10-05 Cheese Council News.Indd
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Fall 2005 • Vol. 5, Issue 2 Changing of the Guard fter two years at the way down to St. Jon in the helm as VCC the Virgin Islands. After a President, Jamie six month stint at a Yacht A club on Martha’s Vineyard Miller, cheesemaker from Shelburne Farms I returned to Burlington has opted to move onto knowing that I needed to other challenges. Vice- get myself out from behind President Jon Wright the stove. I started looking of Taylor Farm has into some local breweries, stepped into the breach. bakeries, and cheese The following making operations. The questions were posed cheesemaker at Shelburne to both the Outgoing Farm’s had accepted a position down in Virginia and Incoming VCC Jamie Miller (left) and Jon Wright president: to start a new cheese operation, so I interviewed, How/why did you start making cheese? and before you know it... I am the new cheesemaker for Shelburne Farms. Jamie: I began cheesemaking in the spring of 2001. I had spent most of my time up to that point Jon: We were struggling dairy farmers who wanted cooking in Restaurants from Burlington, Vermont all continued on page 2 Also in this issue: ❧ New Cheeses . Page 4 ❧ Media Coverage Abounds This Fall . Page 5 ❧ Cheesemaking Courses Offered . Page 7 ❧ Farmstead Cheese Book Available . .Page 11 ❧ Listeria: How to Keep It Out of Cheese . .Page 11 Lake’s Edge, by Blue Ledge Farm VCC Scores! in Kentucky (see story on page 3) Changing of the Guard transition from strictly a dairy operation into some continued from page 2 sort of “value added” dairy processor. There are others who come from any long lines of cheesemaking lineage – any many who arrive at cheesemaking, as I did, quite to improve our farm profitability. We came to cheese by accident. Being educated as to what is happening out of necessity. We started making cheese in the while we are in our cheese rooms is important. Vitally fall of ‘99 and it has now become the real identity of important. The more we understand our craft and Taylor Farm. trade, the better cheeses we will be making. We all win, from the producer to the consumer. What is the best part of making an artisanal prod- uct? What is the worst part? Jon: Maintaining HIGH quality products, which we are doing and, as Jamie said, moving cheese makers Jamie: The sweat. I really do love the physicality forward with education. of what we do here. There is something to be said for making 500, 600, or 700 pounds of cheese by hand What’s the most important thing consumers should in a day. It is a nice feeling at the end of the day to know about cheeses that comes from Vermont? see what you have accomplished and what it took out of you to do it. I suppose on the other hand this also Jamie: In my time working with the VCC and constitutes what is probably one of the worst parts of being involved in Vermont’s cheesemaking scene, I the job. It is incredibly back breaking work. This is have gotten to know quite a few people. Sometimes one of those Yin Yang sorts of jobs I guess. it’s the cheesemaker alone who get all the credit for their cheeses. But in reality it is a group effort. The Jon: I love being involved in the whole process. I group consisting of the land, the food, the weather, love getting the cows out on the first spring pasture, the cows, sheep, goats, water buffalo, the milkers, the I love milking in the morning and watching the sun cheesemakers, the people we buy our equipment and rise, I love seeing a full cheese vat of our rich milk, I supplies from, the UPS drivers, the shop owners and love singing in the cheese room as we make 400lbs of staff, the customer.... I think you get the idea. We Gouda and I love sharing the cheese with visitors as cannot do this alone, it takes all of us together to get they come to our farm to explore our lifestyle. I love to where we are today. Not easy, but well worth the knowing that we took it all the way. The worst thing is rewards. I never get enough sleep. Jon: Consumers need to have the utmost confidence How would you categorize the state of that Vermont cheeses are made with the highest stand- cheesemaking today in Vermont? ards of quality. The number of awards that Vermont cheesemakers consistently receive speaks to that! Jamie: Bountiful. The amount of various cheeses being produced in the state right now is mind blowing. Jon added the following on this Changing of the Attend any event put on by the VCC and you will see Guard: “Jamie will be greatly missed in the Vermont cow, goat and sheep’s milk cheeses of all styles and Cheese Community (or maybe not, seems like we tastes. It is incredible what comes out of Vermont. ought to be able to find a spot for him close by)! I first met Jamie in the winter of 2001 