In this blog series our intrepid intern Molly will find and interview American cheesemakers attempting to re-create traditional European cheeses. Learn about the difficulties as well as the benefits of this type of cheese making, as well as how terroir and the idea of a cheese tied to a location so distant changes when that cheese is made in a new location. Also, each week you’ll have a chance to win an issue of culture: the word on cheese. Last week's winner was Bonnie Karoly!

Aah, the Loire valley. This region of Central France-- also known as the "Garden of France"--is a dreamscape in the mind of any cheese aficionado. For some, the name conjures visions of historic chateaus and rolling vineyards--for me, it's beautiful salads adorned with grilled slices of chèvre, and petite balls of goat cheese with fuzzy, wrinkled rinds that look like brains.