THE TRIUMPH OF LOCAL CHEESE
Boston, May 2002 - Following in the footsteps of the California wine boom in the late 1970s, American-made cheeses are the next homegrown product to ooze onto the international scene, winning worldwide acclaim and praise for taste, quality and beauty. American cheeses, including those made in New England, recently took center stage at the 2002 World Championship Cheese Contest. Competing against fine cheeses from 19 nations, the United States took home 49 awards, more than any other country and nearly one-third more than in 2000, proving to the world the time is ripe for American cheese.
"Some of the best cheeses available anywhere are from New England. Great Hill Blue, Blythedale Farm's Camembert and Grafton Village Cheddar, for example, are amazing, flavorful and well-balanced cheeses," says Ed Doyle, restauranteur and former Executive Chef of Aura in Boston's Seaport Hotel. At the World Championship Cheese Contest, Cabot Creamery's Aged Cheddar took home the top prize for an American Cheddar and other New England cheesemakers have had impressive showings at the 2001 International Fancy Foods Show, the United States Champion Cheese Contest, and the 2001 American Cheese Society Conference.
Many see parallels between the current rise of American cheese and California wines' arrival on the world stage in the 70s. "Just as California wines garnered world attention in the late 1970s, American cheeses are receiving international praise and accolades from even the most sophisticated palates," said R. Michael Mondavi, Chairman of the Board, Robert Mondavi Winery.
American-Made Cheeses on the Rise
Cheesemaking is not a new art in New England. In the 1620's the earliest settlers of Plymouth Plantation brought the tools and skills needed to make cheese with them from England to America. In Healdville, Vermont, Crowley Cheese Company still makes the same creamy, sharp cheese it made in 1843 in the oldest continually operating cheese plant in the US. Recently, a new interest in artisanal cheesemaking has led to a renaissance in farmhouse cheesemaking. Cynthia and David Major of Vermont Shepherd started the trend and over the past decade have helped cheesemakers in New England make some of the most innovative and highly sought after cheese in the country.
In the last ten years, New England- and American-made cheese has come full circle. Small cheesemaking farms dot the countryside, from coast to coast and New England has been dubbed "the Napa Valley of cheese." America's passion for cheese is at an all-time high. Top chefs from New York to Los Angeles helped jump-start the cheese trend, menuing American artisanal cheeses as courses, "flights" and even desserts. Several award-winning books chronicle the rise of American cheese including The New American Cheese by Laura Werlin, The Cheeses of Vermont by Henry Tewksbury and The Cheese Plate by New York maitre fromager Max McCalmand and David Gibbons. Gourmet food stores, cheese counters, such as Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca, and Williams Sonoma and local grocery stores proudly carry American cheeses.
Judge For Yourself
The best way to experience today's American-made cheeses is to taste them. Host a cheese and wine tasting party at home with family and friends, and sample several to find personal favorites. Consumers can visit ilovecheese.com to purchase award-winning cheeses and find a printer-friendly Cheese & Wine Tasting Kit, including a placemat, tasting notes and flag markers. For information and a map of New England cheesemakers, visit newenglandcheese.com.
The New England Dairy Promotion Board is the local affiliate of the American Dairy Association that manages communication, public relations, and marketing programs on behalf of local dairy farmers. They have offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Sutton, Massachusetts; and Burlington, Vermont.
Contact: Serena Ball 617-734-6750 sball@newenglanddairy.com
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