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ACS Releases Cheese- maker Industry Data
At the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, ACS released data from a survey of
artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheesemakers in the United States and Canada. Data includes the population of artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheesemakers in these regions; trends in cheesemakers' size, production volume, and growth; data on raw milk cheese production; and findings on HACCP preparedness.
ACS members are invited to view the data here. It will be publicly available on the ACS website on February 1. Thank you to the many members who participated in this survey!
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2012 Conference Preview
Wondering what's in store for ACS 2012 in Raleigh? Get a preview of the conference program here!*
Educational sessions are designed for industry and enthusiast audiences, including an Opening Keynote by renowned author and expert on humane livestock handling, Temple Grandin; technical sessions geared toward cheesemakers, retailers, and distributors; and unique regional tastings and tours.
*Please note that the program is subject to change.
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NASFT Comments on FSMA Fees for Very Small and Small Businesses
On behalf of its members -- primarily small and family-owned companies -- the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT) recently submitted comments in response to the FDA's request for public comments and information about the effect of FSMA fees on very small and small businesses. Click here to read the NASFT's comments and recommendations to the FDA.
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Certified Cheese Professional Exam™ Bibliography is Online!
The Certification Committee has developed a list of books, periodicals, and websites that may serve as helpful resources for individuals preparing for the Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam.
The most up-to-date bibliography (as of 12-9-11) is posted here. Anyone from exam takers to individuals who are simply interested in expanding their cheese library can view it online, or download a sortable Excel file.
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Have You Renewed Your Membership?
If you haven't renewed your ACS membership for 2012, then your membership expired on December 31. You recently received a renewal notice via mail. We encourage you to renew soon to continue receiving benefits in 2012.
You can renew via mail or fax, or save paper and time by renewing online.
By renewing, you'll continue to receive important updates on industry issues, this monthly CheeseBytes e-newsletter, discounts on products and services, and access to members-only resources on our website. Members are also eligible to attend the ACS Conference in Raleigh, NC, can enter products into our Judging & Competition, and receive discounted rates to sit for the Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam.
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January Potluck: Roasted Butternut Squash, Spinach & Rosemary Pasta with Original Blue™
The ACS team holds monthly potlucks to share favorite dishes and experiment with new recipes. This month, the starring dish was Roasted Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Rosemary Pasta with Original Blue™. The recipe and the cheese came from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company in Petaluma, CA. Check out the recipe for this dish on the ACS website. If you have a favorite cheese-centric recipe that you would like the ACS staff to try, we encourage you to email it to us!
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Do You Have What it Takes? Apply for the Official Conference Cheesemonger Role
Two of the most important volunteers at the ACS Conference & Competition are our Official Conference Cheesemongers -- the point-persons who oversee and manage the receipt, movement, storage, and preparation of thousands of cheeses that play a starring role in conference events.
If you are an experienced cheesemonger who fits our criteria and would like to apply your skills to the broadest array of American cheeses that you'll ever encounter, we hope you'll apply for this role!
ACS will provide the two selected 2012 Official Conference Cheesemongers with roundtrip airfare to Raleigh, a hotel stay, a personalized ACS chef's jacket, and free registration for the 2013 ACS Confererence.
Don't miss the deadline: read the full description and apply online by January 31!
