Meet The Team / Max Shrem

Are raw-milk cheeses healthful? Recent findings of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes Listeria, in cheeses from Montesano, Washington's Estrella Family Creamery in Missouri's Morningland Dairy unequivocally suggest the contrary. Both dairies, which were inspected by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) officials within the past few months, are going to have a particularly hard time defending their raw-milk cheeses, especially since it's just the latest raw-milk scare. Just last week, health officials found 25 E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to Bravo Farms' raw-milk Gouda being sold at Costco stores in Colorado.

When it comes to raw-milk, the conflict between cheesemakers and the FDA is not new. Many cheesemakers view the FDA as an organization of government officials with little or no experience on dairies. Sunday, the Pacific Northwest Cheese Project released a series of cheesemakers' reactions to the recent recalls of raw-milk cheese. One of them states, anonymously, of course, "I am concerned about any potential surprise investigations, because the investigators usually don't have any experience with farms at all," the cheesemaker told the Cheese Project. "The ones who recently visited here had never even been on a farm before; not a good thing in my opinion." Apart from revealing the incompetence of the FDA, their anonymous responses indicate that the health risks do not involve raw-milk, on its own.

Finding the crème de la crème of American cheese shops is no easy task. We did it, however, by carefully considering the variety, distinctiveness, and quality of cheeses that hundreds of them carry, as well as the extent to which they've promulgated the availability of handmade artisanal cheeses. Check out our five picks after the jump.

Deliciously juicy crisp apples and pears – just some of the fruits we associate with autumn – make especially tasty cheese pairings. Their crunchy texture and sweet taste enhance the flavors of many cheeses, ranging from spicy creamy blues, like Vaquero, to nutty Alpine cheeses, including Gruyère and Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Since this blend of tastes and textures works so well, it would seem as if the cheese options were limitless. However, after eating a large number of cheeses, we discovered that the ones which work best are those with complex flavor profiles that do not overwhelm the palate.

Selecting the appropriate cheeses for a pizza involves finding the perfect balance of textures and tastes between all the ingredients, whether vegetables or meats. Apart from the standards like mozzarella, the options are limitless, ranging from Swiss Gruyère to Italian Gorgonzola Dolce. We spoke to pizza masters Jim Lahey, owner of Co. and NYC's renowned Sullivan St. Bakery, and Andrew Feinberg, owner of Franny's and Bklyn Larder, to find out where to begin.

In Paris, the end of summer means that some of the best cheese shops, including Fromagerie Barthélémy and Fromagerie Trotté, will re-open their doors for business after being on holiday for several weeks. American tourists and gastronomes alike should take up this opportunity to taste France's most celebrated cheeses -- varieties that are either unavailable stateside or poorly represented in American food stores. Here are five must-buy French cheeses travelers should try next time they're in France.