pumpkin Spice

We’ve updated our apple butter with Burlap & Barrel | Single-Origin Spices Toasted Pepita Pumpkin Spice—a blend of sweet seasonal spices and toasted pumpkin seeds ground into a rich, roasty powder. Royal Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves bring the cozy warmth, while toasted pepitas add an earthy depth that gives pumpkin spice a whole new layer of autumnal flavors.

Mixed with a trio of seasonal apples, it tastes like warm apple pie fresh from the oven. And alongside a wedge of rich, funky Big Sur? Fall has officially arrived. 🍂

09/30/2026

Step beyond the doors of a historic Queen Anne Victorian home—once the residence of one of Orange County’s first female physicians—and enter an evening steeped in enchantment, history, and all things delightfully macabre.

Join us inside the iconic Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum for a gothic gathering where old-world charm meets victorian elegance. Picture flickering candlelight dancing across ornate architecture, hauntingly beautiful details, a cabinet of curiosities, and an atmosphere that feels as though you’ve stepped into another era.

And then… there is the cheese. 🧀

We’ll be conjuring up an elaborate spread featuring a selection of cheeses from Beemster Cheese, , and Isigny Ste-Mère | French Dairy —arranged into a hauntingly beautiful edible 🍂🪦🍂 graveyard and lush pumpkin patch. 🍃🎃🍃

Expect rich, decadent cheeses, 👻 accompaniments, and unexpected pairings like apple wh***ey butter, handmade chocolate skeletons, seasonal fruits, and other deliciously macabre surprises.

To live deliciously 🧈🧙🌝 see link in bio for tickets and info.

09/22/2026

🍂 Happy Fall Equinox! 🍂

May this season bring plentiful blessings, cozy gatherings, good food, delicious cheese, and so much more. 🧀✨

Stay tuned for our fall events—we can’t wait to celebrate the season with you!