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Cheese in the NewsFarmer vs. the feds, Lancaster Farming News, Jan 15 Waste whey? Some say no way, NPR, Jan 13 How to buy better and bolder cheese, The Globe and Mail, Jan 3 It's a year to celebrate artisan cheese, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan 1 What's In Your Kitchen? New York Times, Dec 13 Big Potential for Small Dairies, Lancaster Farming, Dec 10
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Charting Our Course to a Vibrant Future
With the holidays a fading memory, ACS has great things in store 2012. We hope you will celebrate the valuable work being accomplished by and for our members and the wider cheese industry, from education to exposure, to charting a course toward an even more vibrant future. The Winter Fancy Food Show wrapped up yesterday, and the energy and excitement coursing through the ACS Pavilion in the Moscone Center -- and at ACS booth #5021 -- was palpable. This season's show saw representation from an amazing group of American cheesemakers, new product launches, and the celebration of milestones including the 20th anniversary of Humboldt Fog, with a "Cheese Confessional" for fans to record memories of their first experience with the iconic cheese. At the show, ACS released results from our 2011 Cheesemaker Industry Survey and a preview of the program for our 2012 conference, Cheese Rally in Raleigh: Owning Our Future.  | | A photo from the Cypress Grove Chevre booth at the Fancy Food Show. Click for more photos. |
On Tuesday, some members of the ACS community reviewed questions for the inaugural Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam which will be administered in Raleigh on August 1. The process, hosted at the Cheese School of San Francisco, was thoughtful and thorough. If you plan to apply for the exam, don't delay: spots are almost filled! At today's annual Winter Board Meeting, your Board of Directors will begin the next round of Strategic Planning, which will guide our organization in the years to come. Thank you to the many members who provided valuable feedback in our recent Member Survey, which will inform our planning discussions. We strive to be a member-led and member-directed organization, and we appreciate your support. On deck for February: two FREE webinars in our Winter Webinar Series, one focused on safe storage temperatures for cheese (February 1), and the second designed as a "Virtual Roundtable" on retailer best practices (February 15). Unable to make a scheduled session? Each will be recorded for later review at your convenience. Please keep us posted on how we are meeting your needs. This is your association, and serving the needs of the cheese community is at the heart of what we do! Peace, Love & Cheese, Christine Hyatt ACS President |
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Owning Our Future in 2012
The view from the ACS booth at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco was squarely forward-looking. There is so much excitement around the future of the industry, and ACS is looking forward to another great year of supporting and promoting North America's artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheesemakers.
One highlight of 2012 will be our Annual Conference & Competition in Raleigh, NC. We are excited that ACS's Cheese Rally in Raleigh: Owning Our Future will feature keynote speaker Temple Grandin and our first ever Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam, and we are grateful to the entire cheese community for embracing and supporting the exam so whole-heartedly. Interest in earning the ACS CCP™ designation is evidenced by the speed at which seats for the exam are filling, and reflects the industry's growth, professionalism, and recognition of the high level of specialized knowledge held by cheese professionals.
Presidential candidates will spend October of 2012 on last-minute campaigning, but we hope you will cast your vote for American cheese by making the most of the 2nd annual American Cheese Month. Start planning now to make the most of this exciting month by organizing tastings, specials, promotions, and events throughout October. ACS will also continue to keep members up-to-date on regulatory issues in 2012, and we will be developing recommended industry Best Practices for cheesemakers and retailers. Our goal is to keep you ahead of the curve, and we will do so by maintaining a strong, proactive voice on your behalf, and by calling upon our membership to respond to any potential changes that might impact your business.
Nora Weiser
Executive Director
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February Winter Webinars
Our 2012 Winter Webinar Series offers free sessions for ACS members. The online format makes it easy to "attend" from the comfort of your home or office. These webinars will provide valuable information for all members, but we particularly encourage ACS CCP™ candidates to attend in preparation for the exam.
STORAGE TEMPERATURES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN CHEESE SAFETY
February 1, 2012
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Mountain Time
Register online today!
Considering the variety and volume of cheeses consumed throughout the world, the incidence of food borne outbreaks associated with cheeses is extremely low. Proper cheese storage temperatures play a critical role in maintaining safe product. This session, led by Marianne Smukowski of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, will explore the appropriate measures to be taken that will ensure proper and safe cheese storage.
RETAILER BEST PRACTICES: VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE
February 15, 2012
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Mountain Time
Save the date! Registration opens soon!
Following-up on work from the 2011 Annual Conference, ACS members are developing a comprehensive Standards & Practices guide for cheese retailers and distributors to promote food safety. To fully encapsulate all of our needs as an industry, we will want to have as many people as possible bring their questions, challengers, wisdom, suggestions, and feedback to the session so we can build and share together to identify key quality and safety standards. In addition to an expansive compendium of evolving FDA regulations, the resulting guide will reflect the best practices set forth by industry leaders -- like you!
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Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam Q&A
 Each month, ACS answers questions about the Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam in our monthly CCPE™ e-newsletter. If you didn't receive the January issue, you can find the latest questions and answers below. If you have a question for ACS about the exam, please email us or post on our Facebook wall.
Q: I have already been accepted to take the exam, but I just found out that I won't be able to take the exam this year. Do I have to reapply next year?
