EXPLORE THE WORLD OF JERSEY CHEESES IN ASHEVILLE

Reynoldsburg, Ohio (May 13, 2008)—Six cheeses having but one thing in common—that they are made from milk produced by Jersey cows—have been selected for a guided tasting June 25 in Asheville, N.C.

The tasting, part of the program for the 2008 annual meetings of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., will be conducted by Jeffrey Roberts, principal consultant for the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese and author of the acclaimed Atlas of American Artisan Cheese.

Included are two cheeses among the “elite 200” featured in Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best by Max McCalman, maître fromager for Artisanal Premium Cheese of New York City.

The first is Orb Weaver Cave Aged Farmhouse Cheese, made by two pioneers of farmstead cheese production, Marjorie Susman and Marian Pollack of New Haven, Vt. Lauded by McCalman for its “slightly tangy buttery flavor and springy texture,” Orb Weaver placed first in its category at the 2000 American Cheese Society competition. That same year, Susman and Pollack constructed a cave in which to age Orb Weaver. The results, according to critic Marian Burros of the New York Times, were a “revelation.” Cave-aged Orb Weaver was described as “deeper yellow, much firmer and dense with a robust, complex array of earthy flavors.”

The other is Thistle Hill Farm Tarentaise, made by John and Janine Putnam and family of North Pomfret, Vt. The aged alpine-style raw milk cheese is made from certified organic milk produced by grass-fed Jerseys. Notably it is made using traditional methods in a copper cheese vat that is essential to developing the proper flavor. The vat is the only one of its kind in Vermont, one of only a few in the United States, and was custom built for Thistle Hill Farm in Switzerland. McCalman admires the “dense, complex” Tarentaise for its “subtle nutty flavor that establishes a large, lingering presence on the palate.”

Four rising stars will complement these well-established Jersey cheeses on the plate.

The first is Vache Santé from Bittersweet Plantation Dairy in Gonzales, La., selected for one of eight American Artisanal Treasure Awards in 2007. In English, its name translates as “Holy Cow,” a fitting description for the triple cream (75% fat), bloomy rind cheese. Vache Santé is aged from 10 to 12 weeks in order to build flavor characteristics while remaining firm, making it a culinary wonder for chefs like company owner John Folse.

Blue Ridge Dairy of Leesburg, Va., will be represented by its fresh mozzarella. Paul Stephan, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, cultures pasteurized Jersey milk produced by Jack and Stacey Kahler, Keymar, Md., then stretches the curd by hand to produce 8-ounce balls that are either sold fresh or applewood smoked. Blue Ridge’s farmhouse mozzarella placed third in its category at the 2002 American Cheese Society competition.

Representing the host state of North Carolina will be Hickory Grove, a raw-milk, aged cheese made in the monastery style by Portia McKnight and Florence Hawley at Chapel Hill Creamery, Chapel Hill, N.C. It’s stating the obvious to call it “unique,” given that its aging process includes the use of pine needles to develop the rind. Hickory Grove has a semi-firm, lacy texture that David Auerbach of the Durham Independent Weekly says makes for a cheese that is “delicious on its own, with apples and as a melter.”

Rounding out the plate will be Berkshire Blue from Michael Miller at Berkshire Cheese Makers LLC, Lenox, Mass. As the story is told, after Miller retired as publisher of the Berkshire Eagle and sold the newspaper, he searched in vain for a blue cheese that suited his palate. A licensing agreement to use the recipe and cultures developed by Dr. Alan Duffield of Somerset, England resulted in Berkshire Blue, which won a Gold Award at the 26^th World Cheese Awards. Weekly production ranges from 60 to 210 three-pound wheels.

Seating for the tasting, which begins at 4:00 p.m. on June 25, is limited to 100 persons. Tickets are $15 each and must be purchased in advance. Roberts’ seminar on artisanal cheeses produced with Jersey milk will precede the guided tasting. It begins at 3:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

Both events will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located at 1 Resort Drive in Asheville.

The North Carolina Jersey Breeders Association is the host for the 2008 national Jersey meetings. The schedule and registration forms are available at www.ncjerseybreeders.com, and also on the USJersey web site at www.usjersey.com. Early-bird registration and hotel rates are available until May 23.

The American Jersey Cattle Association is the oldest dairy breed organization in the United States, organized in 1868 to improve and promote the Jersey breed. National All-Jersey Inc. was formed in December of 1957 to promote the increased production and sale of Jersey milk and milk products. For more information, visit USJersey.com or call 614/861-3636.

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