A Conversation with Lauren the Cheesemonger

When I first heard Lauren Stephenson gush about cheese, I was at Oh Mammas On The Avenue for Cheese 101. Eight of us were tucked in the small room in the back of the deli with a plate of cheese, ready to learn.

When Lauren speaks about cheese, the world fades away, her eyes widen, and her words pick up tempo. I found myself staring down at my plate wondering if I could love anything as much as Lauren loves cheese.

Months later on a cloudy afternoon in January, I pulled open the door to the shop and entered. The jingle of the bell and the warmth of the deli greeted me. Lauren showed me around the cheese case, shared samples, and answered a stream of questions about cheese, the shop, and her path to becoming a cheesemonger.

Here is a small taste of our conversation…

Kath: Thanks for chatting with me. How has January been so far?

Lauren: It’s been whiplash. We were so busy, and then so not busy. But I have a feeling it will be short lived. It’s been nice to have a break, but you can get complacent if it lasts too long. You can only scrub the floors so many times.

Kath: Tell me a little about your title here at Oh Mammas.

Lauren: Cheesemonger is my professional title. At some point I plan to earn my Certified Cheese Professional Certification. It involves a lot of learning, like being in school again but on your own time. But when you’re hands deep in a business, it’s hard to find the time. 

Kath: How did you first get into working with cheese?

Lauren: My mom was a chef so food was always integrated with life for me. She worked at places like The Summit Club, LaSalle Grill, and Century Center.

I read something yesterday that food is an emotional experience. That hits. I love to see the reaction people have when they experience food. To me, cheese is so unique. The rind development can be so beautiful, the way you plate can be beautiful, and even the way you describe cheese can be so beautiful and emotional. I fell into it, and then I dove in.

Kath: What was your first job in the industry?

My first job was working in the kitchen at a restaurant in Granger, and then I was spinning cotton candy at the baseball stadium during the summer. After that, I left South Bend and moved to New York to work at a small deli on a military installation.

Kath: How was working in New York?

Lauren: It was really cool. Especially being on a military installation. New York itself is already a melting pot of people. I ran into so many different types of people, so many different palettes. I was exposed to so many different traditional foods, non-traditional foods, and interesting things.

South Bend back then was nothing like what it is now. It was a sleepy old-school town. So to get out in a world that was much more fast-paced was really refreshing as a young person. I was probably only like eighteen years old.

Kath: So when do you move back and start working here at Oh Mamma’s?

Lauren: It was about five years ago. Initially I was super part-time. I was just here doing the daily grind and working two other jobs. And then slowly, more responsibility built on. I started really loving cheese as a whole and became really interested in what this business was doing and how far I could personally take myself.

Kath: I imagine people can be overwhelmed by the options here. Can you share some guidelines on how to approach the cheese case?

Lauren: We don’t want you to be overwhelmed, so I’ll ask specific questions that break it down to your palette to find exactly what you are looking for. That’s why it’s important for me to really know the products I have on hand and each of their unique flavors.

Kath: What are some of the broad categories of cheese?

Lauren: There are five main styles of cheese: fresh, soft ripe or bloomy, washed or prepared rinded, aged, and blue. We separate our cases based on those styles in a progressive order. 

Kath: Are there traditional rules about cheese, similar to the world of wine?

Lauren: There are definitely some traditional pairings. But I personally don’t stand behind rules with cheese. Like, you can do whatever you want to do, if you like it.
Kath: Is this openness something most cheesemongers live by, or are there those with a pretentiousness?

Lauren: I think at this stage in the game, the pretentiousness has flown out the window. There are so many people coming into cheese at this point that have a culinary mind. It’s changing, it’s evolving, and it’s growing even further. Yes, we absolutely hold onto traditional pairings, but you’ll also find mongers dipping Hot Cheetos into harvesting wheels.

Kath: Is there a difference between what is happening here in the United States versus the traditional places like France or Italy where there’s a lot more history and regulation?

Lauren: You still have forward-thinkers in the traditional setting. Most of those government regulations are set to protect the cheese itself, the makers, and the history, as well as the environment. For example, Parmesan is the famous Italian cheese, but for it to be a traditional Parmesan Reggiano, you have to treat the animals in a specific way, feed them in a specific way. You have to make the cheese with specific tools and age for a specific amount of time and handle it with certain guidelines. It’s set in place so that not just anyone can capitalize off the original.

There is a resurgence of the slow food movement happening here, like what happens in Italy. It’s important to look back at the traditional methods and integrate them again. We have gotten to a point as a society where we want things fast, and there’s a point where we sacrificed true flavor to extend the shelf life or get a quicker product out to people. There’s a movement now to dial that back to the traditional way. Things tasted different then, more robust.

Kath: Have you found a community of like-minded people in the food industry here?

Lauren: I think so. I definitely suffer from imposter syndrome, but who doesn’t? There’s just so many people doing cool things and I have mad respect for all of them. To collaborate with anyone, or even just to call somebody a friend, feels good.

Kath: I’ve noticed at Oh Mamma’s you feature many local or regional products.

Lauren: Yes, we try to hail true to that. Terroir, which means taste of place, is ingrained into our cheese. Why not accentuate things that are true to our region?

Kath: Are there certain products that people tend to steer away from?

Lauren: Blue cheeses are a big one. People are scared of blue cheese because they associate it with mold. For American minds, mold is bad. But in reality, it’s really not.

Kath: If a cheese molds in the fridge, how do you suggest handling that?

Lauren: I tell people to just cut the mold away. Cheese is a living organism, so it’s going to grow mold on the outside to try and protect itself from bad bacterias. The only time I recommend not eating it is if it's fresh or lactic cheese. Those can spoil because they have a higher moisture content.

Kath: How do you approach a conversation with someone who is lactose intolerant?

I hate the term lactose intolerant. Intolerance basically puts such a barrier on peoples’ willingness to try things. Those who are sensitive to lactose, their gut just doesn’t necessarily like the protein found in cow milk. Usually you can still get away with goat’s milk and sheep’s milk cheeses. 

But, if you have a sensitivity and are willing to try a cow’s milk cheese, the more aged the better because the proteins are breaking down as the cheese ages. I tell people when they come in that, well, you know your body better than I do, but here's what I suggest that you try. If you feel comfortable trying it, cool.

Kath: Are there any final words you want to share?

Lauren:  I just want people to continue to educate themselves on good eating. It doesn't have to be cheese, it can be literally anything. There is a story behind everything that we consume. So dive into that and have that emotional experience with food itself. I think it’s really important. It creates healthy eating habits and it creates a good sense of community.