Midnight Smack BY FU

Are women 

And I’ve met them all!

I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting all three of these women. I mean, not like they would remember me by any means, but I’ve crossed paths with them at food shows over the years. I even have autographed books from Paula Lambert—she signed one of them once, “Nice to see you again!” Ha, way cool!

But in all seriousness, without these women and their passion for cheesemaking, the U.S. artisan cheese scene wouldn’t be what it is today. A few decades ago, chèvre was practically unknown, and fresh-pulled mozzarella? Forget it. We were stuck with sad, pre-shredded bags of mediocrity.

Looking back, it’s wild to think how much has changed. When I opened ZZest in 2009, cheese and charcuterie were still foreign concepts in Rochester, MN. Now? They’re everywhere—and yes, I’ll take some credit for helping stir the pot.

It’s pretty cool to know it was women who made such a difference. So, let me introduce you to the Titans of Cheese.

Paula Lambert – Mozzarella Company (Dallas, Texas)

In 1981, Paula Lambert founded The Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas, simply because she fell in love with fresh mozzarella during her time in Italy. When she returned home, she was determined to recreate it. She trained in an Italian cheese factory, donning rubber boots and a white cotton hat at 6 a.m. every morning, learning everything she could.

By 1982, she officially launched Mozzarella Company, starting with handcrafted fresh mozzarella. Over time, she added more cheeses, and I can proudly say ZZest regularly carried her products. One of my absolute favorites was Hoja Santa, which I still daydream about:

Hoja Santa – The cheese I would happily hoard, forever. It starts with young goat’s milk cheese wrapped in velvety, heart-shaped leaves from the local Hoja Santa plant. The leaves infuse the cheese with subtle notes of sassafras, anise, mint, and black pepper. It is amazing. I love it—it pairs perfectly with Sauvignon Blanc or a light red with peppery notes. Bonus points if you sip it with Pernod, it is an apéritif— and for dessert it would be a digestif. I love everything about that.

Paula’s dedication to quality and tradition earned her a spot in the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America in 1998. She retired in 2023, selling the business to her employees. As a tribute, they replaced the logo’s original chef graphic with an image of Paula herself—a nod to the women-led nature of the company.

In 2024, Paula received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Specialty Food Association.
And yes, while writing this, I emailed Mozzarella Company to see if I could order! Fingers crossed. That’s how much I miss it.

Mary Keehn – Cypress Grove (Arcata, California)

Mary Keehn’s cheesemaking story starts out with a humorous adventure! In the late ’60s, she and her husband were living in a barn in Sonoma next to a cow dairy. The farm had wild goats for brush control. When Mary asked the neighbor if she could buy one, the woman replied, “Honey, if you can catch one, you can have it.” So, Mary set out some grain every day, eventually catching Hazel and Esmerelda, her first two goats.

In 1983, she founded Cypress Grove and introduced the world to one of the most iconic cheeses of all time: Humboldt Fog. Inspired by a dream she had on a flight home from France, the cheese features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash through the center, to her, reminiscent of the coastal fog of Humboldt County.

At every food show, I’d always give JZ a hard time about pacing himself. He has zero self-control. Lots more stories about that later. Anyway, I’d tell him—“Don’t fill up on cheeses you’ve already tasted!”—but truth be told, I’d make a beeline for Humboldt Fog every year. And I was always a little starstruck seeing Mary there, chatting cheese and graciously offering samples. I can distinctly remember sweating bullets in a too warm for a food show, orange sweater, getting my photo taken with her. It’s out there somewhere, no cell phones then, so I don’t know where. Should I come across it, I’ll share. 

Cypress Grove recently made waves at the 2024 World Cheese Awards, with Humboldt Fog earning a Super Gold, placing it among the top cheeses in the world. Their Midnight Moon took home Gold, Purple Haze earned Silver, and their new Meyer Lemon and Honey cheese won Bronze.

Mary Keehn did retire, saying, “We’ve interviewed many suitors over the years who have wanted to buy Cypress Grove. About a year ago, we sold the company to Emmi, which is primarily owned by dairymen. They understand that cheese is not a big-margin thing. It’s what you do because you love it. And they promised to keep it in Humboldt County.”

Great, so now I’m thinking about Humboldt Fog. I can get it. It’s getting it cut to order that’s a tad more difficult. But I’m working on it!

Allison Hooper – Vermont Creamery (Websterville, Vermont)

In 1984, Allison Hooper co-founded Vermont Creamery, introducing French-style artisanal cheese to the U.S. Inspired by time spent in France. She started by making fresh chèvre. At an event, an Austrian chef, Anton Flory, planned to showcase his signature lamb stuffed with rosemary and goat cheese. American goat cheese didn’t exist. Her business partner, Bob Reese, asked Hooper if she could make 10 pounds of it. She could, she did and her cheesemaking career began. 

For nearly four decades, Allison and Bob built Vermont Creamery and a loyal following, winning scores of Sofi and American Cheese Society awards. In 2018, they sold the company to Land O’Lakes.

Ok, just finding this out and that explains a few things.

Pre 2018, I used to carry Vermont Butter and Cheese [that’s what it was called then], cultured butter with flaky salt. It came in a quaint little basket and was wrapped in blue and white paper. It had a cult following and was referred to as “crack butter.” After closing ZZest, I too was going through withdrawals and spotted it at Hy-Vee—but in stick form. So, I gave it a try and was sorely disappointed. Sorry, Land O’Lakes, you turned that butter into just… butter.

But having said that, one of my two favorite cheeses from Vermont Creamery is Crème Fraîche and Bonne Bouche. Crème Fraîche is not really a cheese, but it is literally one of my most favorite things in the whole world! It is perfect with fresh berries. Add a dollop to any dessert to add an instant creamy side, but not overly sweet. It is a perfect accompaniment. I have Sticky Toffee Puddings here and crème fraîche, and that with a few berries is… sublime. Do I carry the crème fraîche? Generally not. It’s a little more difficult for me to get my hands on. Though, I might have just secured a case! If not, The Co-op has it!

But equally amazing is Bonne Bouche—and still as perfect as it was originally. Except perhaps the packaging. It came in an adorable wooden crate. I’m hoping to also get that and am preparing myself for the change in packaging. But the cheese remains the same. Delicious!
It is a hand-ladled, ash-ripened cheese that was first introduced in 2001. “Bonne Bouche” literally means “good mouthful” and is a French term used to describe a tasty morsel. Bonne Bouche is simply that and won instant acclaim among chefs, retailers, and food writers. It has won first place for aged goat cheese at the American Cheese Society competition.

The Cheese Revolution Continues

These three women didn’t just create cheese—they created a movement. They introduced the U.S. to the beauty of artisan cheesemaking, turning once-exotic products into beloved staples for food lovers.

And while I may not have started a cheese revolution, I’m proud to have played my part in bringing artisan cheese and charcuterie to Rochester. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go track down some Hoja Santa, Humboldt Fog, Bonne Bouche, and crème fraîche. STAT.