The warmer weather these days is encouraging folks to step outside and enjoy the fresh air, but it also inspires us to look for a fresh start. For many people, that means spring cleaning! A clean and organized space can set you up for success and promote productivity and creativity, especially in the kitchen. 

If you're looking for a burst of culinary inspiration, Formaticum's new selection of kitchen knives and cutting boards might do the trick:

These fashionable Black & White Cutting Boards make meal prep exciting, especially considering they're made of non-toxic material and are also dishwasher-safe. 

Available in 2 sizes (small and large) and perfect for spicing up your kitchen counter with the pop of color from the yellow handle. 

And if you were hoping that there would be matching kitchen knives, don't worry! We've got the Paring Knife, Utility Knife, and Chef Knife with matching handles and stainless steel blades. 

Looking to upgrade your presentation for cheese and charcuterie, and beyond? Check out our custom-made Formaticum wooden cutting boards from our friends at Timberlane Handcrafted in Pennsylvania. These sturdy and beautiful boards are made of locally-sourced black walnut and feature our iconic Vive Le Fromage cow branding.

If you've been a loyal Formaticum customer for a while, you may have noticed that a few months ago, our Sales & Marketing Manager Emilia D'Albero made history by winning the gold medal at the Mondial du Fromage - and being the first American to ever do so. Yes, the same person who writes all of our blogs posts and Instagram captions, and answers your phone calls and emails!

And if you've ever thought, "wow, I would love to travel with a top-level cheesemonger and taste some of the world's best cheeses," then we've got great news - Emilia is taking a small group of cheese lovers to Italy in June, and you're invited! In collaboration with woman-owned culinary tourism company Vita Casalinga, the tour will take place June 9-14, 2026, in Piemonte in northern Italy.

Emilia herself hand-selected many of the producers and activities in the itinerary - it's a great mix of cheese-focused and other culinary activities, tastings and hands-on workshops, and authentic cultural experiences in one of her favorite regions of Italy (with some of the best food!). Emilia is excited to share this experience with an intimate group of just 12 lucky folks, and many of these spots have already been filled - so reserve your spot soon!

If you are intimidated by the thought of walking into a cheese shop, you're not alone. Many cheese lovers are nervous to chat with their local cheesemonger, for fear of being judged or asking the wrong questions. Cheese counters can house tens, and sometimes hundreds of cheeses, many of which are not household names and may be unfamiliar to the average consumer!

But fear not - here at Formaticum, we believe that cheese is for everyone, and we are on a mission to make cheese more approachable for all. We want to help empower you to communicate more effectively with your monger and talk about your tastes and preferences. Remember - knowing all of the cheeses in the case is the monger's job, not the customer, and our main goal is to easily guide you through the options and help you select the perfect cheese for your needs. 

It should also be noted that a good cheesemonger would never make a customer feel inferior or judged in their space and if you encounter a grumpy monger, we encourage you to shop somewhere else. 

If you don't know where to start or how to open a conversation with your cheesemonger, here are 5 questions we recommend asking to break the ice:

