Boston, September 2003 – Following in the footsteps of the California wine boom in the late 1970s, American cheeses and especially those from New England are the next homegrown product to emerge onto the national and international scene, winning worldwide acclaim and praise for taste, quality and beauty. At the World Championship Cheese Contest, Vermont-made Cabot Creamery’s Aged Cheddar took home the top prize for a Cheddar and other New England cheesemakers have had impressive showings at the 2003 International Fancy Foods Show, the United States Champion Cheese Contest, and the 2003 American Cheese Society Conference. In fact, over the past few years the reputation of these local products has grown to where some now refer to New England as the “Napa Valley of cheese.”
“Some of the best cheeses available anywhere are from New England. Great Hill Blue, Westfield Farm’s Camembert and Grafton Village Cheddar, for example, are amazing, flavorful and well-balanced cheeses,” says Ed Doyle, restaurateur and former Executive Chef of Aura restaurant in Boston. Doyle's commitment to sustainable agriculture and quality ingredients are evident in his menus. His search for the best products around led him to the cheesemakers dotted throughout the landscape of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. These local farms and cheese companies make up The Great Cheeses of New England, many of which are very small family-run companies that produce high-quality artisanal cheeses.
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 around New England make some of the most innovative and highly sought after cheese in the country. Many of the more recently started businesses, such as Taylor Farms, have begun out of necessity. In 1999, Kate and Jon Wright of Londonderry, Vermont were looking for a way to save their 40 cows after years of dairy farming. Now they sell their farmstead cheese to top chefs in New England and eager cheese lovers at farmers markets in Boston and Londonderry.
In the last ten years, New England- and American-made cheese has come full circle. 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 New England and American artisanal cheeses as courses, “flights” and even desserts. Several award-winning books chronicle the rise of American cheese including The All American Cheese and Wine Book by Laura Werlin, The Cheeses of Vermont by the late Henry Tewksbury and The Cheese Plate by New York Maître de Fromage Max McCalman and David Gibbons. Gourmet food stores, New England cheese shops, Whole Foods Markets and some supermarkets proudly carry the Great Cheeses of New England.
Judge For Yourself
The best way to experience the Great Cheeses of New England 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 find a printer-friendly Cheese & Wine Tasting Kit. For information and a map of New England cheesemakers, visit www.newenglandcheese.com.
The New England Dairy Promotion Board manages communication, public relations, and marketing programs, including the Great Cheeses of New England, on behalf of local dairy farmers. They have offices in Boston; Sutton, Massachusetts; and Burlington, Vermont.
Contact: Serena Ball 617-734-6750 sball@newenglanddairy.com
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