• Early Bird Rate: $465 (May 2 - May 23) 
• Regular Rate: $595 (May 24 - June 27) 
• Late Rate: $695 (June 28 - July 18) 
• On-Site Rate: $695  

Congratulations to the Recipients of Free ACS Conference Registrations!   

Your Vision + ACS Mission = Greatness   

Do you have what it takes to make your mark on the American cheese industry? If you think strategically, work collaboratively, and want to be part of great team of dedicated industry professionals, consider ACS board service. Nominations are now open! Learn about Board Roles & Responsibilities, and consider nominating yourself or a colleague to run for office in 2012 by sending an email to nominations@cheesesociety.org.

Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations 

Date & Location Announced for 2013 Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam 

The inaugural Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam has filled to capacity! If you have not yet applied for the 2012 CCPE™, please note that ACS is now accepting applications for the 2013 exam. The 2013 exam will be held on July 31, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Call for Cheese! SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience in D.C. 

On June 8 and 9, ACS will sample cheese to 4,000 guests at SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience.

SAVOR is a must-attend for craft beer aficionados and foodies alike. Over two nights in Washington, D.C., guests enjoy an elegant sampling of appetizers and craft beers from around the United States.

 

ACS will have a dedicated area at SAVOR for sampling cheeses produced by our members. Interested cheesemakers are asked to provide 5-10 pounds of cheese, along with any informational materials. 

 

If you would like to have ACS sample your products at SAVOR, contact Rebecca Sherman via email, or call 720-328-2788.

Greetings and happy spring! As we pass the vernal tipping point to warmer, more active seasons of growth, so it is with ACS. Our organizational cycle moves into high gear as we approach our annual conference in Raleigh.

Things begin to heat up at this time of year. Scholarship applications roll in and finalists are selected. If you are a cheesemaker, retailer, student or chef who would like to be considered, apply by March 30th.

On the week of April 9, the 2012 Judging & Competition opens. It is always exciting to hear weekly updates about the number of cheeses that will be competing. Since I began board service in 2006, I have watched with wonder as the numbers climbed from 946 in Portland to our record 1,676 last year.  

It amazes me to see the robust growth in the number of cheesemaker-members, the number of cheeses produced, and the increasing quality and diversity of cheeses from all regions. I recently learned that our host state of North Carolina is home to forty licensed cheesemaking operations, and a Western North Carolina Cheese Trail is now in the works!  

To learn more about North Carolina and beyond, make plans to join us in Raleigh. The conference planning committee has been hard at work creating an information-packed educational program with special events that celebrate southern hospitality in this emerging cheese region.

Spring is a time of planting seeds that will bear fruit in the fall, and the time is ripe for planning an event or promotion for American Cheese Month in October. With a successful launch last year, we hope you'll consider raising the bar yet another notch in support and celebration of great homegrown cheese in your hometown.

Peace, Love & Cheese,

Christine Hyatt

ACS President 

Makers and Mongers and Mavens, Oh My! 

ACS has always had cheesemakers at its core. As the industry has grown and our talented cheesemakers have created more and better cheeses, ACS has grown to better serve the broader cheese industry, as well. It is exciting to see how distributors, retailers, educators, and others have raised their game to match the fabulous production of North America's artisan, farmstead, and specialty producers. ACS has worked to raise its game as well, and there are two exciting new programs that I feel do just that -- elevate the industry by elevating the work of those who are dedicated to it.  

The Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam is one concrete way that ACS has met the needs of a broad range of cheese professionals. The fact that the exam filled so quickly in its inaugural year is a testament to their professionalism and desire for growth. But let's face it, cheese has a less serious and more fun side -- and everyone involved in the industry brings a passion that goes beyond pencils and paper. That is why I am so excited about the first ACS "Counter Culture Challenge" in Raleigh this summer. This fun challenge will showcase the talents of cheesemongers, retailers, or anyone else with the creativity and talent to create amazing cheese displays. If you've ever dreamed of having a mountain of cheese and a full day to create a display with it, the Counter Culture Challenge is for you. By taking part, you can make this year's Festival of Cheese our most amazing ever -- and be rewarded for your efforts! Learn more about the Counter Culture Challenge in this issue of CheeseBytes.  

We hope to see you in Raleigh! 

Sincerely,

Nora Weiser

Executive Director   

It's Time: Start Planning for American Cheese Month  

October marks the 2nd Annual American Cheese Month -- a nationwide celebration of America's delicious and diverse cheeses and the farmers, cheesemongers, and chefs who bring them to the table. The first American Cheese Month resulted in 100+ events in 50 cities around the United States, and we're looking forward to growing the celebration this year...with your help!

• Start planning in-store specials and promotions, along with the marketing materials that accompany them. ACS can provide graphics upon request.

• Book a farmers market booth to sample cheese in your local community; most markets are already taking reservations for October.

• Work with local restaurants to plan dining events or special menus.

• Sign up for the American Cheese Month Passport Program: sell passports to your customers for $10 (with all proceeds benefiting the American Cheese Education Foundation), and offer a discount on an American cheese every day in October to passport-holders. Call our office at 720-328-2788 or email info@cheesesociety.org to learn more.  

• Make American Cheese Month official in your state! Ask your governor to issue a proclamation declaring that October is American Cheese Month.  Download a proclamation template and submit it via your governor's website.

