Renowned as one of the cheese world's living legends for his expertise, insight and passion, Max McCalman is dedicated to helping others understand and enjoy the unique pleasures of artisanal cheeses. As America's first restaurant-based Maître Fromager and a Garde et Jure as designated by France's exclusive Guilde des Fromagers, Max established the critically acclaimed cheese programs at New York City's Picholine and Artisanal restaurants over the past decade and has become a highly visible advocate for artisanal cheese production around the world.

Just as cheeses have their seasons, some better in the summer, others at their best in fall, individual cheeses also have their peak stages of ripeness. For some cheeses those peaks can last just a matter of days, while for others those peaks may last for many months. While it is always interesting to try a variety of cheeses, as well as to try cheeses at their various degrees of ripeness, there is usually a time when a cheese reaches its tip-top best. Looking over the many fine jewels in our caves right now these are the cheeses I am choosing to have on my plate right now.