![]() The make schedule of Uplands’ two cheeses is dictated not by the calendar, but by the seasons, the availability of fresh grass, and, therefore, the natural diet of their animals. Rush Creek is a soft, bark-wrapped cheese with a great gooey center, as in, it looks nothing like Pleasant Ridge Reserve but is equally delicious. Note: Only Pleasant Ridge Reserve is pictured since Rush Creek Reserve is a seasonal cheese made in the cooler months. Uplands Cheese Company, Wisconsin Age: 61 days (Rush Creek), 12-18 months (Pleasant Ridge) But, you know, then go buy something think of your cheese purchase as not only supporting your desire to sit on the couch and eat cheese for dinner, but also as a way to support small businesses. Chat with your cheesemonger, find out what your nearby dairies are producing, and-best of all-always ask for samples. While this list is a great starting point, don’t make it an ending point. Beyond just how good these cheeses taste, many of them also serve as models for responsible dairy farming and helping local communities. So I asked seven of the country’s leading cheese experts (see their bios at the end) to share what they think are the most important (and most delicious) cheeses that define American dairy today. We’re living in a dairy renaissance, people! The golden age of American cheese! What a time to be alive!īut the cheese counter can be an intimidating place good cheese does not come cheap. ![]() ![]() Instead, I’m referring to the incredible range of cheeses handcrafted in America-from young, tangy goat cheeses in Indiana to aged, nutty cow’s-milk cheese in Wisconsin dessert-like blue cheeses from Oregon and complex, caramel-y clothbound cheddars from Vermont. But when I use the phrase American cheese now, that’s not what I’m talking about (save for this great grilled cheese recipe and the occasional hamburger). Specialty cheeses may be made from all types of milk (cow, sheep, goat, etc.) and may include flavorings such as herbs, spices, fruits and nuts.The phrase American cheese used to mean only one thing: that floppy, pale orange plastic-wrapped slice of processed perfection. Specialty cheese:Specialty cheese is defined as a cheese of limited production, with particular attention paid to natural flavor and texture profiles. It may be made from all types of milk and may include various flavorings. Milk used in the production of farmstead cheeses may not be obtained from any outside source. It may be made from all types of milk and may include various flavorings.įarmstead cheese: For a cheese to be classified as “farmstead,” it must be made with milk from the farmer’s own herd, or flock, on the farm where the animals are raised. In its 2016 report, ACS breaks down the differences between artisan, farmstead and specialty cheese.Īrtisan cheese: The word “artisan” or “artisanal” implies that a cheese is produced primarily by hand, in small batches, with particular attention paid to the tradition of the cheesemaker’s art, and thus using as little mechanization as possible in the production of the cheese. The profit margins were slim, according to the report, with 23% of cheesemakers indicating their businesses did not turn a profit. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry.”ĪCS reported that 74% of these cheesemakers produced 50,000 pounds of cheese or less in the year leading up to the survey 66% made their cheese using milk from their own animals and 67% of businesses reported gross revenues under $500,000. More than 900 artisan, farmstead and specialty cheesemakers are currently in operation in the United States, according to a 2016 American Cheese Society (ACS) survey-based report titled “U.S. There are 25 companies that manufacture organic cheese, including Roth Cheese Organic Grand Cru Reserve, which took home first place in the washed rind cheese category at the 2017 American Cheese Society competition. Kerr added that Wisconsin leads the nation in the number of organic dairy farms and is home to more organic farmers than any other state. “Sales of organic cheese have, in fact, more than tripled since 2011, with young millennials accounting for 45% of those sales.” “As consumers grow increasingly more aware of the foods they eat and the ingredients used, we are seeing a rise in the number of organic specialty cheeses,” Kerr said. Organic cheese is also in growth mode, according to Kerr. Cheese Championship Contest - Open Class Pepper Flavored Cheeses in Mild Heat, Medium Heat and High Heat. In fact, the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association added three new classes dedicated to spicy cheese at this year’s U.S. Consumer demand for spicy cheese, in particular, has impacted the flavored cheese category, Kerr noted.
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