“I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like. When it comes to cheese, I have no type: strong, old, smoky, nutty, smooth, rich, soft—I’ll even take the stinky ones. While delicious just on its own, there are few dishes that can’t be elevated by the addition of cheese. How else are you getting a toddler to eat Brussels sprouts? It’s a simple fact that life is better with cheese, so it goes without saying that there usually isn’t a day where I don’t indulge. It was during one of my frequent wine and cheese nights with my family that the idea for this issue materialized. Seriously, I just can’t get enough of it. 

 For the September issue, we’re exploring all things cheesy as we try 12 of Thunder Bay’s cheesiest dishes, from fried curds to queso and everything in between. Also in this month’s cover story, I head to The Cheese Encounter to talk 10 years of artisanal cheese, Kat Lyzun visits Thunder Oak Cheese Farm, and Jack Barten curates an all-local charcuterie board for your next dinner party.

In the words of philosopher Gilbert K. Chesterton, “Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.” Perhaps the bounds of language hinder us from accurately conveying all that we as a civilization feel about cheese, but we’re giving it our best shot.“

 -Sidney Ulakovic