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<\/a><\/h1>\n1. RIVERDEL<\/a><\/h1>\nNEW YORK, NY<\/strong><\/p>\nSelf-described as \u201cthe original vegan cheesemonger,\u201d Riverdel is reimagining the identity of a traditional artisan cheese shop\u2014by keeping all the traditions and none of the dairy. \u201cI love cheese,\u201d says owner Michaela Grob. \u201cWhen I became vegan for ethical reasons, I started looking around for some great vegan cheeses…they weren\u2019t easy to find. That\u2019s how the idea was born!\u201d Since opening in 2015, this shop has become an artisan vegan cheese destination; it carries local and international wedges that are cut-to-order\u2014including their own line, \u201cBilly,\u201d made from fermented cashews and dairy-free cultures. As the demand for dairy-free cheeses grows\u2014due to vegan, lactose-intolerant, or general curiosity reasons\u2014so does their business. And Grob encourages everyone to have a taste. \u201cJust because you had a vegan cheese that wasn\u2019t great once, that shouldn\u2019t represent the whole selection,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd although we strive to develop something that\u2019s similar to the cheese we\u2019ve come to know, vegan cheese isn\u2019t about being a replica. Just as cow\u2019s milk cheese tastes different to goat\u2019s or sheep\u2019s milk cheese, vegan cheese is made with a nut-base and has a different flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Essex Market, Stall 3588 Essex St.<\/em><\/p>\nMon. \u2013 Fri. 11:30 a.m. \u2013 7 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sun. 11 a.m. \u2013 6 p.m.<\/em><\/p>\nriverdelcheese.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-17-at-5.18.31-PM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. THE DILL PICKLE FOOD CO-OP<\/a><\/h1>\nCHICAGO, IL<\/strong><\/p>\nThis Chicago-based co-op puts the health and wellbeing of their community at the forefront of its business. \u201cConsumer co-ops have a cool way of doing things differently,\u201d says general manager I\u2019Talia McCarthy. \u201cWe\u2019re people working together for better food, stronger communities, and a healthier world.\u201d Owned by over 3,000 volunteers, Dill Pickle prioritizes locally-made, organic, and fair-trade products\u2014a practice that stretches from the produce section all the way to the dairy department. The cheese section features 12 feet of sustainably produced cheeses that the staff is happy to educate customers about, both in-person and through social media. The co-op also prioritizes the importance of sustainability through strong recycling, composting, and food donation practices. The staff\u2019s hope is their community-based initiative will become contagious. \u201cWe are currently one of only two consumer co-ops in the Chicago area,\u201d McCarthy says. \u201cI hope to see an emergence of more cooperatives in the city\u2014specifically in locations that are considered food deserts\u2014and that we can help support any other local communities who are trying to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
2746 N Milwaukee Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n773.252.2667<\/em><\/p>\nDaily 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.<\/em><\/p>\ndillpickle.coop<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-02-17-at-5.19.16-PM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n3. MILL CITY CHEESEMONGERS<\/a><\/h1>\nLOWELL, MA<\/strong><\/p>\nEmpowering women can be as easy as heading to your local cheese shop. At least, that\u2019s what Mill City Cheesemongers in Lowell, Massachusetts, is trying to accomplish with their initiatives to highlight women cheesemakers and food producers. As gender discrepancies remain in the cheese industry\u2014especially for those in leadership positions\u2014this shop amplifies women-owned businesses by labeling products throughout the store with \u201cWomen Behind the Wheel\u201d and \u201cWomen in Wine\u201d signs and encouraging guests to interact with mongers. The shop also partners with local organizations like Girls, Inc<\/a>. and the Massachusetts Cheese Guild<\/a> to help fund their efforts and highlight community-based goals. And Mill City Cheesemongers\u2019 push for more progressive mongering practices is only growing; last fall, they partnered with local candymaker Sweet Lydia\u2019s<\/a> to open the Lowell Culinary Collaborative<\/a>, a place to purchase, learn, and taste local goods made by women. \u201cWhen we decided to work together, we wanted to prioritize collaborating with other woman-identified food professionals,\u201d says owner Beth Falk. \u201cOur mutual experience and the stories we’ve heard made it clear that we needed to work especially hard to be more inclusive and to learn how to make space for people whose voices haven’t been heard enough.