Sam and Cheese

Hi! Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and my purpose here.

My name is Samantha Hoskins, professionally, or “Sam” as it comes naturally. I am a Cheese State University Graduate and Scholar and aspiring Certified Cheese Professional. I am here to express my passion and love for all things cheese. I love cheese not because it is my career but because it is something I believe I have truly found my calling for. When I joined the cheese industry in 2023, I was immediately intimidated by all the knowledge I lacked as an up and coming cheesemonger. Before I became a cheesemonger, the only cheese I had ever tried was (and this is embarrassing to admit) shredded and sliced cheese off the cheese wall at a grocery store. I had never tried anything real so to speak.

When I took my first bite of real cheese imported from another country, I was thrown into another dimension. My taste buds were flooded with flavors I had never experienced before. My nose was smelling aromas I had never smelt before. My brain was feeling feelings it never felt before. My senses were scrambling to find a word to put to whatever this sensation was. I had no idea I had been missing out on such an incredible experience. I wanted to learn more.

For years, I was searching high and low for what my passion was in life. I tried many different hobbies but nothing really stuck with me. I would either start something I thought I would like and then put it down or I would force myself to do something in hopes it would ignite a spark. With cheese, it was easy. It was something new and something I had never really delved into before. Unexpected.

As I stated before, the only cheese I had ever had in my life before being a cheesemonger was the cheese off the grocery store wall and most of the time it was put on something. Or I’d get a cheddar cheese block and a summer sausage during the holidays. Not considered real cheese to me, now. The first cheese I ever tried was a double cream brie called Fromage D’Affinois, a mild and creamy soft-ripened cheese. Of course, to get the full flavor experience, I ate both rind and paste. At first, my palette was overwhelmed by the mushroomy, earthy taste of the rind. It was unlike anything I had tasted before as I was not used to this unique flavor profile. Surprisingly, I liked it and became curious of what it could pair with. That day, I took home a piece of that cheese, a tasty jam, and a cracker to try at home. For weeks on, I made it a routine to pick out a cheese in my case, a basic jam to pair, a cracker, and occasionally a meat of some sort to take home and try. I felt this was the best way for me to learn the basics of cheese and charcuterie. It helped me tremendously in giving recommendations, offering samples, and creating community around cheese and food in general.

My love for cheese goes beyond just what I do behind a service counter. It has now become my life and what I want to do for the rest of my life. With the amount of accomplishment I have already seen while pursuing cheese as my career is astonishing and so rewarding. My goal is to one day start my own cheese shop and put “Sam and Cheese” on a brick and mortar.

This July, I take the exam to become a Certified Cheese Professional. If I pass, it will be a large stepping stone in the direction I’m heading. It will be one of the biggest accomplishments I will have ever achieved in my life so far and I am so looking forward to it.

I hope following my blog will inspire you to find your spark and what makes you happy. If not, I, at least, hope you know more about cheese today than you did yesterday. 🙂

Thanks again for taking the time to learn about me and what I’m doing here.

Go forth and stay cheesy!

-Sam