Last Call for Entries: 2010 Judging & Competition
The deadline for on-time entry of cheeses into our 26th Annual Judging & Competition has passed. More than 1,120 cheeses have been entered so far! Entries may still be submitted through today, July 16, with an additional $25 late fee. No entries will be accepted after July 16.
Don't miss your chance to enter! Even if you don't take home a prize, you'll gain invaluable feedback from our expert judges that can help to make your cheeses even
better. For 2010 Judging & Competition information and entry forms, please click here. |
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Member Profile:
Ellina Campbell
Ellina Campbell is a new member with a mission - to learn as much as she can about cheese. As the owner of Trattoria Sbandati, named Best New Restaurant of the Year in Central Oregon, Campbell is hoping to incorporate more American artisan cheese into the restaurant's offerings.
Read more about Ellina by clicking here.
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Member Milestones
Several ACS members were also selected as sofi™ Silver Winners, including: The Cheese Works Ltd, Antonio Mozzarella Factory, Bellwether Farms, Cheezwhse.com, Fromagerie Belle Chevre, and Cypress Grove Chevre. For a complete list of 2010 sofi™ finalists and winners, click here. Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company has released Toma, a unique farmstead table cheese produced using pasteurized milk from the Giacomini family's third-generation dairy farm. Toma is described as a semi-hard cheese with a natural rind, buttery flavor, and a subtle, grassy-tang finish. DCI Cheese Company's Green Bay, WI facility has been recognized for meeting or exceeding the standards of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). DCI's Santa Rosa, CA facility was also GFSI certified in March 2010. With the Green Bay certification, the company has achieved its goal of company-wide certification at all of its production facilities. |
Recipe of the Month
This month's recipe comes from ACS member and author Janet Fletcher. It features a perfect summer combination: sweet bell peppers and fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese.
Janet's latest book will be available at the ACS Conference Bookstore in Seattle, where she will be signing copies.
Bruschetta with Sweet Peppers and Ricotta from Fresh from the Farmer's Market (Chronicle Books).
From "Fresh from the Farmers' Market," by Janet Fletcher, copyright Victoria Pearson. |
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Cheese in the News
Farmstead Cheese Overcomes Adversity to Succeed - Lancaster Farming Newspaper, July 2
Behind the Wheel - Oregon Wine Press, July 1
Best of the Fancy Food Show (Video) - Good Morning America, June 30
Matt Rubiner Wins Cheesemonger Invitational - Culture Cheese Magazine, June 26
Sheep's Milk Cheeses Gain Foothold in the Valley - Modesto Bee, June 26
We Made It Ourselves: Beekman 1802 Blaak Cheese - The New York Times Style Magazine, June 25
For R.I. Creamery, a Curd Mentality - The Boston Globe, June 23
Michael Pollan's New Book Advises Us to Eat More Real Food - The Seattle Times, June 19
American Cheese Grows Up - Newsweek, May 10
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Join Us Next Month for Cheese-a-Topia
 Dear friends,
The 27th Annual ACS Conference & Competition, Cheese-a-Topia, is ready to roll into Seattle next month. I invite you to take a look at the conference sessions if you haven't done so already. They include an outstanding offering of practical, theoretical, and real-life cheese experiences presented by a talented lineup of speakers from around the world. Sasha Davies, Kurt Dammeier, Julie Riendl, and the entire conference planning committee guarantee there will be something of value for everyone attending this year's conference. You're sure to take away knowledge and ideas you can immediately apply to your professional and personal life. And without a doubt, our conference planners have not forgotten the fun. Our host city, Seattle, is one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in America. The Sheraton Seattle, our conference hotel, is within walking distance of the renowned Pike Place Market, beautiful Puget Sound, the highly regarded Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Aquarium, and world class restaurants and shopping. You will also be within a day's commute of the Olympic Peninsula, Mount Rainier National Park, Vancouver, BC, and Portland, OR.I personally invite you to participate in the idea-rich ACS Town Hall Meeting generously sponsored by Artisan Cheese Masters of America. This lively and passion-filled Q&A session will be moderated by myself and Steven Jenkins, ACS Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and author of Cheese Primer and Food Life. The Town Hall Meeting is your opportunity to contribute publicly to your cheese community. The ACS Board of Directors will be present to hear your views on topics discussed. Last year, great conversation was shared around ACS's role in everything from defining cheese terminology, to taking leadership in quality assurance, to evaluating differences between cheeses and other cultured milk products. If you have an issue or topic for the agenda, you are invited to bring your ideas to the event - or don't hesitate to contact Steve or myself in advance.Whether you are a cheesemaker, monger, retailer, buyer, distributor, educator, writer, affineur, culinary professional - or simply a cheese lover - I hope to see you in Seattle.