\u201d Although educational classes and in-person tastings are temporarily shut down, folks can still sign up for virtual gatherings through the Lowell Culinary Collaborative\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Self-described as \u201cthe original vegan cheesemonger,\u201d Riverdel is reimagining the identity of a traditional artisan cheese shop\u2014by keeping all the traditions and none of the dairy. \u201cI love cheese,\u201d says owner Michaela Grob. \u201cWhen I became vegan for ethical reasons, I started looking around for some great vegan cheeses…they weren\u2019t easy to find. That\u2019s how the idea was born!\u201d Since opening in 2015, this shop has become an artisan vegan cheese destination; it carries local and international wedges that are cut-to-order\u2014including their own line, \u201cBilly,\u201d made from fermented cashews and dairy-free cultures. As the demand for dairy-free cheeses grows\u2014due to vegan, lactose-intolerant, or general curiosity reasons\u2014so does their business. And Grob encourages everyone to have a taste. \u201cJust because you had a vegan cheese that wasn\u2019t great once, that shouldn\u2019t represent the whole selection,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd although we strive to develop something that\u2019s similar to the cheese we\u2019ve come to know, vegan cheese isn\u2019t about being a replica. Just as cow\u2019s milk cheese tastes different to goat\u2019s or sheep\u2019s milk cheese, vegan cheese is made with a nut-base and has a different flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Essex Market, Stall 3588 Essex St.<\/em><\/p>\n Mon. \u2013 Fri. 11:30 a.m. \u2013 7 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sun. 11 a.m. \u2013 6 p.m.<\/em><\/p>\n riverdelcheese.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n CHICAGO, IL<\/strong><\/p>\n This Chicago-based co-op puts the health and wellbeing of their community at the forefront of its business. \u201cConsumer co-ops have a cool way of doing things differently,\u201d says general manager I\u2019Talia McCarthy. \u201cWe\u2019re people working together for better food, stronger communities, and a healthier world.\u201d Owned by over 3,000 volunteers, Dill Pickle prioritizes locally-made, organic, and fair-trade products\u2014a practice that stretches from the produce section all the way to the dairy department. The cheese section features 12 feet of sustainably produced cheeses that the staff is happy to educate customers about, both in-person and through social media. The co-op also prioritizes the importance of sustainability through strong recycling, composting, and food donation practices. The staff\u2019s hope is their community-based initiative will become contagious. \u201cWe are currently one of only two consumer co-ops in the Chicago area,\u201d McCarthy says. \u201cI hope to see an emergence of more cooperatives in the city\u2014specifically in locations that are considered food deserts\u2014and that we can help support any other local communities who are trying to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n 2746 N Milwaukee Ave.<\/em><\/p>\n 773.252.2667<\/em><\/p>\n Daily 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.<\/em><\/p>\n dillpickle.coop<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n LOWELL, MA<\/strong><\/p>\n Empowering women can be as easy as heading to your local cheese shop. At least, that\u2019s what Mill City Cheesemongers in Lowell, Massachusetts, is trying to accomplish with their initiatives to highlight women cheesemakers and food producers. As gender discrepancies remain in the cheese industry\u2014especially for those in leadership positions\u2014this shop amplifies women-owned businesses by labeling products throughout the store with \u201cWomen Behind the Wheel\u201d and \u201cWomen in Wine\u201d signs and encouraging guests to interact with mongers. The shop also partners with local organizations like Girls, Inc<\/a>. and the Massachusetts Cheese Guild<\/a> to help fund their efforts and highlight community-based goals. And Mill City Cheesemongers\u2019 push for more progressive mongering practices is only growing; last fall, they partnered with local candymaker Sweet Lydia\u2019s<\/a> to open the Lowell Culinary Collaborative<\/a>, a place to purchase, learn, and taste local goods made by women. \u201cWhen we decided to work together, we wanted to prioritize collaborating with other woman-identified food professionals,\u201d says owner Beth Falk. \u201cOur mutual experience and the stories we’ve heard made it clear that we needed to work especially hard to be more inclusive and to learn how to make space for people whose voices haven’t been heard enough.\u201d Although educational classes and in-person tastings are temporarily shut down, folks can still sign up for virtual gatherings through the Lowell Culinary Collaborative\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n2. THE DILL PICKLE FOOD CO-OP<\/a><\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n3. MILL CITY CHEESEMONGERS<\/a><\/h1>\n