A few weeks ago we were at Murray's Cheese in the West Village, picking up a few chunks for a soiree. That's when we met Michael. Decked out in a clown nose and devil horns, he walked us through samples of cheeses, chocolates and olives while belting tunes from Jesus Christ Superstar, making Rocky Horror jokes and regaling us with tales of his adventures as a Fire Patrolman before his rebirth as a cheesemonger. From growing up in Queens to learning about cheese to walking through the ashes of Ground Zero during his previous job, you can read it all below... or go visit him at the store yourself. more ›

In this week's food news: Sapori d’Ischia rings in white truffle season, Del Posto hosts a Murray's Cheese tasting, Matsuri serves a sinful seven course menu, and Brooklyn's cookin' for the NYC Wine & Food festival. more ›

Click through for the latest news on Labor Day's Asian "Feastival" in Queens, a jerky making class at Murray's Cheese and Blue Smoke's new bake shop. more ›

Click on the photos for news about an ice cream social at Murray's Cheese, a hot plate cookoff with WNYC's Leonard Lopate, and more meat from the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. more ›

Mark Bello wants to teach you how to make a perfect pizza at home. With fresh dough and carefully selected local and Italian ingredients, Bello makes delectable thin-crust pies using his standard home oven in Chinatown, or, through his catering and cooking class company, Pizza a Casa in your home oven as well. He spreads the pizza gospel throughout the city teaching classes at the likes of Murray's and Astor Center and at private events. more ›

The gang at Eater has set up a blogger lounge, complete with laptops galore and shiny red espresso makers pumping out much-needed caffeine, as a central wifi hotspot for the food bloggerati to interact with chefs and other food festival notables. The Rachel Ray fly-by was earlier today, but right now Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter (and soon-to-be of Food Network fame with her new show, The Cooking Loft) is in the house, along with Food & Wine Mag editor Dana Cowin and Mr. Murrays Cheese himself, Rob Klaufelt (armed with some serious goodies). And earlier, Adam Perry Lang discussed last night's Burger Bash and his favorite burgers. more ›

When one hears there are caves at Murray’s Cheese, images of damp, subterranean chasms loaded with mounds of exotic fromage spring readily to mind. As a recent tour revealed, the cheeses aren’t stored and aged in actual caverns, but rather climate-controlled walk-in refrigerators designed by France’s leading affineur, Hervé Mons. more ›