Certified cheesy

At one point in her life, AnnieLaurie Thompson was so in love with cheese, she decided to make a career of it. Its culinary possibilities were too infinite and its heritage, too inspiring. She joined the cheese team at Whole Foods Market in Baton Rouge, and along the way kept learning about the magic behind curds and whey. Her passion paid off. Recently, Thompson became one of only 121 cheesemongers in the U.S. to pass the inaugural American Cheese Society’s Certified Cheese Professional Exam, an indication of her knowledge of cheese from farm to counter.

To prepare for the test, Thompson traveled to domestic farms, shoring up her knowledge of cheese making, ripening, storage, handling, nutrition and culinary applications. Whole Foods Market had 69 other nationwide employees pass the exam, but only one other was from Louisiana, Brad Daschbach from the Arabella Station store in New Orleans.
October is American Cheese Month, which calls attention to the rich supply of domestic cheese available in the U.S. today. Our state cheesemaking culture is tiny compared to some others, but we have a few impressive standouts, including Belle Ecorce in St. Martinville, and Ryal’s Goat Dairy in Mississippi, both vendors at the Red Stick Farmers Market.