A: Your acceptance is valid for one year after the 2012 exam date. You may defer taking the exam until 2013, without reapplying. All you need to do is email the Certification Eligibility Committee asking for a deferral. Once your request is approved, you will be formally notified by ACS, and you will be placed into the next exam seating in 2013.
Q: I've been accepted for the exam but I can't pay the exam registration fee online. Is there another way to pay the fee?
A: If you have been accepted for the exam, you must pay the registration fee of $500 for ACS members or $650 for non-members by June 30, 2012. If you can't pay the registration fee electronically, you may either call ACS to pay via phone (720-328-2788) or mail a check made out to ACS to the attention of Jane Bauer in our Denver office (see the address at the bottom of this email). We recommend that you pay your registration fee as soon as possible after your application is approved.
Q: Once the exam fills to capacity, will you maintain a wait list?
A: Yes, ACS will maintain a wait list of qualified candidates after the 2012 exam is filled. If space opens up due to a cancellation or deferral, we will offer exam slots to individuals on the wait list in the order in which their applications were received.
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Apply for 2012 Scholarships by March 30
ACS, in conjunction with the American Cheese Education Foundation and the John Crompton Memorial Scholarship Fund, awards full and partial scholarships to cheesemakers, retailers, students, and local chefs to attend the Annual ACS Conference & Competition. Recipients may receive a travel stipend, hotel accommodations in the conference host city, and a free conference registration.
Applications for 2012 scholarships are now being accepted! Completed applications must be received by March 30. Recipients will be notified by April 30.
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News from the Judging & Competition Committee
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and enjoyed time with their family and friends. The holidays are a busy time for most of us in the food industry, and it is nice to take a breath and reflect on the accomplishments of 2011.
As we begin 2012, the Judging & Competition Committee is set to begin our weekly conference calls. The first topic on the agenda is to review 2011 competition categories and discuss any category changes or adjustments that need to be made for 2012. We will also discuss the number of judging teams needed in Raleigh to judge even more entries than ever before!
As 2012 unfolds, we'll keep you up-to-date on exciting advancements for the Judging & Competition in Raleigh. Among many topics of discussion, the Committee will be considering a revamp of the competition database to include an online entry form, and we will be working to develop a judges' training webinar and a Judging & Competition educational session in Raleigh.
I would also like to welcome the newest member of the Judging & Competition Committee, Jana Hemphill. Jana is the Administrative & Marketing Assistant for ACS, and she will be assisting the Committee with our weekly meetings. She will play an integral role in the entry process, including entering all cheeses into the competition database, and assisting members with the entry process.
My goal as Committee Chairman is to keep you up-to-date on the goings-on of the Committee, as well as on the Competition itself. Look for updates regarding the Judging & Competition in future CheeseBytes articles.
Regards,
Todd Druhot
Judging & Competition Chair
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Garlic, Cheddar, and Stone Ruination IPA Soup
ACS m ember Randy Clemens is a Los Angeles-based freelance food writer. His recent books, The Sriracha Cookbook and The Craft of Stone Brewing Co., include recipes such as this perfect winter soup: warm, cheesy, and jazzed up with a deliciously bitter IPA.
Reprinted with permission from The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance. Copyright © 2011 by Stone Brewing Co. and Randy Clemens. Published byTen Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo credit: John Schulz Photography.
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup (8 flouid ounces) Stone Ruination IPA
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 heads Roasted Garlic (page 134 of book)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 1/4 pounds sharp white cheddar, grated
- Salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Melt 3/4 cup of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking briskly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring frequently, until the flour takes on a light blond color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and minced garlic and cook just until the garlic is aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, IPA, and milk. When the liquid begins to simmer, stir in the garlic, paprika, and cumin. Using a handheld immersion blender or in a regular blender, puree until smooth. Whisk in the flour mixture. Add the cheese a handful at a time, whisking after each addition, until melted and smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnishing each serving with some of the chives.
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Connect to ACS
Stay connected to ACS no matter where you are! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (#cheesesociety), LinkedIn, or our member networking site, CheeseWire. Get the latest updates from the cheese community, connect with fellow cheesemakers, retailers and enthusiasts, and tell us what's happening in your world. |
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