1. Which cheeses are in season right now?
   Like produce, cheese is a seasonal product! Your cheesemonger will have their finger on the pulse of the industry and know what is in season and tasting particularly delicious that day. For example, goat cheese is "in season" in the spring, when the goats are grazing on a variety of fresh grasses, flowers, and herbs, which translate to their milk in an unmistakable complexity. It also aligns with "kidding season," when the baby goats are born, so the milk is exceptionally rich and perfect for cheesemaking. Alternatively, some cheeses like Vacherin Mont d'Or and Rush Creek Reserve, are made only with winter milk, which is higher in fat and produces and more luxurious cheese. 
2. How much cheese should I get?
   Determining the right amount of cheese for any recipe or occasion can be complicated. Your monger will be able to tell you how much of each cheese would be appropriate for your cheese board based on the number of guests, number of cheeses, other dishes being served, and style of cheese! Plus, they're usually quick with weight conversations for grated, shredded, or melted cheeses. 
3. What does this cheese pair well with?
   Part of a cheesemonger's job is to taste, taste, taste! Not only are we tasting the cheeses frequently, but we are always trying out new combination of flavors with the pairing options available in the shop. Your monger might have a suggestion for a truly unique and mind-blowing jam, fruit, or cracker pairing that you would never have considered. Hot tip: ask for a sample and they might oblige! 
4. What is your favorite cheese right now and why?
   This is a cheesemonger's favorite question - it broadens your horizons and allows you to view the case through our eyes. A cheese that you may have not even noticed might become your new favorite! Cheesemongers work very closely with sometimes hundreds or thousands of cheeses over the course of their careers, so it only benefits you to use them as a resource. If you learn one thing from this blog post, let it be this - trust your monger! 
5. How should I store my cheese to make it last longer?
   This is one of the most common questions that cheesemongers are asked, and rightfully so - a delicious piece of cheese should be stored properly so that it tastes good until the last bite. If you are at a cut to order shop, your monger will likely be wrapping your cheese in professional cheese paper, which you should keep it wrapped in when you put it in the refrigerator. If you are buying a precut piece of cheese, we recommend always having a Formaticum Cheese Storage Bag or Reusable Cheese Storage Sheet on hand, so that you can remove the plastic wrap when you get home and rewrap the cheese in a bag or sheet. Formaticum products are specifically designed to create a cave-like environment that preserves your cheese's flavor and texture for longer than plastic wrap or wax/butcher paper. Store your cheese like a cheesemonger - use professional quality products, and ensure that every bite tastes just like the cheesemaker intended. 

Do you have unanswered cheese questions that you would like to ask the Formaticum team? Email us at hello@formaticum.com and we will answer any and all cheese-related questions! 

It's no secret that our best-selling Cheese Storage Bags are the best way to store your leftover cheese. But here in the Formaticum Test Kitchen, we are always looking for new ways to utilize these miracle products and expand their usefulness in the kitchen. As our Marketing Manager likes to say, the bag doesn't know what's inside it - it just does its job. So here are 5 of our favorite non-cheese ways to use your Formaticum cheese storage products:

1. Sandwiches - Tired of wrapping your sandwiches in plastic wrap, only for it to be soggy by lunchtime? Add a touch of whimsy and efficiency to your lunch by using a Cheese Storage Bag for your sandwich - the bread, cheese, and even the meat will thank you. 
2. Fresh Herbs - Formaticum cheese storage solutions can significantly extend the life of your fresh herbs in the fridge so you don't end up throwing out browned or moldy herbs a week after you wanted to make a pot of soup. We recommend wrapping a damp paper towel around the base of the herbs and placing them into a Cheese Storage Bags or a sheet of Zero Cheese Storage Paper. 
3. Mushrooms - Mushrooms are basically sponges, which means regulating the moisture in their environment is key when storing them! That sounds like a job for our Cheese Storage Bags. 
4. 
   Ripening Fruit - let our bags do the hard work for you. Place tomatoes, avocado, stone fruit, and beyond into a bag and leave on the counter for a few days. Check daily until it reaches your ideal ripeness, and enjoy! 
5. Storing Cut Vegetables - did that recipe only call for half an onion? Did you only use a portion of a lemon or lime for your cocktail? Instead of wasting a plastic bag or using plastic wrap, toss remnants into a Reusable Cheese Storage Bag and into the fridge for when you need it next. Hand-wash the bag in warm, soapy water and let it air dry, and it's ready for your next culinary adventure! 

Honorable mention: Marketing Manager Emilia's mother notably uses the Reusable Cheese Storage Bags for pounding out chicken cutlets before frying them, citing that the bags are durable enough to withstand the force of the kitchen mallet! 

Do you use your Cheese Storage Bags in a new and unique way? Let us know! Email hello@formaticum.com with your notes and photos, and we may just share them on social media with other cheese lovers.