This is your association,
David Gremmels President
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Power in Numbers
There is nothing like ACS's Annual Conference & Competition to remind you of the value of your ACS membership. The event brings together the key players in North America's cheese world to learn, share, sample, and compete. But ACS is more than just a once-a-year conference - it is your partner in education, in growing your business, and in keeping you current on industry issues and trends. That's why ACS is committed to finding ways to make your membership dues work harder and give you even more value.
By taking advantage of the group power of ACS members, we are working to negotiate better rates on the services many of you already use. I'm excited to tell you about the first such new benefit that can have an immediate impact on your bottom line: ACS has partnered with Renaissance Associates (RA) to offer great rates on credit card processing. This means that if you accept credit cards, you could get better rates by switching to RA. Representatives will be on hand in Seattle - so bring along a recent monthly statement from your current merchant services provider for a free analysis. Or, fax a statement to Andrew Wirtz at RA to see how much you could be saving: 1.866.469.3761. You can contact Andrew for more information at [email protected].
If you have ideas about additional benefits that would be of value to you and your business, I'd love to hear from you: [email protected].
Sincerely,
Nora Weiser
Executive Director
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Cheese-a-Topia Sponsorship Deadline
The deadline for locking in sponsorship of Cheese-a-Topia in Seattle is fast approaching! If you are interested in gaining visibility among a qualified audience of more than 800 ACS members, consider becoming a sponsor. Our sponsors receive benefits ranging from logo placement in ACS print materials to complimentary conference registrations and annual memberships. To learn more about 2010 sponsorship opportunities, click here or contact Rebecca Sherman at 720.328.2788. |
2010 Merchandising Competition Teams
We are thrilled to announce the slate of competitors for our 2nd Annual Merchandising Competition, sponsored by Emmi-Roth K�se. Six two-person teams will compete in this five-hour competition, which is designed to test merchandising, sales, wrapping, and product presentation skills. Competitors are: A limited number of conference registrants can observe the Merchandising Competition on Thursday, August 26 from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. If you are interested in observing, please be sure to select this option when completing your registration.
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Featured Cheese-a-Topia Session:
Water, Water, Waste Water Everywhere
Despite the general public's enthusiasm for local products, there are still enormous hurdles facing new agricultural endeavors. One of these potential hurdles is water. Water is a critical resource for any cheesemaking operation, let alone a farmstead producer. Peter Serrurier and Ryan Steen from Stoel Rives LLP'senvironmental practice group will discuss rights to utilize water, and also potential waste water policies that stand to impact ACS members in the coming years.
Plan to attend this important session on Friday, August 27 at 10:00 AM.
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Additional 2010 Scholarships Awarded
The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the Third Annual John Crompton Memorial Scholarship for Retailers and the First Annual Regional Chef Scholarship. Congratulations to this year's recipients! John Crompton Memorial Scholarship - John Antonelli, Owner, Antonelli's Cheese Shop in Austin, TX
- Anthony Bonilla, Specialty Team Leader, Whole Foods Market, Aventura, FL
- Nancy Peppler, Owner, Nancy's Cheese in Toronto, Ontario
Regional Chef Scholarship - David Bleckmann, Author/Cheesemaking Instructor, Sur La Table, Portland, OR
To contribute to our scholarship fund, contact 720.328.2788 or mail your gift to: American Cheese Society, 2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 570, Denver, CO 80222.
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U.S. Cheeses Score at World Jersey Cheese Awards
The Second World Jersey Cheese Awards competiton took place last month in the Channel Islands. There were 102 cheeses competing from 10 different countries. This cheese competition is open only to cheeses that are made of 100% Jersey milk. North American cheeses were very prominent in the competition, with no fewer than 20 U.S. artisan cheeses earning medals. Click here for details on this year's winners, and consider entering your 100% Jersey cheeses in future years.
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In Memory: Joseph Calabro, 1922-2010
  It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of ACS member Joseph Calabro, founder of East Haven, Connecticut-based Calabro Cheese Corporation. Joseph's tireless dedication and relentless pursuit of quality made the business he founded in 1953 the award-winning company that it is today. His strong influence, sage guidance, irresistible charm, and old world values will be missed by all. Contributions in Joseph's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association: 379 New Britain Road, Suite 5, Kensington, CT 06037.
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Stay Connected to ACS
Stay connected to ACS no matter where you are! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or our exclusive member networking site, CheeseWire. You can get the latest updates on our annual conference, connect with fellow cheese makers, retailers and enthusiasts, and let us know what's happening in your world. We hope you'll join in the conversations, and even start some of your own! |
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