What is almost as good as eating cheese? Reading about it in these, the latest new books in which cheese has a starring role.
Cheesy Reads
It’s All About Fromagination
Leading the whey to Wisconsin cheese
It should come as no surprise that Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland, is home to one of the foremost cheese retailers in the country. After all, the state boasts more than 100 registered cheesemakers and sellers across the state. And it’s home to countless award-winning cheeses, including the 2016 World Cheese Champion, Roth’s Grand Cru Surchoix and Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve, the most-awarded cheese in American history. Continue reading →
The Ante Is Raised At Retail
Kroger is the nation’s largest supermarket chain and second largest grocer – behind Wal-Mart. In 2008, it entered into an agreement with Murray’s Cheese Shop, and kiosks that focused on marketing specialty cheese under the Murray’s banner now appear in more than 350 stores. Continue reading →
New York’s Sprout Creek Farm
Where education and award-winning cheeses inspire kudos
When I arrive at Sprout Creek Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley just outside of Poughkeepsie, it’s snowing for the first time this season. The grey sky blankets the farm’s rolling 200 acres with gentle white flurries. The last of fall’s vibrant foliage blazes from the trees. It’s gorgeous here.
Lebanon Cheesemaking Traditions
Simple recipes and sophisticated production characterize its cheese production
Recently, I made a spontaneous decision to travel to Lebanon, which turned out to be a revelation in cheesemaking. This was prompted by my partner, who was attending a last-minute wine trip in the country during a week we were planning to spend together.
After he asked me what I thought about joining him on an excursion to this Middle Eastern country, it took just a split second of consideration before I booked my flights. Prior to leaving, however, I began my research and discovered that Lebanon was richer in its food and wine culture than I could ever imagine. Of course, being a cheese professional, my vested interest was in this region’s cheese scene.
Rush Creek Reserve
INDULGENT, DELICATE AND DELICIOUS
To understand the making of Rush Creek Reserve cheese, it’s important to appreciate the operations of its producer, Uplands Cheese, located in Dodgeville, WI.
The dairy farm milks its cows seasonally while the animals are on pasture, producing grass-fed milk. This is used to craft the company’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve, an alpine-style cheese available only during the summer. When the pasture stops growing, Uplands stops making this cheese, although the cows are milked until about Christmas, when the herd is dried off for the winter.