when, as the new Jon: I totally agree with Jamie, “Bountiful”. We cheesemaker at Shelburne, he made the effort to get have a wonderful group of producers with outstanding out and visit most of the cheesemakers in Vermont. cheeses. I’m optimistic that there is room for even He showed up with a big grin on his face and a strong more! hand shake and followed me around as I gave him an overly wordy tour of our humble cheese facility. He has What is the greatest challenge facing Vermont continued to be a vibrant spokesperson for all cheese- cheesemakers? makers as well as turning out an outstanding product in his own right. As President of the Cheese Council Jamie: Education and consistency are our greatest he continually made efforts to bring us together challenges. Many cheesemakers, here and elsewhere, as a cohesive group and focused on issues that are come to cheesemaking out of need. By this I mean important to us all. His efforts, wisdom and humor will that there are a lot of small dairy operations here in be remembered! Thanks, man!” Vermont who, in order to stay in business, had to Welcome to the helm, Jon. Stay in touch, Jamie. 2 Vermont Cheeses Kick Bluegrass at American Cheese Society Contest in Kentucky heesemakers “Vermont continues the first place awards. First-ever ACS from the to lead with excellent ribbons went to Neighborly Farms Green traditional cheeses as of Vermont and The Woodstock C well as innovative new Mountain State raced Water Buffalo Company. Seven of to victory in the farmstead and artisanal the twelve Vermont winners earned legendary hometown cheeses,” noted VCC multiple ribbons, including Grafton of the Kentucky president and Shelburne Village Cheese Company, Jasper Hill Derby where the Farms cheesemaker Farm, Neighborly Farms of Vermont, American Cheese Jamie Miller. “These Shelburne Farms, Vermont Butter & Society held its 22nd awards further advance Cheese Company, Willow Hill Farm, Annual Conference Vermont’s strong and Cabot, who led all winners with & Competition in reputation for quality six ribbons. See complete list of July. Vermont with our key chefs and winners, page cheesemakers earned retailers, within our The ACS Annual Competition twenty-eight (28) industry, and with the relied on ten teams of two judges awards including cheese-loving public in each to select the finest American- eight (8) blue ribbons general.” made dairy products, based on for cheesemaking First-time ACS blue ribbon both technical and aesthetic traits. Awards were presented to winners included Cobb Hill Cheese, The contest this year featured 23 twelve different members of the Green Mountain Blue Cheese, and categories with a record 749 entries Vermont Cheese Council (VCC) for Jasper Hill Farm. Crowley Cheese, submitted by 127 North American an impressive variety of specialty Shelburne Farms, Taylor Farm and cheesemakers. For more information, cheeses made from cow, goat, dual blue-ribbon winner Cabot visit www.cheesesociety.org. sheep and even water buffalo milk. Creamery Cooperative rounded out Results of 2005 American Cheese Society Annual Competition Award ribbons, listed alphabetically by Vermont cheesemaker First-Place, Blue-Ribbon Winners Second-Place, Red-Ribbon Winners Third-Place, White-Ribbon Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Winners Five Peppercorn Cheddar Vermont Cheddar Wheel Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Salted Butter Unsalted Butter Light Cheddar Grafton Village Cheese Co., LLC; Cobb Hill Cheese; Ascutney Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cabot Stone House 6-Year Cheddar Mountain Smoked Cheddar Grafton Village Cheese Co., LLC; Crowley Cheese, Inc.; Medium Jasper Hill Farm; Bailey Hazen Blue Vermont Maple Smoked Cheddar Sharp Colby’ Neighborly Farms of Vermont; Shelburne Farms; 2 Year Cheddar Green Mountain Blue Cheese; Gore- Monterey Jack Shelburne Farms; 6 Month Cheddar Dawn-Zola Neighborly Farms of Vermont; Green Vermont Butter & Cheese Company; Jasper Hill Farm; Constant Bliss Onion Cheddar Vermont Creamy Goat Cheese Shelburne Farms; Herb Spread Shelburne Farms; Green Olive Spread Classic Taylor Farm; Maple Smoked Gouda Vermont Butter & Cheese Company; Vermont Butter & Cheese Company; Vermont Goat’s Milk Feta Vermont Fromage Blanc Vermont Butter & Cheese Company; Willow Hill Farm; Alderbrook Vermont Cultured Butter Unsalted Willow Hill Farm; Summertomme Willow Hill Farm; Vermont Brebis The Woodstock Water Buffalo Co.; Mozzarella - Ovalini 3 New Cheeses will become available in Burlington announced at the 2005 Fancy Food area stores and Middlebury Coop. Show in New York. Coming the Spring 2006 – a Cabot Creamery/Jasper Hill Mateo Kehler from Jasper Hill Farm collaboration: Cabot Clothbound Farm report that they have a new Cheddar.