• Last but not least, don't forget to add your October event(s) to the American Cheese Month online calendar!

Thanks to you, American Cheese Month 2012 will be bigger and better than ever! 

Cheesemakers, Retailers, Students, and Chefs:

ACS Scholarship Applications are Due March 30!  

Each year, 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 our 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 due on March 30, so be sure to complete your application soon! Recipients will be notified by April 30. 

• Cheesemaker Scholarship Application  
• Student Scholarship Application
• Chef Scholarship Application  
• John Crompton Memorial Scholarship for Retailers

Below are comments from recent scholarship recipients about their experiences at the ACS Conference. We hope you'll consider applying this year! 

"I learned a lot from my peers about cheese cultures, tasting cheese, and many cheese-related issues...It's not very often I get to co-conspire with that many people in my field, so it was fun meeting new cheesemakers/mongers/marketers who all share the same passion that I do."

"It was a pleasure to talk about the types of cheeses I produce and to see and hear the level of interest. I was able to connect with a couple of new distributors who may bring our cheese into their lineup, and I met several retailers who are intent on featuring our cheeses."

Judging & Competition Opens in April!  

Entries for the 2012 ACS Judging & Competition will be accepted beginning the week of April 9. Cheesemakers will receive an informational packet in the mail before the entry period opens, with instructions for submitting their entries. On-time entries will be accepted for just six weeks, so mark your calendar to ensure that your entries are received on time, and aren't subject to late fees.  

• ACS is unveiling a new entry system that will allow cheesemakers to submit entries via an online form and even revisit or modify entries after they are submitted, right up until the Judging & Competition closes on May 25. We strongly encourage cheesemakers to enter online this year, although mailed or faxed entries will still be accepted, as well. 

• The Judging & Competition entry fee has increased $5 this year. This fee now includes digital image rights for all winning cheesemakers to use a high-resolution "winner" graphic on product labels and promotional materials. ACS will email the graphic to all winners immediately after the Conference ends. Based on demand, ACS is excited to now include this benefit in the price of your entry. 

We look forward to the biggest and best Judging & Competition yet! If you have any questions about this year's contest, please don't hesitate to contact Michelle Lee via email or at 720-328-2788 x302.

Best of luck!

-ACS Judging & Competition Committee  

Counter Culture Launches in Raleigh    

The ACS Merchandising Competition has evolved -- and for 2012 that means the launch of the ACS Counter Culture Challenge! Consider it "Top Cheese" for retailers, cheesemongers, distributors, and anyone who has what it takes to create amazing, beautiful, delectable cheese displays. If you think you've tackled a lot of cheese in your day, you ain't seen nothin' 'til you take on the ultimate challenge: The ACS Festival of Cheese on August 4, 2012 in Raleigh, NC.

Think you've got what it takes to wow the judges or win the People's Choice? Check out the details below, and sign up later this spring to show your Counter Culture.  

The basics: 

• Form a 2-person team (you can both be from one store/company, or feel free to rope in a colleague from another shop, company, restaurant....)
• Pick a spiffy team name
• Complete the registration form you'll find on the ACS website later this spring (there is no charge to participate, but space is limited and will be issued in the order in which forms are received.)
• Counter Culture Challenge participants who register to attend the full conference will receive a $100 refund (mailed to you via check following the conference)
• Get ready for one helluva day in Raleigh!

Read more about Counter Culture, and start planning your team!

Every Gift Counts: Help Make the ACS Conference & Competition Possible

Ask Dr. Cheese: Those Bloomin' Bloomies  

Bloomy-rind cheeses are finicky creatures, says Gianaclis Caldwell, Pholia Farm co-owner and cheesemaker, and author of the forthcoming book, Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking (Chelsea Green, Fall 2012). In this interview with San Francisco Chronicle cheese columnist Janet Fletcher, Caldwell outlines some of the tricks to getting a Penicillium candidum rind to thrive.

Q: When you're evaluating a cheese with a P. candidum rind, what do you hope to see?

A: An evenly thick or thin texture, and not so thick that it's unpleasant in your mouth. A rind that is part of the paste and doesn't pull away. Obviously, that it's not bitter. And in the U.S., we're accustomed to these rinds being pure white, but to have some other molds on there can be appealing. That's a matter of taste and the cheesemaker's intention.

Q: What are the main factors in getting a P. candidum rind to grow successfully?

A: The moisture content of the cheese. If it's too wet, you get mucor growing, those blackish molds. Also, you need to have the right type of yeast growing to raise the pH of the cheese surface -- either geotrichum or some other added yeast. Candidum won't grow at the starting pH of the cheese, which is usually about 4.7. It needs to be higher, and that's typically the job of environmental yeast or added yeast. Lastly, these cheeses need the right amount of salt initially to limit the immediate growth of other molds.

Q: As for inoculating the milk with P. candidum versus spraying it on, do you favor one method over another?

A: For small cheesemakers, adding it to the milk is easier but more costly because you use more. When you get to a certain size, misting is more affordable. But unless you're really good at misting, the rind is likely to be more even if you add the candidum to the milk. It's good to have some P. candidum available for misting in case you're not getting even growth. But there's no difference in how the cheese develops.

Read more from this interview with Gianaclis on the ACS website.