Bingham Hill Cheese Company (the cheesemakers who, in a very roundabout way, first inspired me with this whole cheesemaking thing) are suing Morning Fresh Dairy for theft of trade secrets, claiming the other cheesemakers stole their recipes. The funny thing is, Bingham Hill has been defunct since February (apparently because they put most of their eggs in one basket, Trader Joes).

I really don't understand how a traditionally made artisanal cheese recipe could even be considered a "trade secret." While there is certainly an art to the production of cheese, there's really no great secret to how it's made. The techniques and ingredients have been the same for centuries and any self-respecting "artisan" should be aware of his or her place in that tradition.

I just found out that Jonathan White at Bobolink Dairy is keeping a blog.

If anyone else knows of any cheesemaker blogs, please post to the comments. Thanks.

More people join the fight to secure EU name protection for Wensleydale cheese, including Wallace and Grommit. The cynic in me says that, for most products, EU protection is done simply as a way of getting the name out there for marketing purposes rather than out of any true desire to stop abuses of the name.

The posting wagon, that is:

Wensleydale seeks protection

Fluffy article on the rising popularity of artisanal cheeses. According to Williams Sonoma, Williams Sonoma was responsible for introducing the concept of farmhouse cheeses to the U.S. back in the 70s. First time I've heard that theory.